Most people struggle with body image issues and I am no exception. I used to have such negative body image that I wouldn’t even want to take photos because I didn’t like how I looked. And I spent time infront of the mirror telling myself I wasn’t beautiful enough and crying because I wanted to put on weight and look beautiful.
But this wasn’t always the way I was. There was a time I loved myself and the way I looked. And I even became a photo addict and that was why I even started my fashion blog in the first place. I’ve always being slim and I was happy with myself.
But everything changed after I got married and had my first baby. Apparently, everyone gains weight after having a baby but that wasn’t the case for me. I had a baby and I was still slim and even now, after three babies I am still slim.
So people started talking about how I need to put on weight and it wasn’t okay that I was still slim after having a baby. And that after giving birth, you are supposed to gain weight and look beautiful.
At first it didn’t matter to me, but as time went on, as people kept saying that, it started to get to me. And I started questioning myself; Am I beautiful enough? Why can’t I gain weight? What is wrong with me?
The more I kept asking myself these questions, the more I started to feel bad about myself. To the point that I didn’t even want to dress up and take photos. Something that used to make me so happy. Now made me sad.
I wasn’t happy with my looks and I lost confidence in myself but now I’m learning to love myself and I am geared towards body positivity and these are the things I do everyday to remind and assure myself that I am beautiful the way I am.
5 steps to improve your body image
1. Accept yourself
This is the first and most important step in improving your body image. Accept yourself. Accept that this is who you are and there’s nothing wrong with that. Whether you are slim or plus size or short or tall or whatever you are. Understand that, that is who you are and it’s okay to be like that. It’s okay to look like that.
2. Desist From Comparing Yourself To Others
Once you’ve accepted yourself, you have to stop comparing yourself to others. There’s always going to be someone bigger than you. There’s always going to be someone slimmer, someone taller etc. We are all unique in our own way. And they being bigger or smaller doesn’t make them more beautiful or better than you. We are all beautiful in our own way. So appreciate yourself.
3. Build A Support System
Surround yourself with positivity. Be around people who make you feel good about yourself. My body image issues started because of what the people around me were saying to me. Once I stopped being in the company of such people, everything changed. Don’t be with people who make you feel bad about yourself.
4. Do what you can
Accept what you can not change and focus on what you can change. And take it one step at a time. So don’t spend time obsessing on how short or how fat you are. Instead focus on eating right, practice yoga and exercise your body to keep you strong and healthy.
5. Be nice to yourself
Be nice to yourself. Say nice things to yourself everyday. Stand infront of your mirror, touch yourself gently, and tell yourself how much you appreciate your body for everything it does for you. Tell yourself you are beautiful.
The moment you start telling yourself you are not beautiful and you don;t look good, you start to believe it and you lose your self confidence and self esteem.
So practise saying nice things to yourself and you will start feeling better about your body image.
These are some of the things you can start doing to improve your body image. Do these daily and eventually you will start to love yourself again.
See also:
How to go after your dreams and achieve them
