Body self love and confidence are essential for living a happy, fulfilling life. Unfortunately, in today’s society, many of us struggle to feel comfortable in our own skin. We’re bombarded with images of so-called perfect bodies, and it can be hard to feel good enough.
But the truth is, you don’t need to have a certain body type to love yourself. The key is to cultivate healthy habits that help you feel good both inside and out.
In this article, we’ll explore 10 simple habits that can boost your body self-love and confidence. From getting enough sleep to practicing positive self-talk, these habits are easy to implement and can make a big difference in how you feel about yourself.
So if you’re ready to start feeling more confident and comfortable in your own skin, read on!
Understanding Body Self Love and Confidence
Body self love is the act of accepting and appreciating your body for what it is, regardless of its size, shape, or appearance. It’s about treating your body with kindness and respect, and recognizing that it’s unique and worthy of love.
Confidence, on the other hand, is the belief in your own abilities and worth. When you have confidence, you trust yourself and your decisions, and you’re not afraid to take risks or try new things.
It’s important to understand that body self-love and confidence go hand in hand. When you love and respect your body, you feel more confident in yourself and your abilities. On the other hand, when you have confidence, you’re more likely to treat your body with kindness and respect. It’s a positive cycle that can lead to a happier, more fulfilling life.
We’d also like to stress that body self love is not eating an entire pint of ice cream a day and calling it “self care”. We are encouraging healthy habits and loving ourselves but want to be mindful that eating habits and a lack of exercise should not be confused with body self love. Taking care of your body is respecting your body.
Habits to Build Confidence – Kickstart Your Self-Love Journey
Below you’ll find a list of some of our favorite habits. They are in no particular order and as always – take things from this list that serve you and leave behind anything that doesn’t.
Nourish Your body with foods that will improve your overall health
Sometimes we may feel down on ourselves and struggle to find positive thoughts. And sometimes it may be because we are not eating healthy foods. Did you know that processed foods may be linked to depression?
When it comes to nourishing our bodies, the goal should always be to find healthy food options. The goal of nourishing our bodies should not be hyper-focused on weight loss though. Actually, the goal of eating healthy is to feel good and to provide our body with nutrients.
Sometimes making the small shift of a home-cooked meal vs. eating takeout can start to have wonderful implications on your health. While we also don’t want to suggest that you eat a highly restrictive diet, when you put healthy foods into your body, you may feel a noticeable difference.
For example, one of our favorite ways to get back to healthy eating is by adding vegetables or healthy foods to things that you’re already eating. The best part about these small changes is that it’s very simple. For example, in the morning, if you’re eating eggs, make an omelet with spinach and bell peppers instead. It’s a small change but it can lead to wonderful results.
On the journey of body self love, it’s also about what you put into your body, not just the outward confidence.
The importance of practicing self-love and confidence
Practicing self-love and confidence is crucial for a healthy, happy life. When you don’t love or respect your body, it can lead to negative self-talk, low self-esteem, and even mental health issues like depression and anxiety. On the other hand, when you cultivate habits that promote self-love and confidence, you’ll feel more positive, energetic, and fulfilled.
It’s important to remember that self-love and confidence aren’t things that you achieve and then forget about. They’re ongoing practices that require daily attention and effort. But the good news is that with the right habits and mindset, anyone can learn to love and appreciate their body.
Some easy confidence-building exercises are:
- Setting a small goal and achieving it
- Learning something new
- Practicing good posture – when your shoulders are back, you can teach yourself to be more confident
- Celebrating small wins
Limiting negative self-talk
One of the biggest barriers to body self-love and confidence is negative self-talk. We all have that little voice in our heads that tells us we’re not good enough, smart enough, or pretty enough. But that voice is not reality, and it’s not helpful. In fact, it can be downright harmful to our mental health and self-esteem.
To combat negative self-talk, it’s important to become aware of it and challenge it. When you notice that voice telling you that you’re not good enough, ask yourself if it’s really true. Often, you’ll find that it’s not. Try to reframe negative thoughts into positive ones. For example, instead of saying “I hate my thighs,” try saying “My legs are strong and powerful.”
It’s also helpful to surround yourself with positive affirmations and people who lift you up. Write down affirmations and place them where you’ll see them every day. Surround yourself with friends and family who support and encourage you. When you transform a lack of self-love into an abundance of self-love, you’ll slowly watch the world around you change.
Some great resources:
Surrounding yourself with positivity
In addition to limiting negative self-talk, it’s important to surround yourself with positivity and positive people. This means surrounding yourself with people who lift you up, engaging in activities that make you feel good, and filling your life with things that bring you joy.
One way to do this is to create a self-care routine. This could include things like taking a relaxing bath, going for a walk in nature, or practicing meditation. Whatever makes you feel good and relaxed, make sure to make time for it regularly.
It’s also important to be mindful of the media and social media you consume. Diet culture is pervasive online – did you know that the diet industry is a $60 billion per year industry with a 95% failure rate? It’s so heavily ingrained in our culture and it’s very harmful to women and girls even when in high school.
If you find that certain accounts, media, or channels make you feel bad about yourself, unfollow them or limit your exposure. Instead, seek out accounts and channels that promote body positivity and self-love. Other ways to add positivity to your routine include:
– Putting positive messages on sticky notes around the house reminding yourself how beautiful you are
– limiting social media time or reducing how much time you scroll through your social media feed
– Saying positive self love affirmations and kind things to yourself
– standing in front of a mirror and thanking your body for all that it does for you
– Focus on the small things that make you happy every single day
Practicing self-care regularly
Self-care is an important part of body self-love and confidence. When you take care of yourself, you’re sending a message to yourself that you’re worth it. Self-care can take many forms, from getting enough sleep to eating nutritious foods to exercising regularly.
The key is to find what works for you and make it a regular part of your routine. This could mean going to bed at the same time every night, meal planning and prepping for the week ahead, or finding an exercise routine that you love.
Everyday life can get incredibly busy but you can easily add in self care. Self care is not always a 1-hour massage and you can try activities that won’t take a lot of time.
Sometimes it’s a morning affirmation and stretching session, or a quick bubble bath at the end of the day. We suggest adding self care into your daily routine consistently to experience a real change in your confidence and mood.
Finding an exercise routine that you love
Physical activity is an important part of self-care, but it can be tough to find a routine that you enjoy. The key is to experiment with different types of exercise until you find something that you love. This could be anything from yoga to running to dancing.
The important thing is to find something that makes you feel good, both physically and mentally. When you enjoy your exercise routine, you’re more likely to stick with it and reap the benefits of regular exercise, like increased energy, improved mood, and better sleep.
An exercise routine can be a 20-minute morning walk, a pilates class, or a quick yoga session. The first step in finding an exercise routine that you like is gradually easing into it. If you attempt to run 20 miles and you’re not a runner, this may be discouraging. Focus on small activities and exercises and then add more time, more weights, or a new challenge.
Instead of focusing on your body shape right after a workout, focus on how your body feels.
Dressing in a way that makes you feel confident
The way you dress can have a big impact on how you feel about yourself. When you dress in a way that makes you feel good, you’re more likely to feel confident and comfortable in your own skin.
This doesn’t mean that you need to dress a certain way or follow the latest fashion trends. It means finding clothes that fit well and make you feel good. It could mean wearing bright colors or patterns or wearing clothes that show off your favorite features. This new way of dressing – letting yourself fall in love with clothing items that feel good may help improve your confidence right away. When we wear things that we feel good in, our positive energy can shine through.
Celebrating your achievements and progress
It’s important to celebrate your achievements and progress, no matter how small they may seem. When you take the time to acknowledge your successes, you’re reinforcing positive habits and behaviors. This can help to boost your self-esteem and confidence.
So whether you’ve reached a fitness goal, landed a new job, or simply made it through a tough day, take the time to celebrate yourself. Treat yourself to a special meal or activity, or simply take a moment to reflect on your achievements.
Celebrating small wins is not all about your weight. To build overall confidence, celebrate small wins and large milestone accomplishments!
Practicing gratitude and mindfulness
Finally, practicing gratitude and mindfulness can go a long way in boosting your body self-love and confidence. When you focus on the present moment and appreciate the good things in your life, you’re less likely to get caught up in negative thoughts and self-talk.
One way to practice gratitude and mindfulness is to keep a gratitude journal. Each day, write down all the different things that you’re grateful for. This could be anything from a delicious meal to a kind gesture from a friend.
Final Thoughts
Thanks so much for stopping by today!
Body self-love and confidence are essential for living a happy, fulfilling life. And by building up your body confidence can help with emotional health and unconditional love for yourself.
By cultivating healthy habits like limiting negative self-talk about our own body, and practicing self-care regularly, you can boost your self-esteem and create a healthy body image.
Remember, self-love and confidence are ongoing practices that require daily attention and effort, but with the right habits and mindset, anyone can learn to love and appreciate their body.
Yo-yo dieting can create a vicious cycle and when we body shame ourselves, it can have a very negative effect on our health. Below are some additional resources for you on your body self love journey.
Resources
What is body positivity v. body neutrality?
Body neutrality encourages people to feel beautiful and confident at any size, body neutrality advocates for completely eliminating physical appearance as part of a person’s self-worth
Reminder: We are not mental health professionals. If you believe you have a binge-eating disorder, body dysmorphia, or a mental illness, please seek professional help. Some of the best ways to take care of ourselves include getting help, confiding in family members, and making a conscious effort to love ourselves. You are not alone and lots of people struggle with poor body image and body image issues. Take this time to appreciate the fact that you’ve made it this far and that you’ll only keep getting better.
If there are things you do to help with body acceptance and positive body image that we do not list in this post, feel free to let us know in the comments!