Feeling beautiful has nothing to do with what you look like.

-Emma Watson

Have you ever looked in the mirror and felt ashamed of yourself? You keep on staring at yourself, wishing some parts of your body looked different; you are not alone. People are trained to feel not good enough through social media. From our childhood, we are told only certain body types are beautiful, causing many of us to develop body dysmorphia.
Body confidence plays a positive role, it is a way to love yourself no matter what you look like!
This article will highlight what body positivity is, why we need it, and when not to overdo it.

What is Body Confidence?

Body confidence is when you carry yourself with pride, no matter what you look like! It means you are comfortable in your skin and accept yourself.
In short, body confidence is when you respect yourself and stop comparing yourself with others.

Why Does Body Shaming Hurt?

Making fun of anyone or judging them can immensely hurt them. They say that words hit deeper than a knife, and the hurt that is caused by body shaming can define that.
Body shaming can lower people’s self-confidence and fuel issues like anxiety, eating disorders, depression, and loneliness.
Body shaming is seen mostly affecting teenagers, and this can hurt them badly as they are still early in their stage of life to figure themselves out.

We all deserve to have a space where we are comfortable with our skin, and adopting body confidence habits helps us to do that.

How to Start Being Body-Positive?

Body positivity is about loving and accepting yourself. It doesn’t have to be about weight, it includes skin tone, disabilities, face, unique features, scars, and anything that makes you feel different.
Body confidence teaches us to respect ourselves and each other, it helps in letting go of harmful beauty standards. Here are a few ways to become body-positive.

1 . Practice Self-reflection

Self-reflection helps in understanding your feelings better. You can try ways like

• Take a 15-minute walk to talk with yourself.
• Journaling
• Practicing Mindfulness or Meditation.
• Talking with a friend about it.
• Practicing gratitude

2 . Stop Comparing with Others

Comparison is a thief of joy. Remember, everyone has a different body, and we all have unique features to be proud of!
For your friend, it can be their nose which you find perfect, and for yourself, it can be your height you are proud of. Everyone has different uniqueness to themselves that makes them, them!
Comparing yourself with others will only leave a void within yourself, no matter how much you have grown in life.

3 . Celebrate Small Wins

Your small wins are as big as your big wins; after all, it’s the small efforts that create big wins!
Celebrate yourself where you feel good about your body and your features; it is a win! Recognize your efforts when you have achieved your milestone.
In your body-confidence journey, there will be many ups and downs, so as you level up, make sure to be your cheerleader!

4 . Don’t Follow Every Trend Online

Trends have a huge influence on people, and we like to keep up with everything online. This is not healthy! I constantly compared myself to people online and felt miserable. It messed with my self-esteem, and it took a toll on me mentally.
If certain ads, influencers, or magazine makes you feel like you are not enough, unfollow, block, unfocus!
Instead, try following positive people and more body-positive media. Start listening to podcasts about changing your mindset and finding a positive outlook. I started listening to podcasts on my 15-minute walk daily, and it helped me look at life in a more positive and non-competitive way.

5 . Cut Off Negativity

Surrounding yourself with people who make you feel low about yourself is self-destruction. Why would you want constant negative space around you?
Surround yourself with positive people and loved ones who encourage you to find confidence within yourself.
There are many others who are in the same boat as you and would love to sail along with you! You can find support groups or even find like-minded people. Cutting off toxic people can be hard and lonely for some time, but it is all a part of life. Focus on yourself before others!

Body confidence starts with you pushing the places that caused it.

The Unhealthy Side of Body Confidence

Although preaching body positivity is a great initiative, it does come with an unhealthy side. Having body confidence has helped many people, but it has also made many feel overwhelmed rather than heard.
In today’s world, almost everyone is following trends, and brands have marketed body positivity as a trend. They show different body types, but not because they care, but to follow trends!
Body confidence includes everyone, which means the LGBTQ community, disabled people, and people with different conditions, but we can see how people are only focusing on weight issues. These kinds of issues have massively affected people, especially teens, who feel overwhelmed and unheard.

How Does Body Positivity Affect Mentally?

Body positivity can affect us, both emotionally and mentally. Accepting who we are and still keeping on working on ourselves is the key. Here is what is going to happen when you embody body confidence!

• You start feeling more confident.
• You embrace who you are!
• You feel better because you stop comparing yourself to others.
• There is less risk of diseases and mental toll as you focus more on the positive outlook.
• You start improving yourself and your overall well-being.
• You build better and deeper relationships with others and yourself.

These were a few reasons to embody body positivity. You have one body, respect it!

Conclusion

Body confidence is more than just appearance, it is about learning to accept yourself. You do not need to change your body type unless it is borderline unhealthy!

By being more kind to yourself, you are setting an example to yourself and others that it is feel happy with who you are. You get to become an inspiration for many others who are going through the same as you!

Choose love over negativity, and remind yourself that you are enough!