The way you see yourself has a major influence on your life. Confidence and self-love can improve your mood, relationships, work performance, and more. Achieving high self-esteem is often easier said than done, but there are a few steps you can take to do so. With effort, positivity, and belief in yourself, you can grow your confidence and self-esteem. Here are three ways to build a more positive body image.
Confront Yourself
What do you think when you look in the mirror? When you don’t feel great about your appearance, it’s easy to shy away from your own reflection—try not to! Avoiding yourself only lets those negative thoughts grow. Instead, allow yourself to study your reflection. Look for things you like about yourself and take the time to write them down. Make a list of both physical and nonphysical traits: your hair looks good; you’re a hard worker; you have a nice smile. Turn this list into regular affirmations, and keep adding more to the list as your confidence grows.
Create a Wardrobe That Suits You
It’s tempting to keep those old jeans—you’ll get back into them one day. This is a great sentiment, but you deserve to wear comfortable clothes right now. Find a wardrobe that suits you and your body instead of one you need to earn for the future. Fill your closet with clothes that make you feel good when you wear them. If you want to improve your appearance, look for a tailor to adjust clothes to fit you perfectly. You can also invest in a few pieces of compression shapewear. On top of helping your clothes fit a little better, shapewear can also help improve your posture and give you that bit of confidence you need to conquer the day.
Find Positive People
The people around you are a major part of your thoughts and actions. One of the best ways to build a more positive body image is to surround yourself with people who think positively about you and themselves. Positive thinking is contagious—if your friends and family think highly of you, you’ll do the same. Find a community of people who will support you during those periods of low self-esteem and cheer you on during your confident days.
