Here are some helpful tips and strategies to build up self confidence and learn how to know yourself and be truly happy with you.
Reduce Stress By Your Type Of Dress: Wear clothes that are not too tight or that make you feel uncomfortable. When you dress you should not be trying to impress anyone. Wear things that make you feel comfortable and relaxed. Clothing that is not revealing or restrictive in movement can help take your focus off of your body and help to stop your distorted body image.
Cut & Cross Out: You have to get dressed at least twice everyday, once into day clothes and once into night clothes. Why would you want to torture yourself and feed your negative mind just by getting dressed to start or end your day? When you see the labels on clothes and the number that they display, it can often be triggering. Cut out the labels of your clothes, or cross over the clothes size so that your day will not start or end on a bad note just because of a size tag.
You Are More Than Numbers: Try to stay away from the scale, or throw it out all together. Don’t let a scale tell you if your day is going to be good or bad, or how you should eat or exercise. The number on a scale is simply that; just a number. It can in no way tell you what your self worth is. A good form of therapy is to smash your scale. That’s right, just take it outside and start pounding at it with a hammer. Remember all those days when the number on scale upset you or ruined your day, week, or special time? Get back at it and throw it out. You are more than numbers.
Put Your Day In Check Before Checking The Mirror: When you get out of bed in the morning it is your decision as to how to live your day. Do you want it to be a bust or do you want to have a day worth getting up for? Before you pull those sheets off your body, think if you want to have a good or a bad day. When you look in the mirror, remember what type of day you said you wanted to have. Keep that in mind and keep that promise to yourself. While getting ready for you day, think of ways that you will cope with daily stresses. Maybe you will close your eyes and count to 10, put on some head phones and listen to music, take a leisurely walk, relax in a hot bath, or curl up with a good book. Constantly remind yourself throughout the day of how you said that your day would turn out; positive!
Mirror, Mirror, I’m Talking To You: Realize that the person that you see in the mirror has the same feelings as everyone else in the world and that person (yourself) deserves to feel good. Talk yourself up, complement yourself. Remember, your outer appearance can never say exactly who you are on the inside; someone amazing!
Unsubscribe: You know I am telling the truth when I say that fashion and clothing magazine models are a fake and unreachable image of the female figure. All of the women that you look at in those magazines have a huge staff of people working with then to make them look that way. Even after the photo is taken the images are airbrushed, lightened, darkened, and altered to reach a vision that is unnatural. These photos are designed to take on an unreachable appearance goal in order to make women feel less of themselves. When women feel poorly about themselves they start to believe that the product which the advertisement or model is selling (makeup, clothes, lingerie, hair products) will make them more beautiful if they buy it and use it. Through this way of thinking, the company is able to sell mass quantities or merchandise. Less then 1% of the women in the world have the body figure of the models in those magazines, and the women in the magazines probably are not part of that 1% but their photos are computer altered to look that way. Try to be happy with yourself and not push yourself to reach an unrealistic goal.
Reason 1, 2, 3, 4, 5: With so many people these days only commenting on appearance, try to change your focus to something else positive about you. Come up with a list of reasons why you are a great person, which you are. Stay away from things about your appearance, keep the list geared toward positive personality traits and talents. Are you caring? Honest? Friendly? Smart? Outgoing? Funny? Anything that you can think of, add it to the list. Put this list on a mirror or on your closet door as a reminder of all your positive qualities. Keep adding to the list as the days go by.
Be Pampered: Be good to your body, after all, you only get one. Once a month try to go out and get a massage, a manicure, or a facial. Pamper yourself in long hot baths by candlelight and soft music. Get together with a friend and give each other pedicures. Buy lotions that feel and smell good and treat yourself to some perfume or body mist. Take naps when you need to, just because you can! You are worth it.
Do You Dare?: Think of all those things that you told yourself you would never do because you would look different or not completely "perfect". Ditch the make up bag for a whole day. Show the world your true face by venturing out into public without an ounce of concealer on. Better yet, change that hair style. (How many years have you had it any way?) Or, buy some temporary hair dye and give yourself a wacky new hair color. Relax and wear your pajamas or a pair of sweats all day. Go out in public wearing these clothes and notice that no one seems to mind. The point is to realize that going without make up, changing your hair, or wearing comfortable clothes will not make the world cave in. You appearance does not determine who you are.
Party Of One: You are the only person that you will have to live with forever. Get to know yourself better by spending time with yourself. Go out to a movie alone, or venture to a quiet café to sip some coffee and read a newspaper. Make reservations for a table for 1 at your favorite restaurant and feel free to eat what you want in moderation. Take the risk of being seen alone and indulge in the fact that no one but you can spoil the evening.
Know When To Say "Shut Up!": When you begin to hear that annoying little voice in your head, the one that always puts you down, immediately find a way to stop it. Pay yourself a positive compliment and tell that controlling voice to shut up! If you are finding it hard to free your mind of the negative thoughts, talk to a friend or family member. Grab that phone and gab away. Put your focus onto something else like a good book, your pet gold fish, a puzzle, playing with you dogs, or gardening outside. Try to shift you mind onto a more positive subject.
Visit Mother Nature: Moving around and getting outside are great therapies for the body and the mind. Take up yoga or meditating. Join a karate or horse back riding class. Take a relaxing 30 minute walk 4 days a week or ride your bike during sunset. Go out and make angels in the snow or build a sand castle on the beach. Nature was made for you to enjoy it.
Speak Up: Sometimes there is no better relief then a nice warm bear hug or a positive complement from someone that cares about you, but our loved-ones aren't mind readers. Tell them when you're having a bad day and ask for a hug, a shoulder to lean on, or an ear to listen.
Stop Picking On Me: Take a look at all the children in this world. Would you criticize them for being themselves? Are you focused on the weight of a five-year-old while you watch them play with friends? Wouldn't you protect a child being picked on? You don’t deserve to be picked on either, and you don't deserve to be picked on by yourself!
True Love: The people who are always there when you need them (mom, dad, siblings, friends, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and/or spouses) are the people who love you for you, not what you look like. They love and care for you because of what is inside of your heart, mind, and soul, not because of your appearance.
Having Health: Being healthy in weight, body, and mind is a positive thing. Healthy bodies show that you are well rested, well nourished, and in a well state of mind. Being healthy is nothing to be ashamed of but is something to be applauded.
Divine Differences: All the people of the world are different and diverse and we're supposed to be that way. It would be an incredibly boring world if we all looked exactly the same. It's a truly special experience to look around and realize that everyone is beautiful and unique, no matter what size, color or gender they are. There is beauty in everyone, and that includes you!
