BODY IMAGE IS…
- How you see yourself when you look in the mirror or when you picture yourself in your mind.
- What you believe about your own appearance (including your memories, assumptions, and generalizations).
- How you feel about your body, including your height, shape, and weight.
- How you sense and control your body as you move. How you feel in your body, not just about your body.
NEGATIVE BODY IMAGE IS…
- A distorted perception of your shape--you perceive parts of your body unlike they really are.
- You are convinced that only other people are attractive and that your body size or shape is a sign of personal failure.
- You feel ashamed, self-conscious, and anxious about your body.
- You feel uncomfortable and awkward in your body.
POSITIVE BODY IMAGE IS…
- A clear, true perception of your shape--you see the various parts of your body as they really are.
- You celebrate and appreciate your natural body shape and you understand that a person`s physical appearance says very little about their character and value as a person.
- You feel proud and accepting of your unique body and refuse to spend an unreasonable amount of time worrying about food, weight, and calories.
- You feel comfortable and confident in your body.
Accepting YOUR body image means:
- Appreciate the things your body can do. With your body, you can walk, dance, laugh, and dream.
- See yourself as a whole person. When you look at yourself in a mirror, avoid focusing on specific areas of your body. Everyone else sees you as a whole person—you should too.
- Wear comfortable clothes that make you feel good about yourself. Try not to wear clothes that are too tight or too baggy, and fit your style.
- Remember that true beauty is more than skin-deep. The most beautiful people in the world are beautiful because of who they are, not what they look like.
- Keep a list of the top ten things you like about yourself. These things shouldn't be about what you look like or your weight. Make sure you read your list often.
- Surround yourself with positive people—positivity is catching. By being around positive people, you will learn to be more positive yourself.
- Stop listening to the inner voices telling you something is wrong with your body, or that you are a bad person. Drown these negative voices out with positive ones.
- View media and social messages critically. Instead of believing what they tell you, look beyond the hype to see the truth.
- Pamper yourself. Show your body that you appreciate it by soaking in a tub, taking a nap, or going for a walk on a sunny day.
- Do something for someone else. You might be surprised at how good it will make you feel about yourself.
We all may have our days when we feel awkward OR uncomfortable in our bodies, but the key to developing a positive body image is to recognize AND respect our natural shape AND learn to overpower those negative thoughts N' feelings with positive, affirming AND accepting ones.
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