No matter if you're overweight or underweight, male or female or anything in between, body issues are prevalent. It doesn't begin with being fat, it doesn't end with with losing weight. As a woman who is plus size, learning to love my body was hard. As children our body is our way to explore, we don't care what we look like, we don't care what others look like. It isn't until society starts to react negatively to our bodies that we start to react negatively ourselves. It can take a long time to unlearn those negative things, so here are some tips to help you along your body positive journey.

1. Your favorite features

Start by looking in the mirror and picking out your favorite features. Your eyes, your smile, your hands, your boobs, your arms, your hair. Tell yourself. Say it out loud. Let yourself hear the words. I like my eyes, my hair is pretty, my arms are toned, my boobs are nice, my smile is handsome. Remember those things, and remember to accept compliments about yourself. This helps too.

2. Confidence

Yes, many say that acting confident can lead to confidence. Yes, I am saying that this is true. Strut your stuff, smile, act like you feel good. Act confident about yourself even if you don't believe it. After a while, you really do start to feel it.

3. Don't judge others

When you see a person who is fat, instead of thinking negative things about them, try to think positive. Maybe their hair looks really pretty, maybe their outfit is cute. If you see a really skinny person, do the same. When you start realizing the beauty of others, despite body type, you begin to realize the beauty in yourself too.

4. Wear anything and everything you want

If you like an outfit, wear it. It's that simple. It doesn't have to flatter you. It doesn't have to go with your body type or your perceived gender. If you want to wear a dress and makeup even though you are male, go for it. If you want to wear a crop top even though you're fat, go for it. Some of my favorite things to wear are crop tops and leggings, so many people say fat girls shouldn't wear those things, but when I do I don't only feel comfortable, I also feel good about myself. That's all that matters. Fuck flattery.

5. Stay active

This doesn't necessarily mean working out, though if that's what you like to do and it makes you feel good about yourself, do it. I mean that you should get out of the house. Go for a stroll through the park, go see a movie, dance or act or write or anything you want. When you are doing something you love, you feel better about yourself. When I act I feel really good. I feel really confident and connected with the world. It makes me feel like a person, and it helps me to love myself, my body and my place in the world.

6. Get rid of internalized misogyny

Men, women, and nonconforming genders should do this. Everyone has internalized misogyny, which just means that we were all brought up learning preconceived notions of what masculinity and femininity are. Allow yourself to break free of these notions. Be whatever you want to be, be however and whoever you want to be. Unlearn stereotypes. You can be beautiful, soft, and feminine if you have a masculine body or if you are fat. You can be strong and masculine if you have a feminine body or if you are skinny. You can be both masculine and feminine. Nothing says you can't. They aren't mutually exclusive. Once you open your mind to this, being body positive becomes a lot easier. Get rid of societies idea of beauty and instead determine your own.

7. Live for you and forget the rest

Remember that you only get one life, and you were meant to live it for you, not for others. Take a step back and forget what people think about you, they don't matter. Chances are no one thinks what you fear they are thinking. Even if they are, they don't matter. Take a breath. Let it go. You can't let people hold you back from doing what you love. I promise you that when you realize that they don't matter, it gets easier. Yes, I still struggle with loving my body. With loving myself. Yes, I still worry what people might think sometimes, but it's fleeting. I tell myself that it only matters if I'm happy with the way I look. It takes time, but if you catch yourself worrying about others and living for their comfort, stop and remember that you don't have to.