Body Image

 

I wanted to let you in on a conversation I had the other day with a couple of my friends.

AJ recently returned from his week at Burning Man. He was telling Shannon and me about the people he met and the things he saw. He mentioned something about seeing a woman freely romp around in her birthday suit while twirling silk streamers in the wind. “She was Beautiful” he said. Shanny and I laughed at the mental image of running naked in a sea of strangers. I got to thinking... that lady must have had extremely high self-esteem, or she may have just been extremely high, or both -- it comes with the territory of Burning Man I guess. Now don't get me wrong, by no means am I recommending frolicking naked to improve your self-esteem; not a good idea. Public nudity also happens to be illegal ha-ha. I was merely admiring her personal confidence -- girl has hutzpah!

I believe that a large percentage of women these days lack confidence and have a weak perception of their own body image.

Margarita Tartakovsky, MS, author of Weightless, gives some helpful advice.

Things Every Woman Should Think About:

It’s not easy living in today’s thin-is-in society. Thanks to trashy weeklies, skinny celebrities and flashy ads, slowly but surely – the media and our surroundings chip away at our body image. Self doubt creeps in and many women begin to wonder... Am I thin enough, pretty enough etc. Whatever the case maybe, reversing our thought process and developing a positive body image takes time.

1. Consider the impact. Take some time to reflect on how your body image has affected other areas of your life. How does your body image affect your relationships, your work, and overall self-image? Does it prevent you from accomplishing professional goals? And if you have children, consider the message you are sending them about their own self-image. Does your little girl hear you complain about your weight or appearance? What might she think about her own?

2. See the whole you. Many of us rarely look at ourselves as a whole person. We pick apart our bodies and nit-pick at every supposed flaw. Instead, empower yourself to see the entire you.  (Make a list of ten things that you love about yourself…internally and externally)

3. Change your mentality. Our society values a slim silhouette, smooth skin and perfect features, oftentimes at the cost of health. But when we change our mindset, we empower ourselves to pursue good self-care. In fact, it becomes a beautiful cycle: focus on being healthy, and do things that help you feel better about yourself. When you’re taking care of yourself, your mood improves and you look healthier.

4. Focus on strong female role models. Nowadays, we turn to actresses for our outward inspiration – how we dress, what we look like, whose arms, legs and lips we want. Instead, think about the many accomplished, strong women from history and today. What woman do you admire for her accomplishments, strength, character, resolve?

“Women of substance help us remember what really counts: the inner self, values, beliefs, morals, and the ability to love. With this insight, we may gradually see our entire female experience differently.”-Dr. Maine

The change can start with you.

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