Here’s the thing: We all, at some point in time, want what we do not have.

We get in this habit of admiring other people’s bodies and forget to give love to our own selves. But our SELVES deserve as much love, if not MORE LOVE, than anybody else. Practice genuine appreciation for yourself. Adore others without demolishing any bits of love you keep for yourself. It’s hard, it’s a process, but it gets easier.

Some tips for showing your body the love it deserves:

Identify the things you pick on yourself for

• Think about the parts of your body you pick at when you take a look in the mirror. The parts of you, you sometimes want to hide.

Find a reason to love your “flaws”

• What are the benefits of those self-prescribed “flaws”? How do they attribute to the love you have to offer. Believe or not, you can find a reason.

Let it be known to the universe

• Take your love to the whatever platform you find necessary. Social media is a great place to advocate for the love you exude.

Continue to build resilience (Provided by @bodyimage_therapist)

• Remember that you are human and that it’s okay for your body to change
• You have strengths that have nothing to do with your appearance
• You are worth MORE THAN your appearance
• Allow yourself to be curious, trusting and compassionate about what your body endures daily
• REMEMBER that your inability to fit your cultural expectations of your body image do not make you less of a person; you are allowed to be a part of your culture while following your own values for appearance and embodiment

 

You’ve got this, as long as you want this. If you always aim to love your body in EVERY stage, you can never fail yourself. Process what you go through and progress will follow.