4 habits that will make you more body confident

I’m often asked for quick tips to help women feel more body confident. 

While there isn’t a short cut to better body image, there are some body confident habits that will support you on your journey.

In fact, body confident habits are vital to ensure that any deeper work you are doing such as coaching or counselling are effective in the long term.

These habits are practices that you work into your daily life to support body image resilience.

Now, because they’re practices not quick fixes, it means you must practise them!

So, here is my round up of the 4 key habits I recommend. Give these body confident habits a try and watch your body image improve.

Listen or read below:

Body Confident Habit #1: Self-Compassion

The ability to be self-compassionate is vital to better body image. Self-compassion is the ability to treat yourself with kindness and understanding when things get rough.

Your self-compassionate voice is the one that says, “You know what, it’s tough feeling this way. Although what I’m feeling is uncomfortable, I know it won’t last forever.”

The ability to be self-compassionate means that you can soothe yourself when you’re having a bad body day.

A self-compassion practice has four core components:

Acknowledge how you’re feeling e.g. “I feel uncomfortable in my body right now. I think everyone is looking at me and thinking I’m gross.”

Validate your feelings, e.g. “It’s hard to feel this way. It hurts.”

Common humanity is the realisation and acknowledgement that everyone feels this way at times – that you’re not alone e.g. “I know that I’m not the only one that feels bad about my body.”

Loving kindness means giving yourself the love and kindness that you need in the moment. You might give yourself a hug or put your hand over your heart space while saying something like, “May I be kind to myself in this moment”.

Self compassion is so important to body image work because you need the ability to self-soothe when things are tough. The last thing you want to do when you’re feeling bad in your body is to beat yourself up for feeling that way.

If you want to learn more about self-compassion, check out expert, Kristin Neff.

Habit #2: Create a body safe environment

A body safe environment is one where your body confidence can grow.

It’s about surrounding yourself with people and content that helps you view your body in a kind and accepting way.

Be mindful of the people that you spend your time with. Make sure that you’re not surrounding yourself with people who are obsessed with how they look or what they weigh.

Also, restrict your consumption of any media that leaves you feeling down about your body.

Think about the media that you look at every day – are there certain magazines, social media sites or adverts that trigger negative thoughts about your body? If so, reduce your exposure to these in future.

Habit #3: Do daily mirror work

When you feel bad about your looks, I totally understand that looking in the mirror is difficult. 

In the past, I’ve avoided looking at myself for fear of how it would make me feel.  However, like many fears, the fear of doing something is worse than the actual act itself.

Mirror work is amazingly powerful for improving body image.  If you find looking in the mirror uncomfortable, the easiest way to start is to simply smile at yourself.

Even if it feels strange or awkward – just smile.  Do it once a day to begin with until you get used to looking at your reflection and just smiling. 

Be gentle with yourself, especially if you have avoided looking in the mirror.  These things take time. 

If you feel strong enough, in addition to smiling, find one thing that you like about yourself, and repeat that while looking in the mirror.  For example, I often say to myself “I’m a kind and generous person”

Over time, mirror work builds your body confidence and self-esteem muscles, re-training your brain to think in a more balanced and healthy way.

Habit #4: Focus on what your body can do

Your body isn’t just an object to be looked at or admired.  Its purpose is far greater and more vital than that. 

Without your body, you wouldn’t be able to achieve much!  Focussing on what your body does for you each day, rather than how it looks helps you appreciate its most valuable purpose.

At the end of each day, reflect on what your body has allowed you to do.  For example, have you walked somewhere?  Done some exercise? Been on your feet all day? Listened to someone intently?  Whatever it is, the function of your body, not its appearance has enabled you to carry on your day.

I’d love to hear what body confident habits your practice. Please leave me a comment below.

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