Love the skin you’re in

Everywhere they look, women – and men – are being pressured to strive for beauty perfection.

Botox is becoming as normal as a flu shot, social media apps can airbrush you within an inch of your life, and lasers are zapping away all manner of (beauty) sins.

That’s why it’s more important than ever to learn self-love in the Instagram glare, and reject the ideals of beauty worshipped by mainstream media.

Young people in particular are being plagued by serious issues like anxiety, depression, loneliness and low self-esteem, with many feeling the need to alter their appearance at a younger age.

A University of Pittsburgh study found social media regulars were two to three times more likely to report eating and body image concerns, than those who spent less time on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

So how do we change this story and start loving the skin we’re in?

Our three top tips are as follows:

Find the positives

Start by acknowledging all the wonderful things about you and your body. It’s easy to dismiss the positives and fixate on the aspects we don’t like.

Our sense of self is often so warped by negative self-talk that we don’t see in ourselves what others do. It’s worth enlisting help from trusted friends and family to build up a more accurate picture of who you are.

Many of our customers are trying to lose weight to look better, or embark on a healthier way of life. Regardless of their motivation, we like to remind them that their current weight is somebody else’s goal weight.

Heal the mind

Old emotional wounds can lurk beneath the surface and jump up to bite us when we least expect it. We can be triggered by a comment from a workmate, or the actions of a friend, sending us into a spiral of emotion we didn’t realise was there.

When this happens, ask yourself what still needs to be healed. You might need professional help to work through your demons. By doing so, you can heal old hurts and understand yourself better.

Focus on kindness, helping others and gratitude. It’s amazing the positive energy that flows from helping others. Small gestures like opening a door, giving a compliment or a simple hug can make us feel good, and reinforces that we matter to the people around us.

Once you learn to be content in your own mind, the change is palpable. You make smarter choices, treat your body as your temple, put yourself first.

Be yourself… because everyone else is taken

This is one of our favourite sayings in the office. It’s easier said than done, but we need to stop comparing ourselves to one another. Everybody has their struggles, and we often have no idea of the journey others are on.

Comparisons with others can be damaging and make you feel even more dissatisfied and unhappy. Tips to change this include being aware of the times you slip into this way of thinking, stopping the thought trajectory in its tracks, and paying more attention to yourself and who you are, and what you want.

Photo credit: @simonmigaj