While my blog primarily focuses on fashion, I want to take a moment to reflect on something that’s important to me and what my message stands for: body confidence.
When I first started this blog back in 2011, it was simply a creative outlet- a way for me to share my personal style and love for shopping. Shortly after posting some of my daily looks though, I received several emails from strangers, saying I changed their outlook on their curvy bodies, by wearing clothes that someone with my body type typically doesn’t, with confidence.
I get emails almost daily from readers asking how I achieved confidence, and how I stay body positive, in a world where we’re made to feel as if we don’t deserve to be stylish and beautiful, due to our size.
While spending some quality time this past weekend with my two youngest sisters who are both built like Victoria Secret models (no kidding), yet still have a few major body issues, I started thinking about the term body confidence, and reflect on the ways I’ve been able to build my own confidence through the years. After pondering my own personal struggle to accept my natural curves most of my life, which contributed to a teen and early adulthood battle with eating disorders, excessive exercise, constant weight loss and weight gain (more on this in a post to come), I thought it was time to share.
So without further ado, here are my top 7 body confidence tips:
If you’re like most women who aren’t comfortable with their bodies, you try and avoid yourself in the mirror- especially while nude. Here’s the harsh reality: the mental effects of seeing yourself in the nude more often can actually change your perception of your body, drastically!
For instance, if you make an effort to do your hair and makeup in the nude just once per week, it will start to change the way you see your body. Focusing on something other than your naked body- in this case, your hair or makeup, will help you become more comfortable facing yourself in the mirror more often, naked or not. While at first this may be uncomfortable, after forcing your naked image to be in your face more often, you’ll soon get used to seeing your reflection without looking away or picking it apart.
Maybe you’re a new mom and although there are things about your post-baby body you’re still trying to accept, be proud that your body carried and gave birth to an amazing little human being!
Instead of being consumed with the fact that your thighs are bigger than you’d like them to be, be happy that those thighs help carry you through life, and maybe even make you an awesome speed walker or runner. Maybe you don’t like showing your arms, but you’re a kick-ass cook, so you should be thankful for those strong arms that can whip up a meal like nobody’s business!By now I’m sure you’ve gotten the point.
Whatever your body hang-up is, find a way to change the negative into a positive, and over time, the positive thought will outshine the negative one.
In the past if someone looked my way, I thought it was because they were either laughing inside about how freakishly tall I am in heels, or how my hair is much too big for my head. Now, when I catch someone looking my way, I smile with confidence, even if I don’t necessarily feel confident at the moment.
Forcing yourself to smile can trick your mind and body into thinking you feel confident and amazing, and eventually the feelings of insecurity will go away and you will feel confident and amazing.
Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it!