Are you worried about your body? Do you have concerns about your weight, body shape, or hair color? If so, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans worry about their body’s shape and size every day. While being interested in your appearance and concerned with healthy eating is normal, this interest can become a preoccupation if left unchecked. It can lead to a dangerous path of unhealthy habits found in eating disorders. Fortunately, you don’t have to have a perfect body to feel better about yourself; what you need is a relatively simple shift in perception.
Break the Cycle of Comparison
We are bombarded with unreal images of physical perfection. Sometimes, it seems that society is dedicated to making people feel less comfortable about themselves, whether it’s their school, their family, or their appearance. When a specific body shape is held up as an example of what we all should look like, we may feel like we are not up to par or are somehow lacking if we don’t have the body shape and size required by society.
While encouragement to live a healthier lifestyle and eat more nutritious food can be good, being surrounded by relentless comparison to others may cause you to struggle with body image. This struggle can lead to a lack of self-esteem, substance abuse, or eating disorders. It’s imperative to break the cycle of comparison if you feel dissatisfied with your body shape.
You can find the means to feel better about your body. Take small steps toward your goal of a healthier view of your body. Small steps can turn a negative body image into a positive one and contribute to a greater overall sense of satisfaction with your body.
Feel Better About Your Body
Changing your mindset about your body begins with focusing on your quality of life. If you’re looking to improve your body image or feel better about the way you look, look at the lifestyle choices you’re making rather than the number on the scale. When you teach yourself to focus on non-scale victories, like being able to go up a flight of stairs without feeling winded, your perception begins to change, and your happiness will flourish.
Boosting your perception of your body can include:
- Focusing on personal attributes that you like rather than your looks
- Eliminating negative self-talk
- Treating yourself kindly and with respect
- Using a journal to express and work through your discontent
- Participating in fun activities
- Appreciating that your jeans are not too big or too small for your curves
- Being comfortable; don’t try to impress
- Acknowledging that each person in the world comes in a different shape and size
Your body is a miracle; taking small steps to change your perception can lead to a healthier lifestyle and a happier mindset. As you work on the inner beauty, the outer beauty may be rediscovered.
The Guest House believes that a positive mindset can rebuild a healthy body image. However, if you feel that you’re your own worst enemy and you have a negative mindset about your body image, there are many ways to change your perception. We are here to help you arm yourself and teach you how to break the cycle of relentless comparison. If you want to feel better about your body image or if you struggle with substance abuse, call us at (855) 483-7800. The Guest House is here to help.