Nearly 54% of teenage girls worldwide are struggling to gain a positive body image.
56% of women are dissatisfied with the overall appearance. Also, 85% of women and 79% of girls have avoided social activities because of low self-esteem and body image issues.
However, it’s not just an issue for women. Approximately 40% of men in every age group are dissatisfied with their appearance.
So how do you ensure you or your children don’t fall into the trap of low self-esteem and poor body image?
We’re delving into some of the facts, theories, and pitfalls around body image. Then we’ve got some tips and tricks to boost your self-esteem and gain a more positive body image.
Where and How Does It Start?
Body image starts as early as preschool. Between the ages of 18 months and 3 years, they recognize that they have independent skills and that they are in control of their own bodies.
As they begin socializing and exploring the world beginning to express their thoughts, share ideas and interact with others they begin to develop their sense of self.
Children as young as five are being treated for eating disorders, depression, and anxiety. First graders sit in the lunchroom comparing caloric intakes and discussing body issues.
It’s Not About What We Say
We often think it’s just about what we say to children about themselves that forms their self-image. That’s a mistake leading to an epidemic of self-hating young men and women struggling with depression, anxiety and eating disorders.
Children watch their mother’s cringe everytime they look in a mirror or constantly trying a new diet and exercise program. They learn to love themselves by the way the people around them have self-love.
A mother’s opinion, attitudes and thoughts about her own body will shape how her daughter or son develops their own self-image.
They see older siblings struggling to deal with peer bullying or social pressure to fit in.
They hear jokes or negative comments from those around them. If not from the people around them, then it’s from the media they’re exposed to.
Media’s Role in Body Image
Media is a huge influence on the development and destruction of self-esteem and realistic expectations for body image. It can inspire or deflate a person’s perception of themselves and the world around them.
The country of Fiji had reported only one case of anorexia nervosa or bulimia before the mid-1990s. Just three years after Western media was introduced 1 in 10 young women studied had engaged in eating disorder behaviors. A decade later, 1 in 4 had purged because of body image concerns.
1 in 3 articles in popular youth magazines is focused on appearance. “The perfect body” portrayed in media leads to unrealistic goals and overly critical perceptions of our own bodies.
It has led to generations of men, women, and youth who are never satisfied or happy with the way they look or who they are.
It’s Not About Looks, Weight or Ability
Some of the world’s most competitive athletes, physically beautiful, and multitalented celebrities struggle with self-image. They hate themselves, have low self-esteem, and are critical of their physical appearance.
People can lose a ton of weight, get a dozen cosmetic surgeries and wear $1000s worth of products to hide, mask or correct their perceived flaws but if they don’t change their view of self-worth, they’ll never develop a positive body image.
Athletes at the top of their game, considered at optimal physical fitness and still internally battle low self-esteem and poor body image.
14% of female athletes reported having dealt with an eating disorder. 5% were still struggling with one.
How Do We Fix It?
Changing society and media will take time and a lot of effort. Luckily it has moved leaps and bounds in the right direction in some respects.
There are more discussions and advice to improve our self-esteem and body image. More diverse body images and people are represented on television and in other forms of media.
People are speaking out and attempting to correct where we have gone horribly wrong. Models in many runway shows must be at a healthy body weight and gone are the days of celebrities never letting you see them before the makeup crew had them camera ready.
There’s outrage when comedians and television shows take their humor about someone else’s appearance too far.
#MeToo is a movement that’s opened a greater discussion about body image, sexual harassment, abuse, and self-worth. Hollywood has long been known to objectify the woman’s body and sexualize her worth.
There’s a shift in attitude and vocal demand for change. Women want to be valued for more than their looks by the media and society.
As we all wait for this change to slowly take effect we can take some steps towards helping ourselves.
Journaling to a Positive Body Image
Keeping a journal can change your life. You don’t have to write a chapter every night but take 10-20 minutes at the end of the day to journal.
Many have a gratitude journal that helps them focus on the positive in their day. It doesn’t just shift what you write about, but also how you approach a situation or remember a moment in a day.
You can write a journal with general daily posts about your day and feelings or have focused journal entries that have goals to improve your body image and self-esteem.
No Body is Perfect
Remember that nobody’s perfect and neither is their body. Accept and love your unique physical attributes. Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.
Most magazines and television shows portray unrealistic images. They’re filtered, airbrushed, and modified to make individuals look a certain way.
Teams of hairdressers, wardrobe experts, and makeup wizards spend hours preparing the person for the pictures of footage you see. Then editing staff, photoshop experts and development teams alter the visual that you see.
Be Imperfectly Awesome
Teach your kids to love themselves by first learning how to do the same. Who decides what the perfect body looks and feels like? You do and what’s to say you’re not perfectly awesome with your imperfectly awesome body.
Be Kind to Yourself
Most of us would never talk to or criticize another the way we talk to ourselves. We’d be a lot more forgiving too. Be as kind to yourself as you would be to another.
You are worthy of and deserve love, especially from yourself. You know how much you’ve been through and how far you’ve come.
Every time your brain starts playing the same derogatory or negative comment about yourself, press stop and replace it with a compliment. You have hundreds of positive traits. When you think something negative, make yourself say two positive things.
It’s not your body that makes you beautiful or interesting or gifted. It’s your soul.
Be Kind to Others
Focus on the positive and you’ll see more positive. This is true for yourself and others. You can’t teach your child that it’s what’s inside that counts if you’re sitting there critiquing the other soccer moms wardrobe or winter weight.
If you focus on your own flaws or the flaws of others, that is what you and your children will see. They’ll learn to focus on that when they look at others and when they look in the mirror.
Surround yourself with positive people and motivational media. Life is not a competition it’s a journey.
Your body is not competing with anyone else. Be supportive of others and find support yourself.
Be Active
Being active is good for your body and your mind. You’ll feel better, be healthier and improve your physical and mental health by being active on a regular basis.
Whether it’s a walk in the park to get fresh air or joining a local basketball team for social and physical exercise, it can improve your outlook on life and yourself.
Focus on talents and personal qualities rather than physical attributes.
One Day at a Time
Building self-esteem and developing a positive body image is something that you have to take one day at a time. Wake up deciding you will think positive and make healthy choices for that day. Each day it’ll get easier and you’ll start to see just how incredible you are.
For more tips on being the best you can be, check out our blog.