February is that time of the year when we’re bombarded with various messages about love! If you’re in a relationship, this month is about showering your significant other with affection and celebrating the relationship you share. And if you’re single, it’s about finding the right fit for you. However, when you don’t feel confident about yourself, finding the right fit can be hard. And a lot of this confidence comes from the perception we have of our own bodies.
When you feel confident about the way you look, the happier and satisfied you will be, and that’s how you will project yourself on others.
So, this February, we’re talking about Body positivity and being comfortable with yourself.
Body positivity does not mean forcing yourself to love your body. It is about seeing your body in a positive light and having a positive body image, regardless of how society defines it.
Your relationship with your body can be exciting, mundane, homely, boring, frustrating and sometimes not very positive. Rather than chasing the complete acceptance, it’s better to start small. We can start with chasing comfort. Once we start getting comfortable in our bodies, acceptance will follow.
Since we’re talking about being comfortable, there must have been something that made us feel otherwise, a few possible reasons are:
- Being bullied at school for looking different from the rest.
- We were shamed by “well meaning “ friends and family for eating that ‘extra’ burger at the burger joint.
- For taking a little more space on the sofa, because you're bigger than the rest.
- Teased by our peers for being too skinny.
- Seeing pictures of others on social media, and comparing our bodies with them, leading to disappointment.
It is important to remember that you didn’t deserve all that denial and negativity. Neither then, nor now. You deserve to feel comfortable and cosy within the terrains of yourself. And that’s where you can start!
A few ways that’ll help you achieve a better body image:
Exercise
Exercising doesn’t necessarily have to be about losing or gaining weight. You can simply select an activity that you enjoy. Your focus should be about introducing joyful movement -it could be in the form of dancing, swimming, cycling, or anything else that gets you moving! Along with moving your cells and tissue, exercise also leads to the release of chemicals called endorphins. These help relieve stress and pain in the body and promote a feeling of positivity. Exercise creates the foundations for a fitter, stronger and a more resilient you!
Wear what you like!
In this day and age, fashion trends change pretty quickly. A celebrity might be seen wearing something and the whole world goes ga-ga, trying to dress and look like them. At times we end up buying clothes just because they’re in trend even though they don’t really match with who we are.
There’s nothing wrong in dressing according to these trends, as long as you’re comfortable wearing them. When these trends don’t align with who we are, we might just be compelling ourselves to wear them even though they don’t make us feel good; leaving us sulking and uncomfortable.
You should wear something in which you are confident, as clothes play a vital role in pumping our confidence. The better you sync with the clothes you wear, the better you feel. If you like wearing a dress and it makes you feel good about yourself, even if someone thinks otherwise, it shouldn't bother you. As long as you like it, you go girl!
Positive affirmations
We are what we think. Whenever you notice yourself thinking negatively about your body, stop and make it a positive affirmation. Think about all the things you’re able to do because of your body. If not for your body, how would you live? Most importantly be grateful.
Treat Yourself
Do something pleasurable for yourself that makes you feel good about your body. This could mean treating yourself with massages, pedicures, or just a nice hot tub bath to relax and appreciate all the beautiful parts of your body.
Surround yourself with supportive people
You don’t have to be dependent on anyone to feel good. However, being around people who are positive and supportive of you, goes a long way in making you confident and comfortable with yourself.
Take it easy with the weighing scale
It is tempting to check on our weight constantly. This leads us to obsess over the numbers we want to see, though we might not be achieving them. Realise that these are just numbers, and the ultimate goal is to be healthy and happy. Stop stressing yourself with checking your weight and instead work towards something that could make you feel better, like exercise. One way you can tackle this is by setting a specific interval after which you stand on the weighing machine. This could be a weekly or monthly practise.
Final thoughts
What we’re trying to emphasize is that the first step towards self love and acceptance is about being comfortable with your body and with who you are. This will increase your self-esteem and help you navigate different challenges with greater ease. So this month, along with spreading love, let’s also focus on loving ourselves first!