Our self-esteem tips beyond traditional exercise can provide self-esteem benefits.
Have you ever gone into a changing room with an armful of clothes you were excited to try on, only to have your heart sink as a pair of jeans stopped moving half-way up your thighs, or a blouse refused to button over your chest?
Have you ever thought about going for a walk or eating a healthy meal but then settled on TV and fast food because there seems to be no point anyway?
Have you ever opened a magazine in a doctor’s waiting room and suddenly felt weighed down by glossy pages of edited models?
When these things happen, it can be easy to get stuck in a self-degrading rut, but our self-esteem tips can help mitigate that feeling. Many women are generally confident, happy, and healthy and know that the number on the scale or on a favorite dress does not dictate who we are, what we can do, or who we attract.
Yet some days the constant push of outside sources peddling a specific definition of beauty can wear us down. When that happens, it’s always nice to have a few self-esteem tips ready to help fight negative self-perception.
- Dance – Wait until dark, turn off the lights, lock your door, put in your headphones, and just move your body. It can be as silly or as sexy as you want it to be. Nobody is watching. Dance like you did as a kid before self-consciousness kicked in. Or move like an exotic dancer, seducing her audience. You’ll be connecting with your body, feeling all the muscles that are still there even if they have some extra padding, having fun, and getting some exercise at the same time.
- Notice how little it matters – Take a moment to look around a store or restaurant, or think about your friends and acquaintances. Notice women (and men) who are plus-sized with good jobs and happy relationships and thriving children. Very often we judge ourselves harshly for features we don’t even notice in those around us. Give your own curves the same mercy you give to your mom’s, best friend’s, or a cashier’s.
- Look up plus size fashion blogs – There’s a definite boost in finding someone your own size who wears clothes that fit and looks amazing doing so. A quick Google search will give you lists of people to take inspiration from. Follow a few of these ladies on your favorite social media platforms, and your feeds will start to feel more positive.
- Comfort yourself in positive ways – After a hard day, it can be easy to overeat if food has become a self-soothing method. Then the guilt of having overeaten contributes to more negative feelings about yourself. Cutting off your favorite comfort foods entirely is no good either, though. Instead, have a healthy portion of your go-to snack with a glass of water, and try to establish some additional self-soothing habits. Have a fancy bath with bubbles and bath bombs, or light a specific candle you only use when you need to cheer up. Put on a favorite song or movie and try eating some grapes or apple slices instead of popcorn.
- Treat yourself – Skip buying clothes on a day when you’re feeling less confident. Instead, buy some pretty underthings, even if nobody else is going to see them. Pick out a body spray or perfume with a scent you really like. Shave your legs, make your bed with clean sheets and revel in that new-sheets-new-shave feeling. Treat yourself like a beautiful woman until you start to feel like the beautiful woman you are.
Click here to learn tips on how to take care of your skin during the summer.
Remember, while it might sound trite, ultimately your beauty lies in who you are, not the body you inhabit. That being said, a woman’s body is also an amazing and beautiful thing, regardless of size.
There will be people who are drawn to you, both for your personality and your looks. You are allowed to feel beautiful. You are beautiful.
For more information on women’s health, visit BetterHealthKare.com.