Whether it’s something simple like our eye colour, or our entire body that we don’t like, confidence isn’t always the easiest thing to come by. But while cellulite removal treatments and other cosmetic surgeries are available, not everyone will want or be able to get them. So how do we build confidence about our bodies?
Pick out things that you like about yourself.
Picking out things that you do like about yourself can help you focus on the positive rather than the negative. If you like your eyes, tell yourself that. If you like you smile, smile at yourself in the mirror and remind yourself that you like it. If you like your thighs, or your calves, or any part of your body, say it out loud. As silly as you might feel saying ‘my butt looks great in these jeans’, it will do wonders for your self-esteem. Say it enough and the confidence will come flowing.
Use Reminders
If you really struggle with body confidence to the point where you don’t feel comfortable picking out things you like verbally, try writing them down. Break out the post it notes and set yourself little reminders. Write down anything you like about yourself, something like ‘I like my shoulders’ or ‘I like how tanned/pale my legs are’, and then stick it somewhere. Whether it’s on the wall beside your bed, on the bedroom or bathroom mirror, or even on the fridge, just stick it somewhere. Every time you see the post-it, try and repeat it to yourself. Or, if you struggle to write things about yourself, see if your family and friends will write post-it’s for you. There’s nothing quite like getting compliments, even if we don’t always know how to take them, so seeing them in writing will give us the opportunity to enjoy them without the awkward ‘thank you.’
Spend more time looking in the mirror
When you have low body confidence, you can find yourself avoiding looking in the mirror more frequently than you may realise, especially when nude. But the truth of the matter is, looking in the mirror at ourselves can actually help us improve how we feel about ourselves rather than make it worse. Getting used to your body and how it looks can help us become more confident and familiar with what we have and what we are. Start slowly if you have to, try changing in front of a mirror once a week, or do your hair before you get dressed.
Think about what your body can do
You might not like the size of your thighs, but think about how strong they are to keep walking all day. Think about your stomach and how it protects everything inside that keeps you going as a human being. You might not like your nose, but it allows you to breathe. Our bodies are amazing things, and without them we wouldn’t be able to live as we do. Be proud of your body, and of yourself. Together you do amazing things.
Dressing confidently
Sometimes body confidence can simply come down to wearing something that you feel good in. If you like those comfortable jeans, then wear them. If you like that top that hangs just right, then wear it. Not all clothes will suit every body type, and that is the unfortunate truth. Just because someone can wear a dress that might not sit right on your body, it doesn’t mean that your body is any more or less perfect than theirs. You two are just different, and that’s perfectly okay.
