There are so many women who don’t like what they see in the mirror. We’re so critical of ourselves and most of the time, it’s for no reason. We see a number on the scale and think we’re too fat or if our clothes start to fit a little too tight, our self-esteem goes down the drain… So why, as women, are we so critical of ourselves? It’s because we’re not being realistic with ourselves.
Society and social media have already given us this idea of beauty that’s not very achievable for most women, so we have that in our heads, on top of our own misconception of how our won personal self should look. Maybe you used to wear a size 6 but now you wear a size 10… well, what’s wrong with a size 10? Sure, it’s a few dress sizes up from where you were but that doesn’t mean you look terrible as a size 10 in comparison to a size 6.
Lots of women will go up in dress sizes and will have so much denial built up that they still try to get into their smaller sized clothes… that’s the worst thing you can do for you psyche. It’s one thing to not be satisfied with your appearance and work to change it but when you start to develop a self-hatred of yourself from it, that’s when it’s time to get serious about what you see in the mirror.
Accept What You See
You may not like what you see in the mirror but it is you that you’re seeing in that mirror. One thing that helps people accept themselves and the body they’re in is to get completely naked and look at yourself in the mirror. If you have a full-body mirror, this exercise will be perfect.
What you’ll want to do is stand in front of your full-body mirror and stare at yourself. Examine every inch of your body, from head to toe and front to back… Maybe you have stretch marks on and around your waist, maybe you have cellulite in your legs, and maybe your stomach isn’t as flat as you would like it to be… but it’s you. That’s what you look like and the sooner you accept that about yourself, the sooner you can’t stop beating yourself up about it.
Now, the point of this exercise is for you to accept how you look in that moment. Accepting this look in that moment can either teach you to love yourself for who you are or it can motivate you to not only love yourself for who you are but it can also motivate you to change your reflection… just because you see a particular image in the mirror doesn’t mean that image has to remain the same.
Change What You See
Again, just because you see a reflection of yourself in the mirror, that doesn’t necessarily mean that reflection has to be what you always see… you have the power to change what you see, especially when you don’t like it or are not satisfied with it.
Most people can look in the mirror and pick apart everything they could do better about themselves. From incorporating a more active lifestyle to making healthier eating choices, you have the power and control to change your reflection in the mirror. The thing that discourages people is that they think to incorporate a more active lifestyle means killing themselves in the gym and eating flavorless foods… that’s not the case at all.
For one, you have to stay away from those fad diets and be realistic with yourself in knowing that this isn’t something that’s going to happen overnight. You can start getting more physical by simply walking your neighborhood or riding your bike. As you build your endurance, you can do more intense workouts.
As far as food, the best eating regimen to follow is the Mediterranean diet. It’s a heart-healthy diet that allows you to eat meals full of flavor all while helping you lose weight. Here’s a great stuffed peppers recipe for you to try out and see how you like that.
Love What You See
It takes some people longer than others to get to this point, but again, this is not something that’s going to happen overnight. In fact, according to mindbodygreen.com, starting a self-love ritual is very helpful in learning to love yourself, flaws and all.
Once you’ve accepted yourself and start to see results from your hard work, it will become easier for you to see the beautiful person you are from the inside as well as on the outside. The important thing to remember is that you are so much more than your physical. If you can keep that at the forefront of your mind, self-love will resonate in you no matter what size you are.