body confidence

Have you ever changed where you're standing in a group picture to cover yourself more? Or you got out of the picture all-together? How many times have you thrown on an extra layer or stood with your arms crossed because you're self conscious about how you look? You're not alone! At this very moment, about 90% of women over 30 years old say they want to lose weight.  And how we view our body's is thought to contribute to over half of what we think about ourselves in general. 

But why is this? There are certainly several factors I can think of but I'll address the top few.  

First, society's standards are messed up. Yes, we as a country are unhealthy and overweight HOWEVER, are the commercials we see full of people who are overweight? How many times have you seen someone on your TV screen without layers and layers of makeup with an outfit that's completely coordinated and accessorized? No wonder we feel less than "average." I don't know about you but I'm certainly not dressed in the latest trendy clothes and don't have time (nor desire) to get my hair and make up done each day. Now, if you're one of those women that enjoys having your hair and make up done every day- I'm not knocking you. Keep being yourself. But I think I speak for the majority of American women when I say that keeping up with beauty every day is exhausting and we have other things we'd like to spend my energy on. Be careful not to give society's standards of what you should look like too much power. 

Second, our standards are messed up. Yep- it's your own fault. Changing your own mindset is the MOST IMPORTANT part of having body confidence. Realizing that society has messed up standards and not allowing our standards to conform to society's has got to be one of the longest perpetual battles in the mind of American women. But, what about society's standards is so hard to ignore? Some of the voices of society are actually right! Yep- they're correct when they tell you that eating nutritious foods, exercising, finding stress relief, sleeping and taking care of yourself in general are important parts of your life. I know it seems impossible. So do your best and be confident you're doing your best and body confidence will follow!

Third, you're being too critical. YOU. Yes, YOU! STOP IT! STOP picking yourself apart in the mirror every day. STOP finding all the things wrong with you and start pointing out the things you like. Find things you like and you'll find yourself more motivated to take care of yourself. You'll be grabbing some fresh veggies to snack on instead of meandering to the vending machine at the end of the hallway or eating your kids leftovers.  I think how you value yourself is directly correlated with self-care behaviors which is directly correlated with body confidence. I think it'd be nearly impossible to find a woman that compliments herself and takes care of herself with poor body confidence. I bet you can't do it. It wouldn't matter if she doesn't fit society's standard of "perfect" or "pretty"- she has determined in her mind to like herself and take care of herself and so she will be confident in herself. 


Try it out! I'd love to hear from you...send me FIVE things you like about yourself at healthcoach@befitforpurpose.com. You'd make my day :)