Hi Team
As you know, I really want people, particularly women to feel more comfortable in their own skin and body.
Last year we were able to head along to the screening of the film Embrace (see the trailer here) and it was awesome. It is a film that I highly recommend people check out, especially for those who are wanting to learn more about how to feel more comfortable in their own skin.
Its hard to explain the emotion that I went through watching it but it was a real roller coaster for me of laughter, tears, sadness, frustration, puzzlement and pride.
And that was just my experience, but with talking with others, it also bought feelings of depression, concern, confusion, annoyance, anger and much more.
There is no right or wrong way to ever feel after watching films like these as everyone has their own perceptions and experiences that they call on which will access different parts of them emotionally.
I know some people came away from the film glad to have watched it but also concerned about what can they do next to help their own self image and confidence and learn to embrace their own body.
So here are some of my thoughts and ideas that I have learnt along the way in helping me feel more comfortable in my own skin.
I’m all about keeping it real, and there is no doubt that i have bad days in regards to how I feel about myself, be it mentally, physically or emotionally. Some days you can brush off a comment or two, and some days you want to break down because of it. We are all works in progress, and that includes coaches and trainers!!
But what I have learnt is that these tips I share below, generally keep me in a good stable place with my own self and are the things that help keep me balanced.
Of course, this is only my experience of what has worked for me, and everyone is different in what will help them. But Im hoping this might help give you some ideas.
Be clear on your Vision of how you want to be
Its important to take time to think about how you want to be and how you want your life to be like.
Just saying “I want to be more comfortable in my own skin” is easy to say, but what is that to you? What does that mean for you?
So take the time to Imagine how you want to feel (confident?happy?comfortable?…..)
What will you be doing (active? participating in new things?….)
What will your relationship be like with food? (positive? easy? mindful?….)
What will your relationship be like with physical movement? (fun? enjoyable? strong?)
I know making a vision for yourself can be quite tough at first, so take some time out to think this through. Journal, mind map, talk it out…whatever it takes to get you thinking about your own vision.
Once you have an idea of what and how you want to feel, then you can put some steps in place to start making it happen.
Surround yourself with positive vibes, people and supporters
I have found that surrounding yourself with positive people, surroundings, and vibes helps to create a positive environment for when you are trying to work and improve on your own self.
It seems obvious but positive people always help you see the best in life. And I don’t mean super duper happy clappy fake positive, I mean people that generally see the best in what life throws at them.
It doesn’t mean they haven’t been through tough times, but it means they have seen both sides and choose to rejoice in what they can, when they can.
Im pretty lucky that the people at my work and in my personal life are generally positive wee gems. And that we know that when times are tough we are there to support one another. But I also have support groups online, that I have meet through the years, that are an awesome place to support one another and share ideas and knowledge.
In regards to surroundings…well I think social media is a good place to have a real think on who you are following and how they are making you feel.
If your looking at a post/page on a regular basis, that makes you compare and feel bad about yourself….well unfollow them. If they are a friend on Facebook, and you don’t want to be harsh (or can’t), well how about just hide their posts from your timeline.
Then its a matter of finding pages and people that help inspire you, encourage you and help you learn…see below for some ideas.
Practice Gratitude
This follows on from the point on positive people and vibes.
Sometimes when your in the thick of trying to suss everything out and perhaps feeling negative about yourself, you can lose sight of all the good bits about you and the things that are around you.
Try this for an exercise for yourself. Write down all the things that you love about yourself. Then write down all the things you don’t like about yourself.
Can I guess that the list under Don’t Like is longer than the Love list?
My experience with ladies shows that they are very good at pointing out their own negatives at a drop of a hat. Which tells me that its something they are focusing on, on a regular basis.
So instead how about we try a gratitude journal to help focus on the good. I do this for a few months each year (winter especially as its when I generally get a bit down) and I write down 3 things that I am grateful for each night. Like I said below, some days are easier than others. But what it does do, is give you some perspective, no matter what sort of day you have had and will help you focus on the good.
Learn, Read, Watch…
Seek out information on the subject. Read, learn and watch from everything and everyone.
The internet is a marvellous thing, as there is so much information out there.
But remember, that not all information will be presented in a way that will resonate with you, so it may take time to find the right person/style/type of media that suits you best.
As a stepping stone, I quite like these pages, but there are many more out there.
If you have any that you can recommend, please put the details in the comments below, as I am always keen to seek out more.
Body Positive Australia
Body Image Movement
Moderation Movement
TEDX Talks on Body Image
Mind Body Green
Find things you love to do
This sounds super simple…but do something that you LOVE.
Write down all the things you LOVE to do. The things that make you forget about where you are, what the time is, and all your worries. So when was the last time you did something you love?
When you do things you love, then you will be more engaged in life in general and be more motivated. It will give you purpose and lift your spirit
It does often concern me how often when I ask people what they love to do, they struggle to come up with even just one answer. So if you struggle to answer this question, then take the time to experiment with different activities, ideas, thoughts, hobbies til you come up with an answer.
Please …please feel free to add your own thoughts and ideas below in the comments, as we can all learn from each other. We all have our own unique ways that have helped us, and by sharing your thoughts or ideas you may just help someone else like you.
As always, if you want to talk anything through, please feel free to contact me anytime!
xx Charmaine