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We all struggle with insecurities, especially when we live in a world with social media covered with people living the perfect life with the perfect body. This makes it hard to combat the negative thoughts in our heads that make us feel bad. Today, I am going to talk to you about body positivity and how you can be more body positive.
Throughout my life, I have found myself in positions where I haven’t exactly said nice things about my body, but I think that as of right now I am very body positive so I am going to talk to you about the things that I have done to be more body positive. This does not mean that I am always 100% happy, but I know how to pull myself out of those funks where I feel bad.
First things first, there are a few things I want you to keep in mind:
- NOBODY IS PERFECT. The idea of perfection and having the “perfect body” is a toxic construct because it is subjective. No body is perfect. No matter how hard you try, you will never satisfy everyone with the perfect body. The idea of a perfect body is all over the place and is never consistent. We all have things here and there on our body that the media has said is ugly, but everyone has them.
- Beauty standards don’t mean a lot. Beauty standards are constantly changing. Take freckles for example: for a time they were being covered now freckle pens/stencils have been introduced to the market. Once you manage to look a certain way, the standard is going to change.
- Your body does so much for you, you should treat it with kindness. Your body works hard to keep you healthy, protects you from so many things, keeps you upright, and has been through a lot of hardships. Every part of your body is so important, why would you say bad things about it?
Now that you have those in mind, how do you fight that mean voice in your head that is telling you all these things?
First, you and your opinion of yourself are the only things that matter. This is so important. No one’s opinions should shape what you think of yourself. It’s your body and therefore only relevant to your opinion.
With that in mind, do what makes you happy and what makes you feel good. This means wearing clothes that make you feel good, eating what makes you feel good, and doing things that make you feel good. You should be happy with what you do and different things make different people happy. If you are happy with yourself, that will reflect on your mindset and onto how you feel about your body.
Whenever you look in the mirror, tell yourself at least three things (or more) you like about yourself and then give yourself some positive affirmations (I am beautiful, I am strong, etc). I saw a quote today that says “You become what you feed your mind” and it might be one of my new favorites. If you “feed” yourself positivity, good energy, and good foods, you will radiate that energy and feel really good, if you do the opposite you’d feel really bad. This idea applies to everything in your life. If you feed your body and mind good energy then you will feel that energy and radiate that energy all over.
Remember when I talked about people’s opinions. That also applies to getting validation. You fall into a toxic trap if the only body confidence you have comes from other people. Of course, you feel really good when someone compliments you, but it shouldn’t be your source of confidence. You should not need someone telling you that you look good in order to be confident and to feel good about yourself. At the end of the day, if you are not sure with yourself what good is hearing it from other people going to do?
Try not to look too deeply at social media. So many people advertise tummy shrinking teas and other products to make you look slimmer, or they use editing apps to enhance their bodies. Social media only tells part of the story. You cannot let what the Kardashians look like tell you how you should look. That does not matter. Try to avoid having body discussions with other people. Everybody is different and we all have things we aren’t a fan of, therefore you should channel the energy you would be putting into talking bad about yourself into energy that does more good and boosts your self-confidence.
Find style inspirations. Note my use of the word “inspirations.” It’s okay to be inspired by what other people wear/how they look. Looking at fashion through this lens will allow you to find clothing that makes you feel good and confident. I have Pinterest boards full of looks I would love to try.
This journey takes time. You need to remember to always work on feeling good. It is not always easy, but each day you get closer and closer to feeling great about yourself. You just have to be patient.
Before I sign off, I want you to look in a mirror, smile at yourself, and then tell yourself that you look really freaking good today (no matter what you’re wearing). You have to start somewhere… You’re awesome, you just have to believe it. Don’t forget to stay vibin!
Where you can reach me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getalohaspirit/
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Email: kyla@getalohaspirit.com
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/profile/kylanicole2013
Website: https://getalohaspirit.com/
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