We are a society full of ads and images of what is sexy, smart, and successful. It is difficult not to attach a part of ourselves to what we are ‘sold’ over time. Thanks to airbrushing and celebrity obsession, we all have an idea of what we ‘should’ look and be like. Over time, these advertising images can eat away at the most powerful tool we all have, self-confidence. How many of us have spent our precious time wishing we ‘could fit into our skinny jeans, be more toned next summer, loose 5-10 pounds’ and on and on…
What many of us don’t do nearly as much is spend time loving and accepting our bodies. The best advice I ever received was from a personal trainer many years ago when I mentioned I wanted to lose weight in my hips, He responded “you have no weight on your hips, this is your body type. We can waste your money and spend years on this part of your body and it will never change; but what we can do, is tone and broaden your shoulders to balance what your genes have naturally given youâ€. It was then that I started to love my hips and accept my body for what it is.
We all have that body part that makes us cringe when we have to show it in the summer time- perhaps it is the thighs, ankles, arms, stomach…or at times- all of it! A key way to begin to harness acceptance and love for our bodies is by acknowledging that everyone has insecurities and that no one is perfect. Looking at our bodies and saying “thank you for getting me through this life!†on a daily basis will help to create gratitude for what you do have and are capable of, rather than focusing on what is negative and imperfect.
Self-confidence is the one thing you can’t buy in a store, at a spa or in a doctor’s office. How we approach this world and how we feel in our own skin can be contagious. It is up to us to stop berating ourselves and to enjoy the body we are in.
Begin to replace “when…if….after…†and start living in the now.
