Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 5: Appreciating your unique body
• Part 2 of 5: Avoiding negative thoughts about your body
• Part 3 of 5: Focusing on the positive
• Part 4 of 5: Set goals and make changes
• Part 5 of 5: Putting things in perspective
• Tips

People are constantly bombarded with unrealistic and potentially harmful images of "ideal" body types. This can make it difficult to accept, love, and be confident about your own body, which is crucial. It's also important to learn what your body can do physically and feel comfortable with these capabilities. According to the philosopher Benedict de Spinoza, man "does not know what a body can do" in the sense that no one can know exactly what his body can actually do, at least before experimenting with it. Psychologists distinguish how people perceive their body and how their body deals with actions. In order to accept your body, it is important to get in touch with both aspects of your body, on their own terms.

To step

Part 1 of 5: Appreciating your unique body

1. Find out what you actually enjoyed. List your most pleasant moments. Include as many details as possible, such as who you were with, what you did, where you were, etc. Think about what they have in common. Was these the kind of people you were with? The degree of arousal that developed? Or just the environment, such as nature or in a big city? If you know the conditions under which your body has enjoyed the most in the past, you can try to spend as much time as possible in similar situations in the future.
   • Each person has a unique body, which means that you have to experiment and figure out what gives you pleasure. Research suggests that less than half of Americans describe themselves as particularly happy with their current circumstances, in part because they aren't quite sure about what actually makes them happy. Simply start thinking back to any moment you would describe yourself as happy.
2. Know what you are naturally good at. Part of having a unique body structure and chemistry is the fact that some bodies will naturally be better at some activities than others. For example, if you reach a maximum height of 160cm, chances are you won't become a world-class center in the NBA. However, you could become a very good horse jockey. Learn to accept your body, which means learn to accept that your body is better at performing certain actions than others. It may take some time to find out which activities they are.
   • If you are not sure what activities your body is naturally suited for, spend some time doing activities that you would never be interested in. Take a class in yoga or pottery. Participate in an improv meeting. As Spinoza said, there is no way of knowing what your body can do until you do it.
3. Find out what you like about your body and appearance. Even people with a terrible body image can find something about their body to appreciate. It is important that you learn to appreciate and love all of your good qualities, including the physical ones. Don't dwell on features of your body that bother you all the time, focus only on the positive ones.
   • Say you're unhappy with your thighs right now - you might think they're plump or skinny - but try to put a positive spin on this. You may wish you had slightly thinner thighs, but they do a great job of pushing you up the hills. Or you may think your legs are spindly, but you are one of the few who can really wear tight jeans.
4. Accept your body as it is. This means that you don't try to change who you are or focus on characteristics that you don't like. Learn to enjoy your body - how it moves, feels and moves. Let go of how you used to look, especially if your body has undergone changes due to pregnancy, childbirth, injuries, or medical conditions. Be nice to your body as it is now.
   • Do not diet unless advised by your doctor. Learn to listen to your body and eat enough. Don't deny yourself food or be angry with yourself for how much you eat.

Part 2 of 5: Avoiding negative thoughts about your body

1. Realize how much time you spend on negative thoughts. Negative thoughts do nothing to improve your self-image. Spend a day or two actively thinking about how often you think about your body. How often do you think or say something negative about your body? How often do you have positive thoughts? Chances are that you are much more critical than positive.
   • Consider recording this task in a journal, notebook, or on your phone. If possible, bring a notebook and quickly jot down any negative thoughts that come up. Also state if the negative thought is related to the way you looked at the time. At the end of the day, you will probably be surprised at how much more negative you are in one day than you realize.
2. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. While this may be difficult at first, it is an important part of learning to accept your body. As soon as you notice a negative thought coming to your mind, replace it with something positive about yourself. Give yourself time to get into the habit of thinking positively.
   • Try to start each day with a few positive thoughts. Remind yourself of these thoughts throughout the day when you find yourself becoming critical of yourself. For example, you could say, "I really like the feeling this new haircut gives me."
3. Limit your exposure to negative media images. Try to cut back or quit TV shows, movies, magazines, or blogs that present an unrealistic or negative representation of the body. Remind yourself that a majority of the photos that circulate on the Internet and appear in magazines have been edited to bring the featured models more in line with a standard of beauty and sexuality.
   • Psychologists are concerned that with the increase in this trend over the past 20 years, such images are creating unrealistic ideals about what a body should look like. Don't get carried away by these empty caricatures that have nothing to do with the real world.
4. Find a therapist who uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Many CBT techniques used by psychologists focus on the present and the short term using therapy goals. While it is best to see a therapist for CBT, you can start practicing with it in your own way. When you feel a negative thought about yourself, stop yourself, take a deep breath, and try to find evidence for your beliefs. Did someone actually tell you that this aspect of your body was flawed? If so, was the person just trying to hurt you or make a joke?
   • Psychologists believe that, in many cases, if you have an unrealistic expectation of what you should look like, you will have a distorted body image. It is important to note when these unrealistic expectations emerge in your thought processes so that you can hopefully challenge these ideal ideas with concrete information.
5. Learn to deal with the negative people in your life. You are already working on being kinder to yourself and focusing on the positive aspects of yourself, but you also need to think about the other people in your life. Do you receive criticism from your friends and family? Are they telling you to lose weight, dress differently or change your hair? If so, it is important to find ways to deal with these negative influences.
   • Keep in mind that you probably won't be able to stop the comments of close friends and family in the same way that you can stop buying from Vogue or watch America's Next Top Model. If the comments about your body are particularly harsh and critical, you should be willing to have a respectful, yet heartfelt conversation with them about how their words or behavior hurt you.
6. Interact with different social groups. When trying out new activities, talk to people you may usually ignore or avoid. Talking to strangers can feel uncomfortable at first, but the more you do it, the easier and better it gets. It doesn't matter how uncomfortable you might feel at first, but keep in mind that isolating yourself from other people can be even worse, with research suggesting it can be just as deadly as obesity in the long run. It's important to get used to interacting with new people more easily, especially if the people in your current environment aren't supportive of your body image or positively impact you.
   • Brain research suggests that who we love is heavily influenced by brain chemistry, which means you may not always fall in love with the kind of person you have in mind for yourself. This can also be true of building close friendships. It's important to surround yourself with people who support you and encourage your self-discovery. Simply put, it will be much easier to accept your body and do something about your unrealistic ideals if you are surrounded by people who accept you and your discoveries.

Part 3 of 5: Focusing on the positive

1. Pay attention to the compliments you receive. Don't be keen on possible criticism, but enjoy the compliments you receive. Pay attention to the content of the compliments others give you and remember them. Write them down so you can remind yourself later, especially during times when you are struggling.
   • Rather than rejecting other people's compliments or convincing yourself that they are just being polite, assume they mean it and trust that they don't just want to be nice. Consider others giving you their honest opinion. Gratefully accept their positive words.
2. Keep looking for what you like about yourself. Anytime you find yourself thinking negatively about your body or any aspect of it, you remind yourself of something about your body that you do like. List at least ten positive things about yourself, excluding anything related to appearance. Add things to the list regularly.
   • This can help you understand and appreciate all the wonderful aspects of yourself. You will then realize that your body is only part of your total package.
3. Establish a new relationship with your mirror. If you spend too much time in front of the mirror, make a rule that you shouldn't say or think anything negative about yourself when you look at yourself. Instead, use your mirror to point out the positive things you see. If the mirror is still bothering you, take it away for a while. Studies have shown that you may be more likely to focus on your career or relationship, rather than your appearance.
   • Express positive affirmations in front of the mirror. Say to yourself things like "You are beautiful" or "You are wonderful" when standing in front of the mirror. This may feel forced, and you may not believe what you tell yourself at first, but experts tell us that this process - cognitive behavioral therapy - really works, over time.

Part 4 of 5: Set goals and make changes

1. Take care of your health and well-being. Part of learning to accept and be happy with your body can mean that you end up changing some aspect of it. This could mean, for example, that if you are overweight, you hope to lose weight. But remember, the numbers on the scales are just one aspect and indicator of your overall health. Make sure you make regular appointments and undergo a physical examination to monitor all "values" (weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, etc.). This will give you a general idea of ​​your health and allow you to discuss your health goals with your doctor.
   • You may need to gain or lose weight to get healthy, but you also need to strive for strength, flexibility, and endurance.
2. Set yourself positive goals. Rather than focusing on negative aspects of your goals, emphasize the positive aspects. For example, if you decide to exercise, don't frame that in terms of how many pounds you want to lose. Instead, let your goal be something positive, such as `` I'm going to train so that I can run 2 miles without stopping '' or father to walk '.'
   • You will be more successful (both in achieving your goals and feeling better about yourself) when you think about what you hope to achieve or do better.
3. Do something physical that you enjoy. Choose activities and exercise programs that you find fun and engaging, and don't select them just based on how they can help you change your body. Instead, spend some time trying out new activities and choosing the ones you really enjoy and get excited about. For example, if you love yoga, do it even if you think you're overweight at the moment to make it look graceful. Almost any fitness program can be adapted to individuals of different size and fitness.
   • If you're too shy to exercise in front of other people, consider taking private lessons, exercising with a close friend, or exercising at home. Be careful not to let your fear of other people's judgment dictate how you will live your life.
4. Choose your own style. Don't simply choose your clothes, makeup, or hairstyle based on what you think is "appropriate" for someone of your body type or what fashion magazines say would suit you best. Wear what you want, what you like and what you feel comfortable with. Choose clothes that reflect your personality, that are comfortable and that suit your lifestyle and activities.
   • Try a wide variety of clothing styles and fits. If you feel confident and beautiful in a style considered "flattering to body type X", wear it, but only because you like it, not because you think you should wear it.

Part 5 of 5: Putting things in perspective

1. Only compare yourself to yourself. The world would be a pretty boring place if we all looked the same. There is no point in comparing yourself to others, regardless of whether the person is a celebrity or a classmate sitting next to you. Instead, compare yourself to your own progress now that you have set your own realistic goals. For example, you might think that you have improved your appearance compared to a few years ago.
   • Don't forget to be patient and kind to yourself. Don't treat or judge yourself harder than a friend or anyone else.
2. Remember that body image is only part of a healthy self image. It's important to learn to accept and hopefully love your body, but it's also vital to realize that your self-esteem isn't in any way determined by how you look.
   • When you think about the people you admire, love, and / or respect most, what qualities come to mind? Do you value others or yourself only because of physical traits or because of character traits and personality traits?
3. Know when to seek help. Understand that almost everyone struggles to maintain a positive body image all the time and it is normal to have ups and downs. However, you should also honestly consider whether you should talk to a counselor, doctor, or mental health professional. There are several signs that your body problems are serious and need professional help. Ask yourself the following:
   • Are you unable to control negative thoughts about yourself? Do you spend hours thinking about your alleged flaws?
   • Is your dissatisfaction with your appearance interfering with your life? For example, do you avoid going out or speaking in public? Are you afraid of going to work because you are afraid of being seen and judged?
   • Do you spend too much time in front of the mirror and / or make up yourself every day?
   • Do you keep comparing yourself to others? Do you hate to be photographed?
     • Understand that if you are struggling with any of these things, help might help you accept your body. You may have what is called Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), which usually requires professional help. If left untreated, BDD can lead to suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Even if you have not been diagnosed with BDD, know that there is no shame in seeking help and advice rather than struggling with it on your own.
4. Seek professional help for your case. You have several options when it comes to getting professional help. You can consult a psychotherapist and / or counselor and receive one-on-one therapy. Or you can look for local support groups for a slightly less formally structured experience. There are even online support groups where you can get to know others who have predominant negative thoughts about their bodies.
   • The most important thing is to seek support from others who will not judge your perception of yourself. They may even have some helpful tips for you

Tips

• Stick notes on your mirror that indicate your good qualities. Feel free to include some positive affirmations of your physical traits (eg, "You have beautiful cheekbones"), but at least make sure to include some affirmations that are not just about your appearance.
• A strong support system is important as it can be helpful to get body image advice from someone you trust. You can fall back on this when negative thoughts come to your mind.
• Discuss all decisions about starting a new diet or exercise program with your doctor, and watch for extreme or sudden changes in your body.
• Everyone is different, regardless of shape and size. Many people really like the different shapes and sizes.