In a world where women’s bodies are hyper-sexualized and shamed by mainstream media, it is incredible to see a platform aimed predominantly towards young people that is supporting our youth being proud of their bodies. The hashtag #BodyPosi is a new and becoming an increasingly popular way for young women and men on Twitter and Instagram to show that they are happy with the way they look, despite living in a society that tells them that they shouldn’t be. Twitter personalities such as @queenfeminist, @sadblackcat, @lilkittten and so many more have posted photos showing their body positivity and have encouraged their large followings to do the same, and a lot of people are becoming more comfortable in their skin as a result. So, what happens if you are inspired and encouraged by this trend but aren’t quite #BodyPosi yet? Here are 9 tips to get yourself on the road to loving yourself completely.
1. Try to Engage In a Healthier Lifestyle.
Engaging in a healthy lifestyle is not simply a way to lose weight, but also a way to begin being happier with yourself without changing the way you look. Things as simple as drinking more water, going on a walk, and going to bed at a reasonable hour will make your smile shine a little bit brighter and make you a little bit happier. Having a healthy lifestyle is so important, regardless of why you are doing it. This alone might now make you fall completely in love with the way you look, but taking good care of yourself is certainly a start.
2. Have Someone Be Accountable.
Having a negative self-image is a tricky thing to go through alone. Not feeling beautiful and having no one to refute your feelings makes going through it harder than it already is. The journey to a positive image of yourself is not a walk you have to (or should!) take alone. Have someone there for you on the rough days, the days you can’t stand to look at yourself. Be it your parents, a sibling, a friend, a significant other, or even a body positivity promoter on Twitter or Instagram. Even if you have a hard time believing them, being told you are beautiful does wonders.
3. Realize A Lot Of Your Insecurities are Normal.
That double chin in your candid laughing picture? Normal. The flaps of skin on your stomach when you lean over? Normal. The “rolls” on your side when you turn around? Normal. The expansion of your thighs when you sit down? Normal. The media wants to portray perfection as skin so tight against your body that it never moves, but skin is meant to move! Your “stomach rolls” or “double chin” are just side effects of having skin. Don’t suck in when you bend over or delete those cute pictures because you have a small “roll” on your side. No matter what diet or workout plan you start, to some extent, all of those will still be there… So you better embrace them!
4. …And Everything Else is Normal, Too!
Nobody has the right to tell you what should or shouldn’t be on your body. Just because a flat stomach seems conventionally “sexy” does not mean that other stomachs can’t be, too. You are beautiful in your own skin. Trying to conform to conventional beauty standards to make yourself more attractive probably will not make you happier. You can love what you look like and still actively work to change yourself, but the first step is loving yourself.
5. Don’t Look At The Scale.
The number that shows on the scale does not matter one single bit. There are people who don’t weigh much and aren’t healthy, and there are people who weigh a lot more and are. The way you feel about yourself should not be dictated by a number. The way you feel about yourself should come from if you are happy about what you see in the mirror. Don’t think that if because you are over or under a certain number that it automatically eliminates you from the chance of being and feeling beautiful, despite what the world may tell you. If you want to change the way you look, aim to look better, not weigh lighter (as gaining muscle can cause weight gain but a slimmer look!) Measure your success by your happiness, not a number.
6. Realize How Small You Really Are.
You live in a universe where there are more GALAXIES in the sky than there are grains of sand on the beach. You also are living in an almost immeasurably small amount of time in the grand scheme of things. You get this limited amount of time to enjoy this world and learn and travel and explore and love, and you’re going to sit here and fret because of a couple of natural stretch marks? I can guarantee you’ll be happier if you embrace them as a part of your beautiful self instead of trying to hide them.
7. Realize You’re Deserving of Love.
No matter what you look like or how much you weigh, someone (and probably a lot of people!) loves you unconditionally. The insecurities that eat you alive are unnoticeable to the friends and family who love you so dearly… And will be unnoticeable to anyone who gets to know you beyond the shell that your beautiful soul is wrapped inside. Your body is simply a vessel that carries around your thoughts and your dreams and your knowledge and everything that makes you, YOU. You are not a number on a scale. You are not your insecurities. You are the beautiful, wonderful, incredible human person wrapped inside of them. Don’t let the skin and bones on the outside effect who you are within. Other people love you beyond what you’re uncomfortable with, you should too.
8. Radiate Positivity Toward Others.
Try to take all of the time and energy you’ve put in to picking apart your flaws into making other people feel good. Comment on selfies, tell people that they’re beautiful and look great. Giving other people the tools to become body positive will, in turn, give you some as well. Realize a lot of people, men, women, and non-binaries can be going through a struggle with self-image, and in helping them you may help yourself.
9. Pretend.
One thing I’ve learned about body positivity is to just pretend it’s there until it is. Post a photo that says #BodyPosi, radiate confidence even if it’s a little shaky. Set reminders on your phone that say “you’re beautiful”, and do whatever it takes to make yourself feel like that’s true. This is a hard thing to do, but sometimes you simply have to fake it before you make it.
