According to a recent study, 62% of women feel negatively about their body image. There are, of course, many potential reasons for this, from feeling as though they cannot live up to ridiculous beauty standards to natural fluctuations in weight throughout different stages of our lives.
However, dealing with low body confidence can have an increasingly negative impact on your mental health and wellbeing. It also means that you’re less likely to put yourself out there.
While it may not seem that way, there are plenty of steps that you can take to ensure not only that you feel more confident in your body but that you feel great about your appearance every day.
Understand that beauty standards have always been ridiculous. As mentioned above, many of us struggle to adhere to societal beauty standards, which suggest that we should all look a certain way. However, acknowledging that this has always been ridiculous is a great way to free yourself from these obligations.
Societal beauty standards attempt to force everyone into the same box – but the truth is, it’s our differences that make us truly beautiful. The world would be pretty boring if we all looked the same!
Wear clothing that you feel comfortable in. Comfort is the first step toward confidence! This is because when you’re wearing an outfit you feel comfortable in, whether that’s one of your favorite one pieces or a chunky knitted jumper, you’ll carry yourself differently. Everything from your posture to your feelings when you look in the mirror will become more positive!
As such, you should not feel you always have to dress the same as those around you, especially if the latest styles aren’t your thing. Trying to do so could leave you feeling uncomfortable in your skin and less confident.
Be mindful of the way you talk or think about yourself. The way in which you talk (or think) about yourself matters. After all, if you’re hearing nothing but a barrage of negativity each time you get dressed or catch your reflection, it’s hard to shake those words off – in the same way, it would be difficult to ignore harsh words from others.
As such, moving forward, it is imperative that you are mindful of the impact that negative self-talk is having on your confidence so that you can work to remedy this. For example, each time you catch yourself thinking something negative – try to cut the thought short. Then, immediately say something positive about yourself instead.
You can also change your mindset for the better by practicing positive affirmations. For example, you should try to say three positive things about yourself each morning when looking in the mirror. For example, you could comment on the fact that your body is strong or powerful enough to get you where you need to be or the fact that you have a smile that makes other people want to smile, too. While this may take a little getting used to, you’d be surprised about the influence this can have on your confidence levels.
COMMENTS MAKE ME HAPPY!