How To Be More Body Positive in 2018

How To Be More Body Positive in 2018 Image via. https://pixabay.com/en/belly-body-calories-diet-exercise-2354/ Instagram Don’t get me wrong, I love Instagram. However, studies have shown the Instagram leads to decreased mental well-being either based on the pictures that we post or the people that we follow. Following women like Kendall Jenner or the Hadid sisters is fun because they post exciting stuff, but seeing their photos on a daily basis can unconsciously affect how you feel about yourself. You can definitely still follow these women, but also follow fitness models, Ashley Graham, Chrissy Teigen, and others who don’t necessarily value “skinniness,” but rather, they value healthiness. I am in no way saying that Kendall Jenner and the Hadid sisters don’t value being healthy, I’m just saying that their body types are ones that can make other people feel bad about themselves because they are somewhat unattainable. Some people have even deleted Instagram for a period of time and have said that it has helped their mental health tremendously, which is something to think about. Journaling I never used to journal, even though I love to write. However, I’m enrolled in a class this semester where our weekly assignment is to journal about a given topic that revolves around mental health. I’m not saying that you have to journal, but I am suggesting that you take a few minutes every day to write down something amazing about yourself and your body. These notes are private, so you can say whatever you want. By doing this, you are reminding yourself how beautiful you are and how your body is perfect and that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, genders, skin colors, sexual orientations, and more. Collect all of these little notes and put them in a special place and, on days where you are feeling down about yourself, go through these notes so that you are reminded about how beautiful you are. Each and every woman is beautiful in her own unique way and this is something that should be declared and celebrated. Image via. https://www.pexels.com/photo/attractive-beautiful-beauty-body-320005/ Dress Up When I am feeling down about my body, I like to cover up in baggy clothing and don’t put much effort into my appearance. If there is a particular day where you are feeling extra down about the way you look, use it as an opportunity to dress up a bit! Instead of wearing leggings or sweatpants, put on jeans. Instead of wearing an oversized sweater and shirt, put on a more fitted long or short sleeved top. You should never feel like you have to hide your body and by going outside of your comfort zone on days where you are feeling especially vulnerable, you will become more body confident because you will realize how amazing you are and how amazing you look. Wearing jeans instead of sweatpants may sound silly, but just changing up your daily appearance will do wonders for how you see yourself and when you look in the mirror. Judging/Comparing If we want to promote body positivity, it is imperative that we stop (1) comparing ourselves to other people and (2) judging other people by the way that they look. Everyone is unique and everyone looks different and rather than putting down these differences, we should embrace our differences and realize that beauty isn’t something that is clean-cut. It is also important not to compare yourself to another person on the street. If you are walking to class and feel envious about the way another girl looks, you should remind yourself that yes, she may be beautiful, but you’re beautiful too because of x, y, and z. Women need to empower one another and not break each other down because of jealousy or unnecessary feelings of superiority. Let’s build each other up, not put each other down. Let’s make 2018 the year of body positivity. I want all of my readers to know that you are beautiful, inside and out, and that your body is perfect just the way it is. Don’t be clouded by the media and other people’s judgments… push back on this negativity and remind yourself of your beauty.