First and foremost I want to say that the perfect body does not exist. One of my favourite quotes is from Cindy Crawford saying, “Not even I wake up looking like Cindy Crawford.” Having trouble looking at yourself in the mirror is a very common problem for people, especially for young women, and is becoming a really big problem in our society that needs to be addressed.
Society
One of the main things I tell people when they come to see me with body image problems is that the image society holds up as ‘perfect’ is not actually real. Most models in magazines and billboards are edited to make them look slimmer and have perfectly smooth skin. It’s important to remember that you only think that this is the perfect body type because that’s what society tells you; if you grew up in another society that places importance on a body image that’s larger, you would think that is ‘perfect’. It’s all about perspective and the only wrong thing to do is to think that one body type is better than another.
Everyone is trying to ‘make a sale’
Another point I like to remind people is that everyone is trying to sell you something, and in order to sell a solution to something they have to create a problem. Companies selling diet pills and magic workout remedies need to tell you that your body is not perfect and that you should feel bad about it so that you buy their solution to their made up problem. Don’t fall for it! I know it’s hard, especially if you were brought up in an environment with this kind of attitude, but one of the worst things that you can do is to give in and let those companies and society as a whole convince you that you have a body problem.
You’re not alone
If you are having issues with your body, just like anything else in life, you have to take it step by step. You don’t need to love your body right now but you should work towards accepting it. Just moving towards a feeling of acceptance about your body, looking in the mirror and saying this is okay, is a big step in the right direction. There are seven billion people on this earth and each and every one of them has a different body type; some are big and some are small, others are tall and others are short, that’s just how it is.
Body problems are a big issue in today’s society and if you feel like this pressure is really getting to you I encourage you to come and talk to me about it, because I can promise that you are not the only one feeling this way. The most important thing is that no one on earth looks like those models on any billboard you are passing by, and you should love yourself inside and out for the wonderful person that you truly are.
Watch the video below to find out more about dealing with body image issues