This week is World Mental Health Awareness Week 2019, hosted by the Mental Health Foundation. The theme for 2019 is Body Image – how we think and feel about our bodies.
Body image is defined as how we see ourselves when we look in the mirror, or when we picture ourselves in our mind. It includes our thoughts, perceptions and attitudes about our physical appearance. When we experience negative body image, we are much more likely to suffer from low self-esteem, low mood and isolation.
Research has found that 1 in 3 adults have felt so low about their appearance that they been overwhelmed or unable to cope (Mental Health Foundation, 2018). Body image affects everyone right across their lifetime, so it will have an impact on children, young people, adults and people later in life.
Body satisfaction involves feeling comfortable in your own skin, accepting who you are and recognising that your physical appearance is not the same as your worth!
We would like to share some of our ‘top-tips’ for developing positive body image and self-love:
Unfollow unhelpful social media pages
Unfollow social media pages that make you feel bad about yourself. It can be very easy for us to scroll through pages of social media that raise false expectations and encourage us to compare ourselves to celebrities or models who have been Photoshopped. Follow accounts that bring you inspiration and promote a positive mindset.
Forgive yourself
Being at peace with ourselves involves forgiving ourselves. We are all human and we all make mistakes. What we can do is learn and see mistakes as learning experiences. It can be helpful to remind ourselves that we did the best we could do at that moment in time. This will help us to forgive ourselves and move forward.
Look for positive people
Surround yourself with people who lift you up, rather than put you down! When we are surrounded by positive people, who support and encourage our happiness, we set ourselves up to believe in our full potential and achieve greater happiness.
Practice self-care
Self-care involves looking after our body and mind. There are endless self-care strategies including: playing sports, reading, listening to music or taking a bubble bath. Find the ones that work for you!
Practice positive affirmations
Positive thinking and self-empowerment statements can help us challenge and overcome thoughts of self-doubt. The more we practice, repeat and believe in positive affirmations, the more we can restructure negative thought patterns and change the way we think and feel about things.
And remember…. Treat your body like it belongs to someone you love!
#bebodykind #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
Click to download our FREE resource on Body Image:
