Three Ways To Improve Body Image
“Life is so much more beautiful and complex than a number on a scale. ”
Many of us have complicated relationships with our bodies. After all, from a young age, we are surrounded by the media constantly telling us we NEED to look a certain way in order to be accepted by the people around us.
As a therapist who works with children, teens, and young adults with eating disorders, I am often asked about ways to improve body image. During my tenure at an inpatient eating disorder treatment center, I learned a variety of tools that help when regularly practiced to retrain our brains to accept, appreciate, and value our bodies for all they do for us. Listed below are three of the most effective ways I believe assist in improving body image.
1. Reevaluate whether your thoughts are serving you
Many of us default to thinking critical thoughts about ourselves. It’s a common belief that critical thoughts keep us in check and motivate us to “be better”. However, research shows us otherwise. Rather than motivate us, our critical thoughts negatively impact self-perception, because our brains believe what it is told. Regardless of whether they are accurate, what we subconsciously train ourselves to believe develops into a story that we deem as truth.
To counter past negative beliefs, try replacing those negative messages with positive or even neutral ones. After all, our brain takes in and internalizes what it hears. Thus, the more we allow ourselves to think positively, the easier it is for our brain to accept these messages as its new reality.
2. Put Things In Perspective.
A few years ago, a traumatic incident caused my lungs and heart to stop working. After full resuscitation and surgeries, I spent time in the hospital ICU with a breathing tube, minimal ability to communicate, and the inability to walk.
As my body started to heal from its injuries, my brain felt foggy, but one thing was quite clear. I rely on my body for everything. Simple things that were once taken for granted, such as breathing, talking, and walking felt precious. Our bodies do so much for us. Rather than dissecting our bodies’ flaws, focus on their capabilities. When we start to appreciate our body for what it can do rather than how it looks, we start to develop a very different relationship with our bodies.
3. Appreciate Your Whole Self
A client once told me she “views her body as the vessel that holds our soul,” and I found that truly beautiful. Our bodies are capable of amazing things, and they don’t exist for the purpose of being on display for others. When we see a body for all its capabilities rather than just how it looks, we start to develop a new appreciation for it.
As humans, we have shown that we are capable of flying to the moon, creating breathtaking art, and composing heartbreaking music. We are whole beings with advanced thoughts, ideas, and emotions. Stop limiting yourself because of negative body image beliefs and start appreciating all that you are.