Plus Size and Fearless Confidence

When you look in the mirror, do you love what you see? Most women don’t and they feel pressured to change their appearance to feel better about their bodies.

The fashion and beauty industry suggests that we just need to buy the right dress, cream or get some surgery and we’ll be fine. But we’re not. Many women admit that a bad hair day or a glance in the mirror is often enough to make the rest of their day go north.

Feeling Beautiful is a Choice

When you make the choice to feel beautiful, then you will be seen by yourself and others as beautiful. Sounds simple, but it certainly isn’t easy because so many women struggle with a negative body image and don’t believe that they are beautiful. They wind up feeling ashamed and embarrassed by their bodies.

It’s your negative emotions that are keeping you hating your body. Your emotions are chemicals in your body and the more you experience them, the more they will fire neurons in your brain causing you to experience feeling the same emotion over and over again. This is great when you’re always feeling happy, but not such a good thing when you’re prone to feeling blue, angry or anxious.

Making the Right Choice

Here’s a plan to get you started:

Tune In To break the cycle of repetition, pause and take a breath. Then start to pay attention to what you’re thinking.

Smash! Break the pattern. When you catch yourself name calling or thinking negatively, say something like “Stop.” “It’s over now”, or “I’m not that person anymore.” Say anything to remind yourself that your thoughts are not real.

Stop Putting Yourself Down: Put a ban on sarcasm, criticism and meanness. Make a vow to become your own best friend. Talk to yourself lovingly in soft tones and with sweetness as you would speak to a good friend or loved one.

Stand up for yourself: Your lack of confidence is probably showing up in your relationships. Because we teach people how to treat us, your body hating ways may have been sending the wrong messages to others. It’s never too late to start over. Let people know in no uncertain terms that you’re no longer okay with being criticized, put down or disrespected.

In the end, if you want to tame your inner critic, feel more beautiful and be more confident, don’t expect it to come from anything or anyone but you. Now give yourself permission to reinvent yourself and to feel more beautiful inside and out.