From Da Vinci’s Venus to the models on the runways of Milan, unrealistic beauty ideals have always been present in our society.
Because this beauty ideal is ever-changing and unattainable, in order to have a positive self-image, we need to love our bodies for what they are and not what they “should” be.
Here are a few tips to accepting and loving your body no matter what shape or size:
• Be an advocate for yourself and your body: If an advertisement or TV commercial makes you feel bad about yourself, examine it more closely and look for the ways it’s trying to sell you something. If we didn’t feel inferior to the models in the ads, we wouldn’t want to buy the product.
• Forget the scale Focus on how healthy you feel instead of a number on the scale. Several scientific studies have shown that your weight is not a great indicator of how “healthy” you are.
•Write an “I like myself because…” list First, write down 10 things that you like about yourself without referring to your body or appearance in any way. Include things that you’re good at, or various ways you’re proud of yourself.
• Take a closer look at nature Go outside and find something in nature – a flower, leaf, twig, grass blade, or anything that catches your eye. Is it perfect? Or does it have irregular edges, rough sides, and blemishes here and there? Chances are that it is imperfect, yet it is still so amazing and complex. Nature is beautiful despite its “failure” to be perfect.
