Body positivity is something that we, as a society, need to start practicing. In our culture, we have something discouraging or rude to say about literally any body type. It causes people to hate themselves for reasons that are insignificant and realistically don't matter. Here are some tips on how to be body positive towards yourself and others:
1. Stop putting yourself down.
If you want to feel positive about your body image, stop throwing insults at yourself. People often look at themselves in the mirror and say or think things like "I have such a fat stomach, it's gross." or "I'm too skinny, I look like I have chicken legs". A huge part of making yourself feel more confident is learning to compliment yourself rather than picking out every little flaw. We all have flaws, so why don't we embrace them and learn to live with them? Instead of saying something like "My thighs are so big, I hate them", try looking in the mirror and thinking about the upsides to having big thighs. They might be strong and muscular, for example. Even if the first thing you think of when you see one of your own flaws is to put yourself down, force yourself to compliment your own body instead of hating it for once.
2. Don't pick out other people's flaws.
Some of us pick out other people's flaws and don't realize it. You might look at someone that has some feature on their body that may look weird to you, and you might turn to your friend and point that person out while talking about them. This doesn't directly affect that person if they don't know about it, but it still hammers the ideal that imperfect people should be shamed into your head. It makes the people around you either think the same way or feel bad about themselves, too. Even if picking out others' flaws makes you feel better, it's problematic to put other people down to make yourself feel more confident in yourself.
3. Don't focus on a number.
It can be hard, especially if you're trying to lose weight or even gain weight. Whether you're trying to change your weight or just maintain it, don't focus too much on the number on the scale. Your weight fluctuates throughout the day and it can be very difficult to get an accurate idea of how much you weigh. Along with that, everyone carries their weight differently. Someone could be 200 pounds and most of it could be fat, or it could be muscle. The same thing goes for people who are smaller as well. Either way, the number on the scale only tells you how heavy you are. It doesn't necessarily tell you how healthy you are.
4. Accept compliments.
When people compliment you, take their compliments. Don't just assume that they're only being polite or not being serious.
5. Give compliments.
Compliment other people too. Tell someone that they look good in a certain outfit, or say that their hair looks good, or whatever you might notice about them. Don't only give people compliments about their appearance, though. Tell them something you like about their personality, for example. It's not only a nice thing to do; It also helps to give people more confidence if someone else notices something positive about them.
6. Don't focus too much on clothing sizes, either.
Like the number on a scale, clothing sizes don't always mean much of anything. Clothing sizes vary from store to store, especially for women. You could be a size 10 in one store and be a size 16 in another.
7. Find a supportive group of people to be around.
Surround yourself with positive and supportive friends. They'll lift you up during the times that you feel like you've hit rock bottom and feel the worst about yourself. Do the same for them.
8. Don't compare yourself to other people.
Everyone is different and unique. Don't compare yourself to someone that is entirely different from you. Don't compare yourself to other people at all. There are so many ways in which someone can be good looking or beautiful, and putting yourself into a box by comparing yourself to someone that you think looks "better" than you does you no good.
9. Get clothes that you like and enjoy wearing.
Don't confine yourself to jeans and a baggy sweatshirt if you really want to be wearing a crop top and a cute skirt. If you have a certain style of clothes that you like, you should wear them. Even though you may be shy about it at first, it'll help you feel better about yourself and your body in the long run if you're wearing clothes that you actually like and feel good in. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't "pull it off" or that it's only meant for people with a certain body type. Wear what YOU want. It's your body, not theirs.
10. Your self worth is not only about how you look.
You're not a better person for looking good, just like you're not a bad person for not looking like a supermodel. Concentrate on your personality and your accomplishments, not just your dress size. You could be intelligent, creative, great at making people laugh, good at helping people, kind, and so on. You are worth so much more than your looks.
