I woke up the other day and started to get ready for the day. I struggled with getting dressed. I just wasn’t feeling it. I guess I put on some weight this past semester! The worst part is that I found myself saying, ‘I hate my body!’ I say the following to myself as well as to anyone who struggles with this issue. Don’t hate your body, it’s not the enemy. Face it, if you have issues of self-worth, it isn’t the fault of your body. Loving your body means loving yourself. For myself and for others, this is one of the biggest struggles in life. The battle is really in your mind. Empower yourself by loving your body and taking care of it. It can change your life for the better.

So, here are some tools to start the change!

1. Stop comparing yourself to others. Accept your body type for what it is and be happy. Surprisingly, most famous stars have imperfect, ordinary bodies too.

2. Find your own personal style that is stylish and comfortable and stick with that. My personal favorite is shopping at gently used clothing stores such as the Goodwill store. You get great value and recycle at the same time!

3. Cultivate a taste for healthy food. Experiment with new and exciting recipes that are simple, healthy and that use tasty, fresh ingredients. Start a new habit to have fruits and veggies on hand to snack on. Also, check out all the great entertaining and instructional cooking videos on social media.

4. Treat yourself a little but don’t go overboard. Don’t deprive yourself, rather find a balance. My favorite is a little dark chocolate made with a high quantity of cocoa. 5. Have a go-to friend to talk to when you are feeling down, depressed or experience anxiety, or seek professional counseling. Negative feelings affect your physical health and emotional well-being. 6. Exercise is not a dirty word! Anything that gets you moving for at least half an hour every day is great. Walking, bicycling, jogging, gym memberships, swimming, yoga or just gardening are excellent ways to move. Start a walking group or get a walking partner so that there are others to keep you company and hold you accountable!

7. Sit quietly every day for 15 minutes and focus on your breathing. Your body and mind can be out of sync with each other, which makes you vulnerable to stress and injury. Cultivate body/mind consciousness to alleviate stress to your body.

8. Understand your body’s sexual needs and plan time for safe sexual activity, whether it is with a partner or just self-love. According to WebMD and other sources, sex and/or self-love is a normal, healthy sexual activity that is fulfilling and can boost your health and lifespan.

9. Mental health is just as important as physical health. Reading good books, learning new things, playing games or even stimulating conversation is exercise for your brain. Research shows that mental/intellectual activity is important to overall health and may even affect brain health as we age, prolonging the brain’s ability for memory, reasoning and processing of information. Try these ideas and you will be on your way to loving your body and being a whole lot happier!