Own it: love your body and your voice
We've all heard those cheesy lines advising you to, “Love the skin your in.” While it may sound corny,loving yourself is actually important for your mental health, and also for the happiness of the people that surround you. Your family and friends will also be happier if you love yourself as much as you love them.
Unfortunately, most of us have self conditioned to pick ourselves apart rather than love who we are. We want to love ourselves, but there's all this sagging skin, bulges in places we don't want bulges, or perhaps we end up loving another of the same sex while also being in a religion that frowns on such things.If you're struggling with self love, here are a few tips to help you see the beauty in yourself,even when you don't feel beautiful.
Find a Mentor
Do you struggle with body positivity? Finding someone who rocks their body and loves every sensuous curve might be the key to gaining your own confidence. If you're goal is to become an environmentalist but your carbon footprint is shocking, a gentle helper who can ease you into greener choices can give you the confidence to love the direction you're heading in.
When picking a mentor, it's important to choose someone who is unbiased, and will not attack you for who you are. You won't love your body and your voice if your mentor is someone who insists on censoring it.
Respect Yourself
Respect is a virtue that everyone seems to admire, yet how often have you given yourself the respect you deserve? Some of the criticisms you inflict on yourself are words you would never choose to impart to a stranger. When you are struggling to find out who you are, pay attention to the words you use on yourself. If you wouldn't use them on a stranger, don't use them on yourself.
Reflect
Sometimes you can't accept who you are because you don't know who that is. Maybe you watch food documentaries avidly because you're interested in becoming a vegan, but you haven't because no one you know does. Taking the time to notice yourself can make a big difference in learning who you are,and becoming true to yourself—a key to self love.
Gratitude
Being grateful for what you have is also important. In our rush to criticize our bodies, we often don't take time to appreciate just how amazing it is. Maybe you don't like your body because you can't even run a hundred feet without gasping for air, when appreciating the fact that you can walk at all is important. No matter how badly off we are, there are others who would be grateful for what we have,and that's something important to think about.
Your body is amazing, and so is your voice. No matter what size, shape, or ideal you have, it's worth appreciating. When you love yourself, you'll not only be happier and healthier, so will the people around you.
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