It’s easy to fall into the trap of criticising your body. Whether it’s your tummy or thighs, everyone has something about themselves that they want to change. But this way of thinking can impact our everyday lives and our overall happiness. This is why we should embrace our bodies for what they are and be body positive.

What is body positivity?

Being body positive means accepting your body for the way it is. It’s recognizing that some bodies are not more acceptable than others and that all bodies are equally valuable. It’s about not judging other people for the way the look and choosing what it means to be happy and healthy for yourself.

So how can you be more body positive?

Don’t shame yourself

There are times where your mind will drift to the dark side and you’ll start to shame yourself for eating that pizza slice. Or maybe you’re just having a bad body image day and you quickly start to criticise the size of your thighs. When you feel this way ask yourself if you would say such things about your friends – you are your own friend, so be kind to yourself.

Pick out what you like about your body

When it comes down to it we’re all quick to pick out our flaws. Instead of sitting in front of a mirror and thinking how big your butt looks today, pick out two things that you like about yourself. Do this every day and slowly you will start to feel better about yourself and the way you look.

Don’t focus too much on your weight and clothing size

You shouldn’t attach your worth to a number on a scale or to the size of a dress. If you feel amazing in a tight dress but think that “chubby girls shouldn’t wear tight dresses,” wear it anyway! These are just things that make up how great you really are.

Exercise not to lose weight

Exercising doesn’t always equal weight loss, but it can help us to feel better about ourselves. So if you want to hit the gym because you want to be an overall healthy person, then do it! Rather than setting goals to shed weight, set goals to become stronger and happier.

Most of us are quick to judge ourselves and the way we look. It’s not easy, but we all need to change this way of thinking. That way we can be more confident and happier with ourselves.