body positivity · curves · curvy · positivity · self care · self love ·Dec 28, 2021

Our Favorite Ways to Start Your Journey to Self-Love

Body confidence is how a person feels about the way they look. When we have body confidence, we accept and are happy with how we look and what our bodies can do. We incorporate self-respect and believes in ourselves and our worth as a person.

Loving our own body, as apparent as the notion may seem, is often easier said than done. We are consumed by the 'perfect body' idea that we forget what's healthy and set unrealistic goals for ourselves, leading to further emotional distress and disappointment. Changing the way we think requires daily effort, just as keeping our teeth healthy requires daily brushing. It's not always a thrill ride.

But there are countless ways you can work on body positivity, and you'll have to find out what works for you. With this, we have pulled together our favorite ways to remind ourselves that bodies are gifts, not curses, to get you started on your self-love journey.

Positive Affirmations

One of the most basic ways to practice self-love is to speak it aloud and speak it often, especially when it feels hard to be grateful for our bodies. Give yourself daily verbal encouragement and reminders. Say a kind thing to yourself in the mirror in the morning, or place daily motivations on sticky notes or your phone or computer. Look for self-love and body-positive mantras that speak to you. This may feel silly, but it's working. Keep at it. A little silliness won't hurt you.

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Think Healthier, Not Skinnier

When making meals or hitting the gym, don't frame your fitness goals according to a number you'd like to see on the scale. Exercise and a healthy diet shouldn't be punishment. Instead of thinking about how much your body weighs, think about all the amazing things it can do, all the places it can take you, how it feels, and the experience it brings you. Then honor it with nourishing meals and exercises that you ENJOY.

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Take Care Of Your Body.

One way to influence how you feel about your body is to take care of it. Stop mistreating it or forgetting about it altogether. Treat your body like it is one of your best friends. Please don't say anything unkind about it. Lift it with words and praise. Take it for a spa day, treat it to a massage, or run it a nice, warm bubble bath at the end of a hard day. Start being kind to yourself every day.

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Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

People come in all shapes and sizes. One person is beautiful in one way, and the next person in some other way. And isn't that how it should be? Imagine how boring it would be if there were only one way to be beautiful and feel. Comparing yourself to others can leave you feeling like you don't look the way you should, but you're not supposed to look like someone else; you're supposed to look like you.

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Dress for Yourself.

It's all too easy to hide a body you don't love in drab clothes. Open your wardrobe doors and pick out your most colorful, fun clothing items. Your body is beautiful, and it deserves to wear clothes that shimmer and glitter and light up rooms. The way you dress can impact your general mood. If you dress confidently, you may find that you feel more confident. This isn't about looking sexy; it's about having fun. Wear bright colors and loud prints, whatever makes you smile when you see your reflection in the mirror.

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Focus on your Whole Person

Don't forget: you are so much more than how you look! A key piece of having a healthy body image is to stop fixating on your body. Try to spend more time thinking about things other than physical appearance. Throw yourself into your passions. Your body isn't just decoration for looking at; it's for doing. So, get out there and get doing.