Body Image Involves Our Perception

Body image involves our perception, imagination, emotions, and physical sensations of and about our bodies. It s not static-but ever changing; sensitive to changes in mood, environment, and physical experience. It is not based on fact. It is psychological in nature, and much more influenced by self-esteem than by actual physical attractiveness as judged by others. It is not inborn, but learned.

We all may have our days when we feel awkward or uncomfortable in our bodies, but the key to developing positive body image is to recognize and respect our natural shape and learn to overpower those negative thoughts and feelings with positive, affirming, and accepting ones.

1. Listen to your body. Eat when you are hungry.
2. Be realistic about the size you are likely to be based on your genetic and environmental history.
3. Exercise regularly in an enjoyable way, regardless of size.
4. Expect normal weekly and monthly fulgurations in weight and shape.
5. Work towards self-love and self-forgiveness by being gentle with yourself.
6. Ask for support and encouragement from friends and family when life is stressful.
7. Decide how you wish to spend your energy - pursuing the "perfect body image" or enjoying family, friends, and most importantly, life!

  

Don't Worry About Being Perfect

Adopting a Positive attitude, exercising and incorporating a healthy diet takes commitment, planning and dedication. Be patient with yourself and follow your plan through. Strive for a regular routine, one that is realistic and manageable.
 
Don't worry about being perfect, instead be kind and appreciate yourself for the person that you already ARE. But it's also very important to begin to make your new healthy lifestyle a "habit" of conscious decision and choice. Becoming a more healthy and happy person is the ultimate "goal" and the path towards your health and well-being.

  

Sleep Is Essential To Good Health And Well-Being

Sleep is a type of unconsciousness and is a state of being unaware of the world. Sleep is essential to good health and well-being as it refreshes the body and the mind. If you get enough sleep regularly every night you will feel and also be able to work better.  When we deprive ourselves of sleep, there is a delicate cycle that we disrupt. Sleep deprivation negatively affects the production of a hormone called Leptin. This hormone is responsible for telling the body when it is full. With decreased production of this hormone, your body will crave extra calories.  Lack of sleep also causes depletion of neurotransmitters in the brain that are in charge of regulating your mood. Because of this, people have a shorter fuse and tend to get depressed more easily.

Creating Safe And Healthy Relationships

To be in an INTIMATE and GENUINE relationship, people need to expose their AUTHENTIC Self. That entails being VULNERABLE and showing some emotional courage. People are often afraid of revealing who they really are for FEAR that they will not be accepted. A HEALTHY relationship occurs when two people FEEL SAFE revealing their TRUE selves to one another.  You know that you are in a healthy relationship with someone because you FEEL GOOD about yourself when you are around that person.  In healthy relationships, you learn to RESPECT and TRUST important people in your life. Disagreements may still happen, but you learn to stay CALM and TALK about how you feel. Talking calmly helps you to UNDERSTAND the real reason for not getting along, and it's much easier to figure out how to fix it.  In healthy relationships, working through disagreements often makes the relationship STRONGER.  In healthy relationships, people respect each other for who they are. This includes respecting and LISTENING to YOURSELF and your feelings so you can set BOUNDARIES and feel comfortable.

Remember that healthy relationships are about feeling good about who YOU are and feeling SAFE with another person. YOU have the POWER to create healthy relationships all around you just by PAYING ATTENTION to who you are INSIDE and what makes you HAPPY. By getting to know YOURSELF, it will get easier to RECOGNIZE the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships. Communication, trust and respect are the KEY ingredients for healthy relationships and internal well-being

What Is Self-Acceptance?

SELF-ACCEPTANCE is being loving and happy with who you are NOW. Some call it self-esteem, others self-love, but whatever you call it, you'll know when your accepting yourself cause it feels really good! It's an agreement with yourself to appreciate, validate, accept and support who you are at this very moment.