You're Beautiful Just the Way You Are: Ways to Build a Positive Body Image

Body positivity is not a buzzword or a hot trend. It's a genuine way of life rooted in the values of a positive body image, and it is gaining more and more momentum across media and the general population.

Sounds great, right? It's amazing (and well overdue) to see bodies and beauty depicted and celebrated in all their different shapes and sizes. Still, this doesn't mean that loving your body every day is an easy task.

Body image issues continue to be complex and widespread, especially across younger generations of girls. Does this sound familiar to you? If you would like to learn some great positive body image tips and activities to promote positive body image, then look no further than this article.

We will unveil (excuse the pun!) the top three ways in which you can finally start loving your body, for good.

1. Look After Yourself, the Nourishing Way

Who doesn't love a bit of pampering? Well, what if we told you that your daily fix of TLC not only helps you to feel more relaxed and recharged but can also promote a more positive body image?

Try it — and make it fun while you're at it. Start with what you put on the table at mealtimes. Eating delicious and nutritious food is not only good for your body but for your mind, too. 

Search for yummy recipes filled with color, get creative in the kitchen, and cook for yourself as much as you can, like an act of self-love. 

Another great way to take care of yourself is to exercise. However, you'll want to shift your perspective and the way you look at it: do not work out because you are obsessed with losing weight. Work out because you know that it's the best way to release endorphins and make you stronger, healthier, and more energized.

Consider looking after your skin, too, with some natural and sustainable skincare products. They will make you feel and look great, boosting your self-esteem and body image while allowing you to do your bit for the planet. 

And what about clothes shopping? That's another fab way that many of us refer to as "self-care". If you are a fashion fiend, then bear in mind that what you see on TV, on social media, and in magazines might not always be what you need to wear.

Create your own, unique style, mix and match pieces that make you feel comfortable, empowered, and beautiful.

Most importantly, forget about sizes and numbers: focus on the feeling you get from a good-quality fabric or a pop of color against your beautiful skin. 

2. Surround Yourself With Empowering People

Have you ever felt deflated and exhausted at the end of a day spent browsing social media and being bombarded by images promoting a body and a lifestyle that aren't attainable (or even desirable)? We hear you.

Before deciding to go on a full-on technology break, log back into your social media accounts, and run a thorough check of all the people that you are following. Are they positive, empowering, real people, celebrating bodies like yours, and filling you with creative energy and passion? Brilliant, they can stay.

Anyone else, on the other hand, might need to go. Social media accounts that might seem harmless but keep posting content that makes you feel belittled and unrepresented will all need to be removed. Trust us: at the end of the day, you'll feel much lighter, more respected, and overall happier.

3. Mind Your... Mind

AKA: take care of your emotional and mental wellbeing, by seeking balance and positivity. How to start, you might wonder? With something that may seem very simple: the way you talk.

Are you aware of the true power of language? Like, really aware of how using specific words can have a huge impact on your feelings and thoughts, and, in turn, impact your life? If not, then start right now.

Look at yourself in the mirror, and pick a part of your body that you find challenging to love. Now, instead of referring to it using the words that you have used until now, change them with something that celebrates its uniqueness and beauty.

Done? Try saying it out loud! Changing "I hate my chubby arms" to something like "My arms are beautiful, soft, and strong" might turn your day around.

Another way to achieve better mental health is by practicing an activity that you enjoy and that makes you feel good and fulfilled.

 

It might be a physical activity that makes you feel more connected with your body or something like meditation and mindfulness. Whatever you choose, make it yours and make it a habit.

Remember: achieving a positive body image is much more than celebrating your body the way it is. It permeates other aspects of your life that are seemingly not linked to your image, but that you need to look after, too.

Achieve Positive Body Image for Life

Achieving a positive body image that lasts an entire lifetime is not only possible, but it's much easier than you think. And, even more important, it's something that every one of us deserves and should strive to accomplish to lead a better and more fulfilled life.

Focus on creating healthy eating habits, engaging in fun and enjoyable activities, spending time with positive-minded people, practicing mindfulness for emotional stability, and being more caring in the language you use to describe yourself and your body.

By doing so, your relationship with yourself will gradually and steadily improve, and loving your body will soon become second nature.

Feeling hungry for even more inspiring and empowering content? Then head over to our website now! You can join our growing community and explore what our blog has to offer to support you in your self-care journey.

Image Credits: Avelino Calvar Martinez, Tomas Hustoles, and Farah