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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Manhattan chapter.

Have you ever heard the saying, “you are your biggest critic?” Well, it is true. The key to embracing body positivity is changing your mindset. Now, this doesn’t happen overnight and quite frankly, it will take some time. Beauty comes from within your heart and within your mind. You are beautiful and in order to feel that way, you have to change the way you view yourself. Once you make time to care for yourself and mind, you are one step closer to being the most beautiful you.

My Story

I have been plus size all my life, bigger than the average girl my age. I never felt beautiful because of my size. As a result, that feeling impacted my self-esteem more than you can imagine. Growing up, I was surrounded by these unachievable standards of beauty, especially on social media. It was assumed that if you weren’t tall and slim with an hourglass figure, you were not beautiful and I was nowhere near that description. I consistently told myself I was not beautiful because I didn’t fit these standards and soon enough I believed it. Today those thoughts still cross my mind but my confidence has skyrocketed. I look in the mirror and I’m not ashamed or embarrassed by what I see. 

Change Your Qua-Routine

Before changing your mindset, it is recommended that you first change your routine. When you get up in the morning, don’t reach for your phone to scroll on Instagram or Snapchat. Start the day with a mantra and let that mantra stay with you throughout. As you go to wash your face, look in the mirror and talk to yourself… it’s ok, we all do it. “You are beautiful, you are strong, you are fearless” and then you’re ready to start your day. Surround yourself with people who make you laugh and friends who bring out the best in you. Your environment influences your thoughts and the person you become. Create a playlist of your favorite songs and have it on repeat throughout the day. Right now, I have “Lemonde” by Internet Money and Don Toliver on repeat and it puts me in the greatest mood. At night, create a self-care routine and pamper yourself. Quarantine and school can be stressful, so why not treat yourself. 

Mindset Transformation

Once you change your routine, you can now reflect inwards. Transforming your mindset is EVERYTHING. How you think reflects how you feel and how you feel reflects how you act. Meditation helps with changing your mindset. When you meditate, you empty your mind of all thoughts and fill them with positive ones. Trust me, I know it is hard and that is coming from an overthinker, but getting into this routine will make it easier. Adapting body positivity starts with the concept of what you believe is beautiful and beauty is not simply skin deep. 

Mantras and Quotes to Improve Self-Love

Everyone needs to hear some encouragement from their idols every once in a while, so I will leave you will a few of my favorite self-love quotes:

  • “Everyone of us needs to show how much we care for each other and, in process, care for ourselves”– Diana, Princess of Wales

  • “How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you” – Rupi Kaur

  • Be your own reason to smile

  • “Live as though life was created for you” – Maya Angelou 

  • “Beauty is the enemy. We try to conquer not feeling beautiful all our lives. It’s a battle that can’t be won. There’s no definition of beauty. The only way to achieve beauty is from inside without breaking down into individual physical attributes” – Miley Cyrus

Ashley Baptiste

Manhattan '22

Ashley Baptiste is a junior at Manhattan College double majoring in Communication and International Studies with a concentration in integrated marketing and global issues. Originally from the island of Trinidad and Tobago, Ashley enjoys learning and experiencing the uniqueness of all cultures as well as traveling. Lover of all things zodiac and astrology, she is always down for a conversation about your astrological chart. Ashley is currently Vice President of the Black Student Union at Manhattan College and hopes to eventually create a comfortable and inclusive environment on campus and in her community.
As an avid lover of all things writing related, Christine is a born story-teller. She is a junior at Manhattan College majoring Public Relations and minoring in Marketing. When she’s not writing, you can find her exploring NYC, binge watching The Office, or enjoying a good cup of tea. She joined Her Campus after transferring to MC and absolutely fell in love with it! She is currently the Campus Correspondent of her chapter, and hopes her articles can entertain and inspire women everywhere. After college, she plans to continue writing and hopes to publish a book one day. Be sure to check out her college lifestyle blog Christineeve.com!