New Attitude, New You – Working On Your Body Confidence

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Are you happy with your reflection? Many women are unhappy with their bodies, which can cause low self-esteem and even depression. Learning to love yourself is difficult, but it’s important to feel comfortable and happy in your own skin. With more and more people advocating body confidence no matter what your shape or size, it’s time you did it too. Read on for some useful advice about how to work on your body confidence and become a happier and healthier you.

 

 

Stop comparing yourself to others

Part of the issue with body confidence is that women will often compare themselves to others. This could be celebrities or even friends and family. Social media has a lot to answer for when it comes to our self-esteem, and many women become stressed or depressed because they feel pressure to be like people they see online.

It’s important to remember that so much of what is put on Instagram or Snapchat is edited and carefully crafted and not necessarily a reflection of real life. The sooner you come to realize that you don’t need to look like anyone else, the happier you will be. Take a break from social media for a couple of days or even a week and see if it makes a difference to how you feel about yourself.

 

Pay yourself compliments

Everyone has a favorite part of their body. It could be your hair, your eyes or your shapely thighs – let whatever you love about yourself be your focus, rather than thinking about all of the things that you don’t like. If you like what you’re wearing today or how you’ve styled your hair, tell yourself that you look good. When you feel comfortable, and at ease with yourself, your confidence will radiate. You will feel much more able to walk with a spring in your step if you pay yourself a compliment now and then.

 

 

Look up to body-positive role models

 

Years ago, the world was obsessed with supermodels. Today, body aspirations and what is considered ‘attractive’ has changed a lot and is a much more realistic thing. More and more women are speaking out about their bodies and offering a real view of the challenges faced in many industries, and it’s a welcome thing to hear. There are some inspiring celebrities who are fantastic role models for body positivity in an age where a camera is never far away. Make sure you learn from them and think about them the next time you look in the mirror and don’t like what you see.

 

Live a healthier lifestyle

A key issue with body confidence is weight. According to the ‘happiness’ app, Happify, 89% of women in the US are unhappy with their weight – a statistic which probably doesn’t surprise you when you think of all the conversation you and your girlfriends have about your weight and hangups. The survey found that many of the people who were unhappiest with their weight also led an unhealthy lifestyle, and making some important changes could be the answer to feeling happier about your weight and yourself.

Living healthier isn’t necessarily about shedding the pounds, it’s about looking after yourself and working on your body from the inside out. Making an effort to cook healthy, home-cooked meals as opposed to takeout and convenience food will start to affect your mood in a positive way – while weight loss can be a bonus.

Getting your body moving by doing something active each day will also improve your outlook and mental health, boosting your fitness so that you become healthier overall.

 

Give yourself a makeover

You’d be surprised at what a new haircut and new wardrobe can do to make you feel more confident about yourself. If you’ve had the same hairstyle for years or you tend to wear the same types of clothes, a refresh could give you an instant self-esteem boost. If you have major body hang-ups, you might want to consider surgery – but always make sure that you speak to a board certified plastic surgeon rather than looking for a cheap and cheerful option.

Explore other avenues first, and you may find that you become more confident without having to resort to other measures. Book appointments at a hair salon, a makeup counter and have fun creating a personalized wardrobe – having others recommend styles could help you consider looks you’d never thought of before and will help you feel great as you try new things.

 

 

Reward yourself

A regular pampering session is important. Not only will it help you to relax and unwind, but the positive feelings associated with pampering can have a wonderful effect on your feelings towards your body. Booking yourself a regular massage or facial is a lovely way to reward yourself after a tough few weeks at work or for dropping a few pounds, and you should try to do something regularly to keep up those good feelings.

Even something simple such as taking the time to moisturize your body thoroughly after a long bath will make you feel good and pampered, while also benefiting your skin’s condition and appearance. Find what makes you feel happy and make time to do it regularly.

 

Help others

If you’re feeling down about your body, chances are you know someone else who is too. Compliment others more, and mean it. Helping others to feel good about their body image will help you feel better too and will encourage more positivity in your conversations as opposed to dwelling on the negatives. If your friend is having a salad when you’re out to dinner, join her! Focusing on others will make you worry less about yourself and will make you feel even more confident in yourself.

 

Body confidence isn’t something that will happen overnight, but if you refocus your energies on being positive and making good lifestyle changes – you’ll get there. Don’t delay your happiness any longer, start your path to body confidence now.