5 Self-Esteem-Boosting Tips for International Nude Day
Today is International Nude Day (yes, it’s a thing) and to celebrate, we wanted to take some time to remind ourselves how badass our bodies really are. Even science says loving your body is the key to happiness. And while we love these confidence-boosting books, sometimes we need a little bit more to keep our self-esteem levels high. Luckily, there are women like Los Angeles-based self-esteem expert Anea Bogue, M.A., B.Ed, who come correct with the kind of body image knowledge we can definitely use. Below, you’ll find five super simple and effective tips on how to banish the body blues, no matter what day it is.
1. Get fierce. “If you ate something and it didn’t taste good, you’d spit it out, right?” Bogue asks. “The same is true for the images we’re constantly looking at on Instagram and in magazines. If it doesn’t make you feel good — unfollow.” It’s a freeing concept, realizing that you don’t have to torture yourself with those Photoshopped images of “perfect” women and can simply just stop looking at them. “Those images are designed with the purpose of making women feel bad about themselves so they’ll buy the product,” Bogue reminds, so be the gatekeeper of your own temple and decide you’ll only allow positivity to cross through.
2. Get inspired. Instead, Bogue suggests seeking images of un-Photoshopped, real women, no matter their body type or age. She loves Cindy Crawford’s recent stripped-down shots, or plus-sized model Ashley Graham’s cellulite-friendly Insta feed. Surrounding yourself with images of real women’s bodies will help you feel connected to a community and can inspire you to embrace your own body, free of judgement.
3. Learn how incredible your body is. “We are responsible for the continuation of the species, after all,” Bogue says. Yeah, when you put it that way, our bodies are pretty incredible! She suggests taking time to think about “how phenomenal our bodies really are.” She even wrote this eye-opening piece on the power of the period to emphasize her point. Knowledge is power, and power is confidence!
4. Get on that positive self-talk tip. Bogue swears by a simple meditation to help immediately boost your self-esteem. Every morning, take a scan of your body from your toes to your head and thank each body part for what it does for you. After reminding yourself that your feet allow you your daily runs, your arms let you hug your friends and your brain got you that sweet corner office, you’ll feel “an immediate difference” in how you feel about your body.
5. But don’t hesitate to rely on a friend. With that said, Bogue understands that “it can’t all come from within you,” and encourages women to find a friend who they can be completely open with, who they can call and say “I need a reminder!” Let that friend motivate you and remind you of all the reasons why you’re a total babe with a killer bod. It’s just like having a gym partner, but for your body image.
Do you have any fool-proof ways of beating the body-conscious blues? Tweet us @BritandCo and share your tips!
(Photos via Getty)