Love Yourself

"Accept Yourself and Be Realistic"

Tired of all the pressure to look thin and beautiful? Learn to love yourself for who you really are.

There’s a tremendous amount of pressure on women these days to look good, and “good” means thin, with perfect clothes, hair and make-up, at least according to the media and mainstream public opinion. Almost every woman feels she needs to lose weight, even those who don’t look overweight. Very few women seem genuinely happy with their bodies, and this affects their self-esteem and enjoyment of life. Is it really possible to love your body and yourself? The answer is YES! Just follow this advice to love yourself for who you really are.

• Look inside, not outside, for your self-image. To have confidence, decide how you want to look based on your own values, not on other people or the media. The continuous portrayal of thin and skinny models makes you compare yourself to those women, and if you are not close to that standard, you start having low self-esteem. It’s better to look inside yourself and ask: who do I really want to be? What is my idea of attractive? Then don’t pay too much attention to outside opinions.

• Accept yourself and be realistic. When you have low self-esteem, you don’t accept who you are or what you are. So the first thing is, you have to accept yourself as you are. If you feel there are certain negative things, you can try to change them. If they don’t change, it is not the end of the world. It also helps to be realistic in your goals. For example, if you’ve gained 10 kilos since university and want to be thinner, it might be more realistic to try and lose just five kilos, since our metabolism changes as we get older.

• Concentrate on keeping fit. To keep fit you have to continuously exercise and at the same time eat healthy food. Keep fit and healthy for yourself and not because you want to look like someone else, because we’re all different. We can’t be like one another.

• Take care of your appearance. It is worth it to make the effort, even if you are a busy mom, because it helps you to feel good about yourself. Little touches make a big difference. If it’s not practical to go to the hairdresser, for example, put your hair up in a pretty clip. Use skin care products or natural masks to give your face a glow. There are a lot of things that you can do at home. You can apply blush, lipstick, these small things that really do change how bright you look. Your husband will probably appreciate the results of your efforts, and this can give your marriage a boost as well.

• Choose clothes that make you look beautiful. Even if you are not at your ideal weight right now, you don’t have to wait to reach a certain number on the scale to feel good about yourself. Feel beautiful by choosing outfits that suit your shape and complexion. You can search the Internet for tips on clothing cuts that suit your body shape, and choose the colors that bring out your complexion and make you look fresh and bright. If you can’t find the clothes you want ready-made, try buying material and getting outfits tailored.

• Stay determined. If you really need to lose weight, stick to your eating plan and keep a strong will. Do it for you, and motivate yourself by thinking about how great it will feel when you reach your goal. Tell yourself, ‘I will do this because I want to look better.’ Always be hopeful. If the outcome makes you happy, you’ll change.

• Focus on your positive inner traits. The body image is the outside. The most important thing is the inside. When you think of your positive attributes, this motivates you to think better of yourself. Are you funny, honest, compassionate, and sincere? Remind yourself of these traits often to boost your self-esteem, because what we think affects our behavior and feelings. Negative thoughts lead to negative feelings, while positive thoughts create positive feelings. So think positively about yourself and love yourself for who you really are, inside and out.