Body image, or the way you think and feel about your body, can be influenced by various factors. And here’s the thing – most of them have nothing to do with you. Today I want to jam on the top three things that influence the way you feel about your body.
 
#1. Conditioning
 
Societal conditioning and perceived societal “norms” have a HUGE impact on body image. Conditioned beliefs form when you are young. If a bully said something to you at school, something about you being the “fat girl,” you likely accepted it as truth. And then you spent your whole life creating evidence around why this thing about you is true.
 
Conditioned beliefs, stories, and identities are not yours. They are thoughts you picked up from society, those around you, and maybe even your parents. To start to shift these untrue beliefs, you need to ask yourself: “What do I believe to be true about myself?”
 
If you’re unclear on this, ask yourself, “What do I want to create? How do I want to feel?”
 
Identities drive everything. You probably had no idea that you took on these identities and stories at such a young age. But the beautiful thing is that now that you’re aware of them, you can shift them. You are a creator AND a destroyer. Destroy the things that are no longer serving you, and instead create things that are in alignment with what you truly want.
 

 
#2. Social Media
 
Raise your hand if you ever checked out #thinspiration on social media. We’ve all been there. But, at the end of the day, that garbage just makes you feel terrible about yourself. No one is perfect, and although social media is a beautiful tool, it’s also a way for people to publicize their highlight reels, not the truth of their day to day lives.
 
So when it comes to scrolling through social media, filter it through a lens of happiness. When you’re scanning your Instagram feed, stop and ask yourself, “How does this make me feel?” If you feel depleted, sad, or stuck in comparison mode, then delete that person from your feed. Stop being addicted to the struggle of comparing yourself to others. Instead, focus on how you want to feel and curate social media feeds that help you achieve that.
 
You can’t shame your way to happiness or perfection. So filter your inspiration. Follow people who inspire you and make your soul feel good. When you feel good, you are more likely to do things that make you feel even better, like eat food for health and hunger instead of binging on pizza.
 
#3. What we achieve in the external world has nothing to do with our body image.
 
How often do you use your body as an excuse? Probably way more than you think. “I can’t apply for that job, or I can’t date, or I can’t be seen until I lose the weight.” Those are shitty, limiting stories that are not doing you any favors. Smash them.
 
Get clear on the story you WANT to create. Remember that self-worth and feeling good in your body come from within. Happiness is an inside-out job. Create it internally and in your body first, and then you’ll begin to feel its ripple effects throughout the rest of your life.
 
Here’s my ninja strategy that took me from hating my body on the daily to a loving, peaceful state…
 
Honesty
 
Be honest with where you’re at. Don’t kid yourself. Don’t lie to yourself or make excuses. If you hate your body, you can’t pretend to love it.
 
Acceptance is everything.
 
Come up with a mantra like, “I accept the fact that I do not like my body right now, but it’s my intention to learn to love it.”
 
Once you’re in a space of honesty then you can move to acceptance, and from there, you’ll reach a place where you can truly transform.