Being comfortable in my own body is only something I have quite recently come to terms with. After endless teenage years of low self esteem and zero body confidence, I have finally gotten to a place where I feel confident in my body and myself. Although it admittedly took me two or three years to accept that my body was my body and I’d just have to live with and accept it. So, I’m here to share a few ways in which I became confident in my body and myself.
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Eat Well
Learning about food and nutrition played a huge role in upping my confidence. When I was 16 and at my least confident, I decided to research different diets and decided that I would try cutting meat out of my own. I decided to try a vegetarian diet, and after three and a half years I haven’t gone back. I even transitioned to vegan and stuck to that diet for two years. I am currently still mostly vegan, partly vegetarian, but plan to go back to fully vegan at some stage soon. This diet helped my confidence incredibly as it was extremely easy to keep my weight at a place where I was happy without having to watch calories. This was a big plus for both my physical and mental health.
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Take compliments
I was never one to listen to people when they complimented me. I always assumed that they were just trying to be nice because I didn’t believe the things they were saying to be true. At my most vulnerable and self-conscious, I had braces and hair that didn’t sit right and a very round face. At the time I had very little self-esteem and would never have considered myself remotely pretty. But when I started to listen to compliments from my friends about things other than my appearance, it made me realise that being human is about more than just being stereotypically attractive. It’s about being clever, kind, thoughtful, and many other things. You should be proud of who you are for many reasons, not just what you look like. One of the biggest compliments I can receive is someone telling me that I’m bubbly or friendly or smiley. These things make me a better person and give me a lot more self-worth than a compliment on my looks would.
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You won’t look the same forever
The biggest thing I have learned over the past few years is that looks don’t last. Every week, month, and year, you grow and change as a person. Growth and change are extremely important things in making you the person you aspire to be. If you are not happy with the way you look right now, don’t fret. Your face and body shape will change over time. Your hair and makeup routine will change based on fashion and taking risks. A few years ago, when I was at my least confident, I had braces, no fringe and was about two stone heavier than I am currently. Over those two years I cut myself in a fringe which suits my face more than I ever could have thought, dyed my hair, cut my hair short to a length that suits me, learned to do make up and changed my diet so that I could eat as much as I wanted while also keeping a weight that I was happy with. Looking back at pictures of myself three years ago, I find it hard to believe that I am the same person. Now I wear the clothes I like and suit and have learned what make up suits me and I am a much happier person just being myself.
Sometimes it takes listening to the opinion of someone else who appreciates all of things you don’t to help you understand that you are beautiful just as you are.
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