Having a Positive Body Image

As a woman, I’ve struggled with body image at various times over the years. I would be surprised to meet someone of either sex who hasn’t. We’re human and even though it IS what’s on the inside that matters it’s normal to think (obsess) about what’s on the outside as well.

I’d love to be 5’8” and 120 lbs, a 34 – 24 – 34, with long flowing hair that always looks amazing, and no wrinkles or cellulite.

Who wouldn’t?

But that’s not my body and never will be. I know I’m beautiful in many ways even if I don’t meet that “perfect image” I have in my head.

As a parent, I try to instill in my daughter that we all come in different shapes and sizes, and it’s about eating healthy and exercising as a routine. I’m almost 45 and I have to eat healthily and exercise (most the time), or I will gain weight by looking at a cupcake. My body isn’t what it was 10 years ago metabolism wise, and as I get older, I want to be able to do yoga and run 5k’s. I can’t do that by being a couch potato now. Being healthy isn’t dieting. It’s not going to the extreme on any spectrum.

However, it’s the other kids she comes in contact with that talk about dieting and being fat not to mention the stuff she sees on TV and the internet that is making her more aware and in some ways hyper-sensitive about her body. She’s active, plays hard, and not sitting in her room all day watching Netflix or playing video games. To me, that’s what’s important. It will hopefully encourage her to be more active as she gets to me my age.

It can be a hard thing to convince myself at times how awesome I am much less to make sure my child knows this. But everyone is beautiful, and there shouldn’t be a cookie-cutter ideal.

So I challenge you today to look at yourself and the people around you and tell them just how beautiful they are.

Let’s all be grateful for our fabulousness.

The post Having a Positive Body Image appeared first on Laina Turner.