The Importance Of Building A Good Body Image

The Importance of Building a Good Body Image

Guest Post Written By: Kelly Ward

In the last blog post we asked you if you felt you had a good body image. In this blog post we are going to explore the reasons why it is important to have (or learn to have) a good body image.

If you suffer from poor body image, especially after having surgery or having been treated with various medications, the consequences can be devastating. Poor body image is just not good for your health and we are supposed to be recovering and getting healthy right? Poor body image can contribute to low self esteem, anxiety, depression and bad eating and dieting habits. Poor body image and low self confidence can lead to chronic unhappiness, damage your relationships and create difficulty beginning new relationships – this is a pressure that is just not needed, when you are recovering and/or going through treatment.

We need to learn to embrace our bodies, no matter what shape, size or condition it is in. It is the only one you have.

Imagine found on Pintrest 

Okay, so first things first, what are we talking about when we say body image?

• How you see or picture yourself in your mind’s eye
• How you feel or think others perceive you
• What you feel about your physical appearance
• How you feel about your body
• How you feel in your body

Now, think about all of those points above for a minute and ask yourself (honestly) how you would answer each point. How do you really feel about your body; your wonderful, living, breathing body?

In order to start to develop a good body confidence and some positive self esteem, we are going have to do some work on it. Body image and self esteem won’t just come to you because you wish for it. Yes, you can “fake it ‘till you make it” and personally I’m a big advocate for that BUT it has to be done with real work from behind the scenes or you will just be papering over the cracks and that is not doing yourself any favours.

 Now it’s time to look in the mirror, both literally and figuratively.

This week SAS is going to set you some homework to help start your journey to self love and appreciation. When you do these exercises you may feel empowered and liberated or it may make you feel a little sad and shocked that you feel the way you do; that is all normal and completely fine. Embrace how you feel. Sometimes in life you have to face things head on and deal with what is in front of you and I know and understand it is tough, honest, I really do.  Do you want to know a secret? You will come out stronger for it. Once you learn to love and appreciate yourself the world becomes a different place to be in.

Homework (don’t worry there won’t be a test or anything!)

1. Write a list of 10 things you like about yourself – not necessarily physical either. What do you like about the type of person you are? What do you rock at?  Read the list to yourself every day.

2. Ask your husband, partner, best friend, cousin or someone you love and trust, to write a 10 things they like about you list. The answers may shock you. Read the list to yourself every day.

3. Write a list of people you admire: people who have contributed to your life, people who have inspired you, or people that just rock in the world. Consider whether their appearance was important to their success and accomplishments and their being and if their appearance was what attracted you to them in the first place (I will have a sneaky suspicion it didn't)

We would love to hear your thoughts or comments on this or any of our blogs. Please let us know if you did the homework and how you got on with it.

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Next Week: 5 Tops Tips To Boost Body Confidence