How to Be Happy With Your Body (Embrace Body Positivity)
Learning how to be happy with your body can be hard work, but it’s worth it.
If you’re unhappy with your body, know you’re not alone. Most people are concerned about at least one part of their body.
But don’t worry. We’re here to help!
This article will introduce you to a few simple ways you can learn how to be happy with your body and feel great in your skin.
Why It’s Important to Love Your Body
Think about what you expect from your body. You probably want it to function properly, look great, have bounds of energy, run fast, digest well, and so on.
Now think about what your body expects from you.
Give yourself a minute to think about it.
Your body works super hard for you every single minute of every single day. It even works for you while you’re sleeping!
Saying thank you to your body and showing it some love is the first step to being happy with it.
Let’s have a closer look at some surefire ways to boost your self-esteem.
How to Be Happy With Your Body
Here are our top strategies for being happy with your body:
1. Eat Well
It sounds simple, doesn’t it? We all know that we’re supposed to eat healthy foods, but somehow things don’t always fall into place.
If we eat junk food, our bodies don’t feel good. And ultimately, we don’t feel good about our bodies.
To break the cycle, introduce fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet. Remind yourself to drink plenty of water, especially in the summer.
Consider eating healthy as a lifestyle choice rather than a strict diet. The goal isn’t to lose weight. You don’t need to completely cut out goodies that you’ve grown to love! Moderation is key.
Did you know that diets are designed to fail? They stress you out, increasing your cravings for sweet foods to compensate.
Instead of putting yourself on a stress-inducing diet or taking questionable diet pills, introduce healthier options that make you feel good.
Instead of a ‘don’t eat that’ mentality, why not try a ‘eat loads of that’ mentality? Instead of telling yourself what you can’t have, focus on what you want to eat more of (like vegetables).
When you treat your body to this healthy goodness, it will repay you by giving you more energy and more happiness. At the end of the day, if you’re eating well, you’re feeling well!
2. Sleep Well
If you’re tired, figuring out how to be happy with your body is no easy feat.
Trust us, we know.
When you don’t get enough sleep, you’re more likely to have dark circles under your eyes, feel sluggish, and have difficulty focusing.
You may also find yourself snacking more during the day because you’re trying to compensate for the lack of energy.
Aim for a minimum of 7 hours of sleep each night. Consider going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, even on weekends!
When you get into a sleep routine, your body will thank you. You’ll feel more alert and have improved concentration. You’ll have more energy to hit the gym or go for a walk outside.
You’ll also find you’re in a better mood after enough sleep. So set that alarm, and stick to a bedtime!
3. Develop Positive Thought Patterns
Learning how to be happy with your body starts with your mindset. In other words, if you think happy, you will feel happy. Positivity is important!
If you find yourself wishing that your body looked different, e.g., wondering whether you look chubby in those jeans or if your bald spot is showing, you might be experiencing negative thought patterns.
Don’t panic; we ALL do it.
The trick is to become aware of those thoughts and let them drift away before you start to ruminate.
So, how can you integrate positive thought patterns into your life?
Great question. Every morning before you start your day, try telling yourself some self-love affirmations.
Tell yourself you’re beautiful, strong, and ready to take on the day. Although it might initially feel silly, practicing self-love can become a big part of feeling happy with your body.
4. Get Moving
Don’t worry; you don’t have to be a body-building, protein-shake-drinking gym enthusiast.
On the other hand, sitting on the sofa watching reruns of Friends (again) isn’t going to help either.
After all, sitting is the new smoking.
Moving a little bit every day is the simplest way to improve your physical and mental health. Your goal for exercising should be to improve the quality of your lifestyle, not on control or weight loss. This will help to make it more sustainable!
The next time you meet up with a friend, go for a walk in the fresh air rather than going out for a meal or coffee.
You might also enjoy getting some exercise like yoga or pilates.
Pop outside each day and walk around your neighborhood. Put on some happy music or a podcast, and move those legs! Physical activity doesn’t need to be intense to be good for you.
After some exercise, you’ll forget about learning how to be happy with your body. You’ll just be appreciative that it can move and support you!
5. Get off Social Media
Okay, this is easier said than done. But, you can reduce the amount of poor body image content you’re exposed to.
It’s no secret that over the last decade, social media has been slammed for its negative impact on its users.
Research shows that if you interact with someone you think is attractive on social media, you feel bad about yourself in the time after.
Constant exposure to perfect selfies, thinspiration, and unrealistic body types leads to body dissatisfaction and feeling self-conscious. Even worse, it may lead to eating disorders and mental health problems.
Yikes.
So, what can you do to avoid this negativity if you can’t get rid of social media?
Instead of scrolling through endless ‘perfect’ images, follow people who promote positive body images. Look for accounts that make you feel good about yourself! Focus your attention on things that inspire you, make you laugh, or fill you with happiness.
Remember, social media is a highlight reel. People only post their best pictures and their best lives. Everyone has bad days, but those images stay hidden.
So, don’t compare your real life to someone else’s social media life or live by other people’s standards. Love yourself the way you are!
6. Wear a Smile
Smiling is one of our favorite tricks to share because it’s so easy to do.
It’s based on the saying, “Fake it ’til you make it.”
You can make yourself feel happier by engaging in positive body language (smiling, laughing, walking with your head held high).
Try it, and be genuine about it!
Next time you’re outside, try smiling at a passerby. Usually, the initial reaction is to smile back.
With all these strangers smiling at you, your self-esteem will be through the roof!
The other option would be to work on aspects of your life that boost your overall happiness. Try using the Do Happy App to invite happiness and positivity into each day!
7. Listen to Your Body
Self-care is all about listening to your body and its needs. By practicing self-care, you can boost your happiness, have better health, and feel confident in your own skin.
Try to be present and to live in the moment.
Take note of the messages your body is sending you. Are you hungry? Are you cold? Are you sleepy or feeling mentally drained? Have a snack, grab a sweater, go to bed early, or take a break! Your body is not a machine – you must look after it!
Another great and proven way to listen to your body is to meditate or engage in mindfulness. No, you don’t have to sit in a field for hours contemplating the meaning of life.
Close your eyes and take three deep breaths. You’re done.
Another thing to bear in mind is that our bodies are constantly changing. Our bodies change according to the seasons, hormonal cycles, and for women, menstrual cycles.
So, ensuring you know how to be happy with your body as things change around you is important.
After paying attention to your body and its needs, you’ll be well on your way to feeling great!
8. Embrace Body Neutrality
If you’re not quite ready to love your body just yet, that’s okay! Jumping straight to feeling positive about your body can feel disingenuous, especially if you’ve been down about it for some time.
You can start by working on accepting your body the way it is. This is called ‘body neutrality.’ It’s a great stepping stone on the road to self-love.
Body neutrality means that you view your body as a neutral entity. It’s neither good nor bad; it just is.
Focus on what your body can do rather than how it looks.
Think about the incredible things your body does for you each day. It keeps you alive, allows you to experience pleasure, and enables you to move through the world.
Now combine this with gratitude. When you practice gratitude and accept and appreciate all your body does for you, you’re bound to be happy with it!
Final Thoughts
Learning how to be happy with your body can be challenging, but it’s so worth it.
Don’t be disheartened if loving your body doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, and some days will be harder than others. The most important thing is that you start showing yourself some self-compassion and self-love. Learn to accept your body and be grateful for all that it does for you.
Remember, you deserve to be happy, and your happiness starts with taking care of yourself!
If you’re looking for more guidance on being happy every day, check out the a little dose of happy blog.
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