EMBRACE YOUR BODYIMAGE by OGUNDIMU DAMILOLA

 EMBRACE YOUR BODYIMAGE

“Feel beautiful from inside and outside”

BY: OGUNDIMU DAMILOLA

“Hmmm……., so I am going to make this really brief or maybe not lol” What is Body Image? Let’s break it down,

BODY: The physical structure, IMAGE: Representation of the external form of a person.

Body image refers to our perception of our own body, i.e. how do we see ourselves, Are we confident and satisfied with how GOD has created us, Are we satisfied with our skin colour or Are we trying to fit in the society due to low self –esteem? These are questions we need to ask ourselves personally, we need to take a test of self-evaluation? Body image could either be positive or negative, a negative body image is when we see and think about ourselves in a bad way and uncomfortable and unsatisfied with our PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.

5 EASY GO STEPS TO OVERCOME BODYIMAGE CONCERNS

Firstly, We need to understand we were all created in the image and likeness of God, God didn’t make any mistake creating anyone but to alter the body image that our heavenly father has given unto us it becomes a big problem for us especially has Christians.

1. Gratitude for what is and what works.

Even if you are in the unhealthiest place of your life, something is working. The fact that you can breathe is proof.

Spend time every day focusing your awareness on what you love about your body and how it serves you

2. Listen to the needs of the body.

Your body wants to be stretched, exercised, nourished and touched. It wants to feel good.

There are a number of ways your brain manufactures “feel good” neurotransmitters, which are chemical messengers of the brain and body.

Other ways include exercise, meditation, breath work and healthy eating etc..

3.)  Rewire your brain.

Information and thoughts move through your brain via neural pathways. The more your thoughts follow a specific pathway, the stronger that pathway becomes.

If you are thinking “I’m fat, I’m ugly” every day, those pathways become really strong.

Because of something called neuroplasticity, you can create new pathways with messages of self-love and kindness instead of self-rejection.

One way to interrupt your negative thinking is to say “that’s not true” or by saying what you wish to be true instead.

4). Re-evaluate self-worth.

How we nourish our bodies has a lot to do with self-worth. Until you feel worthy of feeling your best, you will constantly undermine your own efforts to achieving that end.

Here is an easy meditation you can practice to help you to know and own your self-worth.

In a quiet place, sit with your eyes closed. As you inhale, say to yourself “I am worthy “and as you exhale say “of my desires.”

Over time, in just five minutes a day, you can experience a radical shift in self-worth.

5. Listen to your own information.

Our minds are filled with the thoughts, beliefs and values of all the people who influence our lives.

Having a strong sense of selfworth comes from tuning out the voices of everyone else and listening to your own information, intuition needs and desires.

It’s about doing what feels authentic to you and letting go of the need to get everyone else’s approval. The only thing you have to prove, is to yourself.

Reference: influence of fashion magazine on the choice of body image by: Ogundimu Damilola, Overcoming body image concerns by: Kristin Misik (The Huffington post).