Have you ever looked in the mirror and felt a wave of guilt over a meal, or felt your heart sink because a pair of jeans didn’t fit like they used to? You aren’t alone. Thousands of girls are fighting a silent battle with body image every day, sacrificing their health and happiness for an “ideal” that doesn’t actually exist. But what if there was a different way to live?
Listen to the Anxiety from Girls…
Nowadays, more and more girls are experiencing body image concerns. They often lack confidence in their figures, thinking they aren’t slender enough, don’t look beautiful in tight-fitting clothes, or aren’t attractive to others. Sometimes these thoughts are so serious that they affect their physical health. There are girls overly obsessed with having the “perfect” figure, which leads them to eat too little and suffer from low blood sugar; some even misuse weight-loss drugs, which harms their bodies. When their weight increases even slightly, they become so anxious they can’t even fall asleep.
Before writing this blog, I conducted short interviews with some of my friends. I was surprised to find that they all suffer from body image issues, even though they don’t look overweight at all. One of them shared her worries:
“When I look at the girl in the mirror, I feel so sad because I can’t fit into a lot of the beautiful clothes in my wardrobe. When I try on jeans I bought a few months ago and find they don’t fit now, I fall into deep anxiety.”
Another girl shared a similar feeling:
“During my senior year of high school, I suffered from severe body image issues. I didn’t eat dinner or even breakfast. Although I was very hungry sometimes, my anxiety was much stronger than the hunger. If I ate anything in the evening, I would feel extremely guilty.”
Undoubtedly, these thoughts are harmful. They not only have a negative effect on our physical condition but also influence our mental health. So, the question we need to pay attention to is: What should we do to prevent such severe concerns from affecting our lives
Let me help you!
Value Diversification
Sometimes we can shift our focus away from physical appearance. Do you know how interesting your inner personality is? Every girl has her own “shining points,” such as being clever, hardworking, energetic, helpful, or generous. In most cases, when we focus on our inner selves, we discover remarkable qualities. Although these qualities may not be visible from the outside, they can gradually fill our hearts with confidence.
So, how can we do this? Let’s try it now! Find a piece of paper and a pen, and write down a list of self-definitions that do NOT include any features of your body shape. For example:
- “I’m a person who really loves animals.”
- “I’m a kind and helpful girl who enjoys volunteering.”
- “I am an outgoing person with many friends.”
I bet if you think carefully, you can come up with many, many points. When you review them, you’ll find that you have so many advantages! Next time you look in the mirror, stop focusing on whether you can fit into that skirt; instead, look deeper and notice your friendliness and kindness. People truly appreciate your personality!
Functionality
If you still care about your body, let’s shift our focus to the body itself, but not its shape. Let’s talk about function. Have you ever thought about what your body can do apart from “remaining beautiful”? Your body is powerful, well-coordinated, and capable of amazing things! When you focus on what your body can do, you will become increasingly energetic and full of vitality. At the same time, you will gradually forget your anxiety.
How can we develop our bodily functions? In my opinion, the answer is: keep trying! Girls can try various activities like swimming, yoga, dancing, or climbing to experience their own strength and flexibility. At the beginning, you might feel frustrated because most people aren’t experts the first time they try something new. But as long as you keep your enthusiasm and persist, you will find you have so much energy. Practising these activities shows the true power of your body!
Self-Compassion
If you still feel sad about your figure and can’t stop focusing on it, there is another method: self-compassion. We can acknowledge that we feel our body is not perfect, and we can feel anxious, but we should NOT dwell on it with a low mood. Instead, we should accept ourselves, accepting the parts we might dislike, such as arms that aren’t slender or a belly with a bit of fat. We can replace harsh self-criticism with gentle self-compassion.
A great way to achieve this is through self-encouragement. Think of some positive sentences that describe your willingness to accept your whole self, such as:
“It is true I feel a bit of pain now, but this is me. I’m glad to be myself. I’m willing to accept all my imperfections and be kind to myself.”
When we repeat these positive thoughts, we become happier and feel less anxious. You can even use this for other worries, like an exam: “I can accept that I didn’t do well this time. It’s okay that I’m not perfect; this experience will help me grow into a better version of myself.”
I want to tell you…
Real beauty is not a slender body or a perfect face: it is a lifestyle of great vitality. I want all of you to shift your gaze away from the “imperfect” person in the mirror and focus on this real, colourful, and wonderful life. When you no longer worry about your body shape and start to treat everything about yourself kindly, you will find that you have grown into an amazing person, and the world around you will also become so exciting.
So girls, what are you waiting for? Let’s start now!
