9 tips on learning to love your body (because you deserve this)

Today’s topic is something I’m so passionate about: learning to love your body. Many of you know that I work as a registered nurse in a psychiatric facility helping women who struggle with eating disorders. My job is an incredible blessing because it allows me to connect with other women and help them gain a sense of self-confidence and practice self-love.

Learning to love your body is something that we can all relate to. Yes, at times I have moments where I dislike my body. I’ve been on a journey towards self-love for a while now and every single day I am getting better. Through my own personal journey and my professional opinion, here are 9 tips that may be helpful for anyone trying to love their body.

*To note: these tips are not a cure-all. You will not automatically love your body forever by doing these 9 things. Self-love is journey that you will be on for the rest of your life. It will be hard but you CAN do it.

Respect you body for what it’s doing, not how it looks. Stop thinking about your imperfect stomach or that birth mark that you don’t like and start appreciating your body for breathing and moving. You can do extraordinary things with your body like attend a barre class, visit your friends and adventure through the mountains. Be thankful and appreciative for this ability.
Don’t look at numbers. Numbers don’t define you, your characteristics do. Stop looking for the numbers to go down and start tapping into how your body is feeling. Your energy levels and happiness are more important than the number on the scale!
Nourish your body with healthy foods and supplements. You deserve the best, so give yourself that.
Stop looking for external validation. This is such a hard lesson for me because words of affirmation are my love language however, when it comes to my body I have to stop looking for validation from others. I can provide all the validation that I need and I don’t need anyone else for that. #GIRLBOSS
Balance out all negative thoughts with positive ones. Every time you think a negative thought about your body you must counteract it with a positive thought. This is an exercise that allows you to always end on a positive note.
Stop comparing your body to others. This is huge, especially with the excessive amount of social media we all consume. I sometimes catch myself scrolling through Instagram judging my body based on the curated pictures of other bloggers and celebrities. If you find yourself comparing your body remember that you were made unique for a reason!
Get Active. Think Legally Blonde: Endorphins make you happy! Workout because you want to smile, enjoy yourself and take a break from the stress of life. Focus on what feels good and you will notice huge changes in your mood and perception of yourself.
Be a friend, not an enemy. Be your best friend and support yourself the way you would support others. Stop tearing yourself down and remember that you are doing your best.
Praise yourself for your positive aspects. Start finding the things about yourself that you really love: your toes when they are painted, your arms, your ability to walk, your eyes, your hair etc… and start telling yourself that you love these aspects. Sooner or later you will discover that over time you will become accustomed to praising yourself. Praising yourself is a muscle, so start using it.