How to develop a more positive body image

Self-esteem is the sum total of how much we like and approve of our self-concept; Webster’s Dictionary defines it simply as “self-respect.” In America these days, how much we respect ourselves may hinge in large part on how we look. Some psychologists claim most people’s body image is so bad that having a bad body image is “normal.” According to the American Psychological Association, 30 to 40 percent of Americans are somewhat unhappy with their appearance, and another 45 percent may experience anxiety or depression because they dislike their appearance. In this article, "The Career Engineer" will share three tips for how to create a more positive body image.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. ONE: Quit dissecting your body. People generally look at some small part of the body they don’t like and stake everything on it. Instead of fixating on a flaw, take several steps back, squint your eyes and peer through your lashes. Look at yourself the way the world does, through a soft focus. The world sees the whole you, not just one feature. Love the whole you.
   
   Some makeup artists tell their clients not to look at themselves too closely in the mirror. They explain that no one else views us as critically as we view ourselves. No one stares at the blemish on our cheek or the line in our forehead like we do. Instead, they admire the big picture; they admire all of us – mind, body and spirit.
2. TWO: Focus on presence, not perfection. Do you remember those girls and guys in high school who were popular but not pretty? Chances are they had presence. Presence is far more attractive to both sexes than physical beauty. After all, physical beauty is relative
3. THREE: Focus on who you are, not how you look. Acknowledge the whole you and not just your body. What are your talents, gifts and dreams? Think of all the lives you have touched. Create a feel-good box. Find a box or basket (I have a file) and every time someone gives you a compliment write it down on a piece of paper and drop it in. My file includes notes of appreciation as well as gift cards. And when I am feeling blue, I revisit it.

Tips & Warnings

• In an era of gender equality, Americans’ obsession with body image is almost equally divided among the sexes. One body-image study found that 55 percent of all women were dissatisfied with their physiques, followed closely by men at 45 percent.