In light of Mental Health Awareness week and #bebodykind here are my tips to becoming Body Positive. Battling myself with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) I can relate to the struggle and pressure some of us can feel to look ‘perfect’.
- Don’t look at everything you haven’t got and can’t do, focus on what you have got and can do.
- Affirmations are proven to work… try this mantra say it 5 times whilst looking in the mirror. I am now ready, to love and accept my body.
- Find 3 things you like about your body, no matter how small, even if it’s your little toe nail, and focus on how much you love these parts.
- Consider all of the people you feel are beautiful inside and remember that real beauty radiates from a person, it’s not superficial.
- Counteract every negative thought you have about your body, with something positive.
- Don’t try and hide and blend in. Wear clothes that flatter your body shape and make you feel good.
- Avoid looking at gossip, beauty magasines and Instagram, which are designed only to make you feel worse about yourself with constant body shaming.
- Ask other people, your partner if you have one, or close friends what they admire about your body, and remember what you see is not what others see.
- Think about all the qualities you have as a person that aren’t related to how you look, and write them down. If you’re struggling ask a close friend.
- Avoid negative people that make you feel worse about yourself. Surround yourself with positive people. This might mean a spring clean of your friends!
