How to enhance body acceptance? 10 useful tips

Some practical tips to enhance body acceptance and cultivate self-esteem.

We are bombarded with all kinds of bodies that are supposed to be the beautiful ones, making us self-conscious about what we have because we are not like them. We don't have breasts, we lack muscles, we are fat or bald.

All this is the origin of many complexes and, also, of lack of self-esteem. We want to be like them, but we simply are not. We think "How unfair life is", without realizing that most of the covers of the magazines of the heart and TV ads are the product of digital programs like Photoshop.

Whatever body we have, and as long as it is healthy, we should accept ourselves as we are. Here we are going to see how to promote body acceptance.

How to promote body acceptance?

It happens to all men and women that we are not comfortable with some part of our body. It is typical that women do not agree with the shape of their hips, the size of their breasts or that they look too fat. Among men there is a tendency to be dissatisfied with not having enough muscle or having a receding hairline, among many other complexes.

The male and female canon of beauty is different, but not equally cruel.but not equally cruel. Trying to be like Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt is equally complicated for both women and men, making them and them equally dissatisfied and constantly comparing themselves with others and, especially, with what the media bombards us with.

We've had it drummed into our heads how we should be that it's become delusional. We look at ourselves in the mirror and do not find what we would like to be, exaggerating our defects and considering that we do not deserve to be loved because we are simply not perfect. But perfection does not exist. Don't be fooled, what you see on TV or on networks like Instagram is fake, the product of digital image modification techniques. And if it hasn't been photoshopped, it has been the work of a scalpel. That beauty is not natural. Let's not envy the artificial.

Having said all this reflection, let's move on to a few tips on how to enhance body acceptance. The idea behind all this is that each body is the way it is, either because we were born that way or because some event in our lives, such as an accident or having suffered an illness, has left us with scars. But scars are a symbol of survival, of being heroes and heroines. Beauty is something much more than just the sight of beautiful things.is a much more complex, more transcendental concept.

1. Focus on how good you are

A good exercise to be aware of the many good things we have is to make a list of at least 10 things you like about yourself, considering your physical appearance, such as your smile, your hair, your hands, your legs?

We should not leave aside more internal aspects, such as personality, which is what truly defines us, as well as our intellectual abilities, such as our reasoning and facility with languages or mathematics, for example.

It is a good idea to put this list somewhere visible in the house, such as on the bedroom door or on the refrigerator. That way, every day you can read it and be aware of the many good things you have.

2. Eat well

Food is not your enemy, quite the contrary. It is obvious that human beings need to eat in order to live, but it is also important to eat properly.

A body that lacks nutrients is a body that can begin to have very serious health problems.These can manifest themselves in the form of hair loss, extreme thinness, skin with a yellowish tone?

Never stop eating to lose weight. If you have an unhealthy relationship with food, the best way to deal with it is to ask for professional help.

3. Be and surround yourself with positive people.

Unfortunately, there are people who like to highlight our defects..... It is very common that those who are dissatisfied with their own body, instead of trying to address their own problems and show empathy towards others, prefer to bring others down. Let's not be like them.

We must accept that everyone is the way they are. Almost no one fits into the canon of beauty that has been tried to impose on us. What we should not do is rejoice in the misery of others to try to boost our morale. Let's not be bad people.

The best thing is to look for people who exude positivism and acceptance, who are very clear that, always within the healthy, each person is as he or she is. Thus, if you find yourself in a bad moment you can turn to them for advice and to remind you how important you are.

4. Accept your own body

In order to improve self-esteem and increase self-confidence it is important to try to accept functional changes.If there have been changes resulting from an illness, as well as the new body image.

This is especially useful in oncology patients, who may have lost some part of the body due to treatment, such as hair or breast. This, in fact, can motivate the experience of a mourning process. Throughout these stages it can be useful to express emotions such as frustration, disappointment, hopelessness or anguish, to help mitigate the psychological pain.

Once these phases have passed, it is good to try to make the effort to accept what the new body is like and to understand that the body is still a package in which our soul is contained. If we are still alive, isn't that what is really important?

5. Pamper yourself

Many people with low self-esteem consider that it is not worth pampering themselves.They apply very harshly the saying that "even if a monkey dresses in silk, she stays a monkey" and stop going to the hairdresser, do not dress with nice clothes or pass on everything.

Your body is worth it and deserves it. Make up, dress up, get that piercing you wanted, get that tattoo you liked so much... do whatever you want that you consider to beautify your body.

If, on the other hand, as you are, you already look beautiful, good for you, you are satisfied with the way you are. The important thing is not what you do and what you stop doing, but that you do it because you want to do it, because you want to pamper yourself.

6. Consider the problems that have affected your body image.

What is it that has made you look ugly in the mirror? Identifying any social pressures or personal problems that have led to this situation can be especially helpful in directly addressing the source of the problem.

Factors such as having undergone surgery, having experienced physical or emotional abuse, being diagnosed with an eating disorder or having a physical defect are difficult to change, and the focus should be placed on the feeling, not the cause.

It is here where seeking professional help is especially advisable, since it will be able to delve into this aspect in the right way, making it possible to work on everything that serves to lead to bodily acceptance of oneself.

7. Understanding the pressure of the media

The media, be it television or social networks, clearly influences our idea of beauty.. Their influence is by no means negligible. We are constantly bombarded with images of the false beauty ideal, giving us to understand that what is not within that canon is imperfect.

Recognizing these messages that are used to sell all kinds of products is a good way to start on the road to body acceptance. Understand that we cannot and should not be envious of a model with a high percentage of plastic in her body, nor should we envy a photograph modified with Photoshop.

8. No body is the same

We are not made from molds. Everyone is the way they are. Some are thinner, some are fatter. Some are taller and some are shorter. Some are bald and some have hair even in places where it is normal not to have it.

The human body is like the personality, there are individual differences and that is what gives the world its color and variety.. Beauty is not in the homogeneous and monochromatic, but in the diverse. We can see this as soon as we walk down the street. No one is the same.

Look at other people's bodies with an open mind and without prejudices and, thus, you will not apply them to yourself.

9. Exercise your body

Exercise is a fundamental aspect to contribute to a greater acceptance of our own body. Not only because it will make us fitter, but also because it will make our brain release endorphins, which induce a feeling of well-being.which induce a state of emotional well-being.

These hormones are like a natural pill released by our body that makes us happier, and being happier correlates directly with being less critical of ourselves.

It is enough to find an exercise that we like and practice it for about 30 minutes a day, or simply walk for that period of time on a frequent basis. Just half an hour a day of moderate activity is enough to induce changes in mental health.

10. Relax every day

Closely related to exercise is relaxation. This activity can help us to feel more comfortable with our body, reducing tension and self-criticism..

It is enough with only 15 minutes a day, finding a time of the day in which this activity can be done with tranquility. Being disconnected from the world for just that period of time can be a very good way to induce a happiness that, in the long run, will make us accept ourselves as we are.

Bibliographic references:

• Rosenberg SM, Tamimi RM, Gelber S, Ruddy KJ, Kereakoglow S, Borges VF, Come SE, Schapira L, Winer EP, Partridge AH (2013). Body image in recently diagnosed young women with early breast cancer. Psychooncology.22(8):1849-55.
• Lozano-Arrazola A, Cupil-Rodriguez AL, Alvarado-Aguilar S, Granados-Garcia M (2011). Psychological impact on body image in patients with head and neck Cancer undergoing deforming surgeries. Gamo;10(3):156-61.