How I learned to stop worrying and love my body

I'm on a bit of an empowering self-love journey… it's really just about accepting who you are, being aware of what your own strengths and weaknesses are, and trusting yourself to make the right decisions for yourself.

I know what it's like to believe that you're too fat or not thin enough, but I have learned ways of coping with those feelings in more productive ways instead - so this post is for all my fellow self-conscious babes who need some encouragement!

I've been struggling internally with body positivity lately, which was really eye-opening when I finally acknowledged these thoughts as something negative rather than just "bad days." It turns out accepting your size isn't always easy at first because we live in such an image-obsessed world where magazines are full of bikini models, and anything else feels wrong by comparison.

But being happy for others doesn't mean compromising yourself.

I Stopped Worrying And Learned To Live

I've never been skinny, and I'm not one of those who can eat anything and stay the same size or be honest and stay at any weight for very long.  My body is constantly changing, and it's always fluctuated.

What bothers me most about this whole issue is how society has made being larger than a certain size into something shameful.

Do you ever feel like you're not good enough? When it comes to your body and appearance, do you find yourself comparing yourself to others with their perfect hair or perfect figure or perfect anything?

We all have insecurities about ourselves, but there is a fine line between self-acceptance and self-deprecation. Unfortunately, society has conditioned us to think that we need more than what will make us happy, But the truth is that no one can be everything for everyone else. And if someone's opinion of you doesn't align with what makes YOU happy, then why should it matter at all?

Let go of the shame that society wants to put on our bodies because it will never be perfect enough. You are perfectly imperfect, and that's ok!

"Beauty does exist within each one of us no matter what. We need to be kind and loving enough to see it."

The beauty of a woman is her face and the curves she carries on her body, her thighs, hips, and all the other parts that make up who she is, and they're beautiful, whether they're thin or thick; it's just about knowing how to carry them with pride!

#KnowYourBody 

I'm a curvy girl, and I love my body! You can't tell me that there's something wrong with having thick thighs when the jeans fit like they were made for somebody just as voluptuous as me.

I learned to embrace my body by remembering that it's okay to make mistakes and that I can always find a way to fix them (although there are some things I'll never regret ). Also, people aren't perfect. In fact, no one is. We all have lumps and bumps; we all have flaws. Unfortunately, the mistake a lot of people make is trying to hide those flaws or unnoticeable features with tons of makeup and hidden beneath baggy clothing, and in the end, and it makes us look and feel worse than when we started!

#BodyPositive

Do you know what I say? "Stop hiding your beauty behind sweatshirts and sweatpants...you already own shirts that fit you perfectly!"

How to practice self-love be happy, confident and utterly content without stopping.

The best thing you can do is practice self-love every day because it will make you feel better about yourself (not to mention it will be more attractive than trying to hide your imperfections). Plus, you will have a much more positive outlook on life and the things that come your way.

Check out my blog post Self Love and what it means for more information on how to start practising self-love.

Focus on what you like about yourself, not just what you don't

When it comes to loving your body, no one jumps right into it; you have to start small. However simple, the first step that will lead to a lifetime of improved confidence. 

The first thing you can do is look at yourself in the mirror and see what you like about yourself. If you struggle to pick out something that you like, then give it a little time. Keep looking, and one thing will stick out on its own. When you focus on the positive things, it will begin to erase all of the negative ones, and your confidence will build, too. So, what are you going to choose?

Do you like the way your hair looks? Maybe your eyes or smile? Or perhaps even just fingers on your hands and the toes on your feet? 

#Self-Love

No matter what you choose, see how good it feels to pick something positive. And once you're ready, take that feeling and work from there because as you start small, you will build upon what you already know works.

#BodyPositivity

Once you've chosen something about yourself that you like, start a list because the more things on it, the easier it will be for you to remember everything that makes you, YOU.

You could do this on a scrap piece of paper, on your phone... Whatever is the most convenient for you, do it.

Once you've chosen something about yourself that you like, and have a list of them, so you don't forget, keep it in your pocket or purse because then you can pull it out and review it at any time. You can read those few things you like about yourself whenever something happens that makes you feel less than amazing.

#PositiveVibes

 We all want to feel beautiful, and we just need to learn how to see what is already looking back at us in the mirror.

I'm going to help you embrace your curves.

I'm going to help you embrace your curves one step at a time! It's genuinely not as complicated as it may seem. In fact, it gets easier with practice. The first thing is to realise that there are still good things about your body. Next, you have to look at what's good. 

Here are some tips:

Don't hide your curves; instead of trying to cover them up with baggy clothes that you're constantly tugging at and pulling down from the waistline as they ride up underneath, wear clothing that will fit them instead! Choose clothes that show off your body. That's right—show it off! Let everyone see those curves because they're there to stay. Who cares if you don't have a thigh gap or arms as skinny as a pencil? Those things aren't important. What IS important is that you love your body for what it can do instead of focusing on the parts that society has deemed "flawed."

Go shopping for clothes that fit you well and make you feel great! It's easy to get wrapped up in size, but it doesn't matter because they're all different. But truthfully, no one is a size 2 or an 18! Always go by how the clothes fit your body and look on you instead of just what number label they say.

Now that you've got some clothes to fit, wear them! Don't be afraid to show off those curves because I promise they look better than any pair of sweatpants or baggy shirt ever could. Wear the jeans that hug your thighs and make your butt look great, and don't feel too shy about wearing a bikini - it'll show off all of those awesome curves because I promise they look fantastic.

It's never too late to build yourself up.

The right tone of voice can make a huge difference in your life, the world is full of people who will judge you, but it's always worth remembering that the only opinion that matters is yours. 

A woman whose smile is open and whose expression is glad has a kind of beauty no matter what she wears.

Beauty can be found in the simplest things. I am beautiful, even if my face isn't always glowing or makeup on point- who cares? You are gorgeous! So don't let anyone tell you otherwise because they're wrong anyway.

Here are a few positive babes I love to keep up with:

• Jess on the plus size 
• BigPrettyMe1
• Louise Pentland
• Sparkles & Stretchmarks - Body positivity and plus size fashion blog posts
• What Laura Loves
• Youpenga

#BodyPositive #BodyAcceptance

You are beautiful, you are strong, and you deserve to be happy with who you are. You might not see it, but I do, and so should you! So embrace your curves, wear clothing that makes them shine and remember to have fun with it. 

Life's too short not to be proud of who you are!