We all have those days. 

You look in the mirror, and so suddenly, you don’t like what you see. 

You wallow in your imperfections and wished you were in somebody else’s body. It’s easy for you to criticize your skin then glorify other people’s appearances. Easy for you to believe when others think you look better if you are this and that. You then start wishing you were skinny, curvy, fair and all that you think would make you look perfect. Then you start feeling bad about yourself because you’re nothing like that.

We all have those days when we succumb to other people’s judgment and we let our insecurities fill our heads with lies saying we are not good enough. 

Whether you’re constantly worried about your weight, criticizing your body and appearance from time to time every time you look in the mirror, we could all use a good body image boost. The thing is, nobody is perfect. As cliche as it may sound, it’s the very honest truth that we should all understand.

Ease up a bit and let’s talk about self-love. There’s a lot of reasons for you to be proud of your body, no matter what you have. Here are some effective insights to help you build a healthier body image for you to be proud of your own skin. 

1. Love your quirks. Love the body you are born with

Stop hating your body for all of its imperfections. Stop lamenting the day you inherited your mom’s flat or curvy body line. Instead, cherish the parts that remind you of your family and realize that you love your family no matter what, and that’s exactly what you have to do for your body.  

Embrace your curves and be proud of what you got from your momma. Appreciate what you have and change your mindset about it. Stop saying “I’m ugly.”, “I’m fat.”. So what if you are? There is absolutely beauty in everything. You just need to learn to appreciate what you have and what you are. Plus, you are born not out of hate but love. You owe your body some love because it’s yours. 

2. Accept that your body changes through time

No matter how great your body is now, that’s not gonna last forever. You’ll get old, and your body changes as you get old. Five to ten years from now, you will not look and feel the same. We can’t reverse the hands of time so as early as possible, take care of your skin. Give it the attention it deserves. Embrace it, love it, and improve it. 

3. Your opinion is the only thing that matters 

Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions silence your inner voice. Although there can be some exceptions for this, for the most part, your opinion about yourself is the only thing that matters. Whatever your goal is, whether it’s weight loss, weight gain or simply building your body into something you’ll be more comfortable and confident with, regardless of how you want to achieve it, focus on the things that will bring out the best for your health and your self-esteem. Be the happiest you can be in your own skin and stop spending your time reacting to other people’s opinions about you. 

4. Get fit not for others but yourself

Your body, your rules. Whether you are doing it to lose fat or to maintain a healthy weight, do it for yourself and not for others. People will indeed be amazed by your fitness journey, and their reactions will somehow matter to you. Nevertheless, always recall why you do it in the first place. You must do it for yourself because it gives you that sense of fulfillment and it’s better for you. Do it not to impress others but yourself. 

5.Get busy living your life to the fullest

Life is too short to listen to the opinions of others that do not really matter. Do what you can in this life, but do it in a way that does not negatively affect others. 

Life is too short to dwell on the negativity of others. You’re too busy making things work: Your career, family, friendships, workouts, and everything else that you love — there’s barely any time to succumb to the toxic side of life. 

Learning to love yourself will repair your relationship with your body. The very reason to stay proud of your body no matter what you have, is because it’s the only one you have. Nobody else can have it but you. When you catch yourself getting swallowed by judgments, always remember that “There’s no one else like you.”. No matter what skin you have, or body you’re in, always remember that you are created to be great, you are made for something more. So embrace it!