3 Body Positive Activities

When you are on a journey to feel better about your body, finding body-positive activities to fill your time can be difficult. Below are a few ideas you can engage in while you are on a journey to feel more positive about your body. Remember, many of us struggle with body image, so don't be afraid to invite your friends to do these activities with you!

 

1.  Spa Day

 

This day doesn't have to be an expensive spa package that costs hundreds of dollars. It could be just as simple as a quick trip to the local spa. Soak in the hot tub, sit in the steam room, and take a dip in the cold pool. All of these are relaxing activities that can help to release your stress. You could even pamper yourself with a manicure or pedicure. Engage in whatever it takes to relieve your stress and make you feel like you are being spoiled. 

 

2.  Do Something Active

 

An article on Mayo Clinic explains that working out in nature releases endorphins. These endorphins make you feel happy whether or not the exercise is vigorous. Even a simple walk around the block will be enough to get your endorphins flowing and help you to feel better about yourself. This activity can be especially fun if you invite a friend and the two of you take a fun class at your local gym or even participate in guided yoga in the park. 

 

3.  Consume Body Positive Media

 

Social media is often filled with unrealistic expectations for you to compare yourself to. Instead of spending time scrolling, find a positive media source in your life and consume as much of it as you can. This can be listening to music that makes you feel great about yourself or reading a book written by someone who inspires you. Make sure whatever it is you are spending your time reading, and watching is making you feel good about your body. 

 

Staying positive about your body can be difficult, especially if you aren't participating in body-positive activities. So next time your friends want to hang out, maybe suggest a spa day or take part in something active, because these activities will help you feel better about your body. Just make sure that whatever you do, you consume media that makes you feel great about who you are - and not the opposite. 

 

5 Ways to Feel Better About Your Body

Do you like what you see in the mirror? If not, you aren’t alone, and it can sometimes seem like an impossible task to feel better about your body. Below are five ways you can feel better about your body every day.

                                                                    

1.  Give Yourself Compliments

 

When you look in the mirror each morning, tell yourself how great you look. Focus on all the positive parts of your body, and admire how unique you are. Note that you also need to accept these compliments from yourself for this to help you feel better.  

 

2.  Get Active

 

One of the best ways to immediately feel better about yourself is by exercising. This phenomenon is because exercise releases endorphins that boost your mood. When you want to change your body, exercise is the way to do it! You don't have to do anything crazy to start, as even a walk around the block can help you begin to feel better. 

 

3.  Be Grateful

 

Think of all the amazing things you have in life. This reflection doesn't just have to be about your body. Think of all the things you've accomplished in your career and your social life. You couldn’t have done these things without the body you are in! 

 

4.  Consume Positive Media

 

Sometimes it can hurt to look at what you are not. Guess what? You don't have to. Instead of filling your social media feeds with people you are jealous of, fill them with people who inspire you. Maybe they are on the same journey you are on or people who have decided they are beautiful just the way they are. The choice is yours. Follow more people who inspire you and fewer people who make you feel bad about yourself. 

 

5.  Don’t Compare Yourself To Others

 

The number one way to stop feeling bad about your body is to stop comparing yourself to others. Everyone on this earth has a different journey and has achieved different things. Just because someone has a different body doesn't mean they are happy. From now on, resolve to only compare yourself to yourself because there is no other comparison.

 

Body image is a struggle that most people face at some point in their life, but this doesn't mean you shouldn't work to feel better about your body. If you follow these five tips outlined here, you'll be feeling better about your body and more confident in no time at all. 

Better Body Image

Do you want to have a better body image, but you aren't sure where to start? Remember, having a better body image isn't a simple change. It's more of a journey. There are many things you can do along the way to help you improve the way you see yourself. 

 

Lower Social Media Consumption

 

Do you spend hours scrolling through photos of hot models on vacation on social media? This behavior needs to stop. This doesn't mean you have to give up all social media; it just means you need to mute people who make you feel envious. Jealousy and envy aren't healthy for your body image. Instead, you should try to follow people who inspire you to love yourself just the way you are. 

 

Create Reminders For Yourself

 

Get some sticky notes and put reminders and compliments on them for yourself. Then take the time to place them all over your house for you to find at a later time. You can even place them in your wallet and around your workspace at work—wherever you think you need a little encouragement.

 

Do Things That Make You Feel Good

 

Sitting and staring at the mirror and wishing you were someone else is never going to change anything. Instead, it would be best if you did active things which make you feel good. Take a class at your local gym, go for a walk in nature, or spend time with friends. All of these things will help you to feel more positive about yourself. 

 

Don’t Compare Yourself To Others

 

Whatever you do, comparing yourself to others needs to stop right now. You are your own unique person, and there is no one out there quite like you. No one has done the exact things you have done in the exact way. In that same manner, you will never look exactly like someone else. It's time to look in the mirror and know you are looking at someone who is uniquely you.

 

Learning to have a better body image is no easy task. And it certainly won't just take one step to get there. You will probably need to do all of the things on this list to have a better body image - and maybe more. But once you do, you'll be glad you chose to take the journey and learned to love yourself just the way you are. 

 

How to Be Happier in Your Own Skin

You can change many things about your life, but your skin is not one of them. This is why you need to learn to be happier in your own skin. The problem is, this is often much easier said than done. Below are a few ways you can learn to be happier in the body you have.

 

Develop Positive Affirmations

 

Grab a stack of sticky notes and write down all the things you love about yourself. Then place these sticky notes in places where you will find them later. These places could be on your mirror, in your wallet, or even around your desk at work. Then every time you see them, you can be reminded of what an amazing person you are.

 

Quit Scrolling Social Media

 

Social media creates unrealistic expectations of the human body. If you feel uncomfortable in your skin because of social media, it's time to stop participating. Instead, it would be best to find more body-positive media to engage in, such as books, music, and TV shows that make you feel great about who you are.

 

Work On Your Body Language

 

Believe it or not, your body language can play a huge part in feeling comfortable in your own skin. Every time you find yourself hunched over with your arms folded, how does this make you feel? Not very good, right? Exactly. It's time to walk with your shoulders pulled back, and your head held high—you'll be surprised by how much this small change affects your mood.

 

Ensure You Love The Clothes You Wear

 

If you are wearing clothes which don't make you feel comfortable in your own skin, then it's time to get clothes that do! Aim to find clothes that fit you and are flattering for your body. This will help ensure you feel great about yourself. It can help if, while you are shopping, you resolve not to look at the sizes and rather try on things that look like they will fit you and decide from there. 

 

Being happier in your own skin is a lifelong journey that almost everyone on this earth must take. But you can make this task easier on yourself by developing positive affirmations, quitting social media, working on your body language, and buying clothes that make you feel confident.  Just don't forget that being positive about yourself and your body ultimately must come from within. 

 

Why Are So Many People Unhappy with Their Image?

When you look in the mirror, are you happy with what you see? If the answer is no, you aren't alone because many people, men, and women alike, are unhappy with their image. But why is this?

 

The Media

 

The number one reason people are unhappy with the image they see when they look in the mirror is because of the unattainable bodies of celebrities that are shown in the media. 

 

First of all, these photos are all edited. There isn't a single photo of a celebrity that doesn't have a filter or airbrushing on it, even if it is somewhere other than Instagram. Not only that, but many celebrities have had body-altering surgeries, which means what you are looking at isn't natural, and it isn't how they were born to look.

 

Society

 

Even if you avoid all the media hype, this doesn't mean people don't feel pressure from other people to hate their image. Family members and friends can often be the first ones to point out imperfections with your body, and it is your body image that suffers because of it. They might not even say anything, but you can see how they look, and you probably still compare yourself to them, wishing you looked more like them.

 

Poor Mental Health 

 

It isn't right to blame society and the media, however, because the way you perceive your body is uniquely yours. This means that although you may have some outside influences, only you can change your mind about how you feel about your body. If you have a poor body image, this means that your mind probably isn't where it needs to be. Yes, it's good to cut out the negative media and toxic friends and family from your life, but you also need to engage on a mental journey to find out why you can't accept yourself. Nothing will change with what you perceive until you change your mind.

 

Overall, men and women all over the world are unhappy with their image. Much of this can be attributed to media and society. However, never forget that a good body image truly starts from within. This means that if you want to have a good body image, you need to work on your mentality first. Only then can you truly change the way you feel about the person in the mirror. 

 

What are Personal Boundaries and Why We Need Them

You’ve probably heard the phrase before, but maybe you’re unsure what it means. Just what ARE personal boundaries, and what difference do they make in your life?

 

To understand a personal boundary, you have to understand what a boundary is. Let’s start at the dictionary and go from there:

 

bound·a·ry (noun)

a line that marks the limits of an area; a dividing line.

 

Most boundaries are pretty easy to see. The world is full of fences and dividers, clearly marking off space. A personal boundary does the same thing – only on a more invisible and internal level. Let’s look at this on a little closer.

 

What are boundaries?

 

1. A boundary tells you what your responsibility is in a given situation. You already have some boundaries at work or school. These are the parameters of your job or your responsibility as a student and usually are marked out pretty clearly when you took the job or where enrolled. On a personal level, a boundary tells you who you’re responsible for (yourself of course, but you might also be a caregiver). But what about your other responsibilities such as paying your bills, or taking care of your pets?

 

2. A boundary keeps you safe. Many of these should go without saying – such as abstaining from drinking and driving. But sometimes you have to set some such boundaries for yourself. Such as whether or not it’s healthy to be in a relationship with a certain individual.

 

3. A boundary tells us who we are.  Are you a good person? A bad person? A selfish person? A pious one? Our moral code becomes the boundary that defines us.

 

4. A boundary clarifies your needs. What things need to be in place in your life for you to be happiest and healthiest? What protects you for overwork or abuse?

 

5. A boundary defines your relationships. What are the parameters of your relationship? Is that healthy? What is your responsibility to that other person? How are they responsible for you?

 

With all that, it makes sense that having strong boundaries is a good idea. Especially when you take into consideration these facts:

 

Boundaries…

 

…give you a better idea of who you are

…help others to understand your needs

…give guidelines in your relationships

…make for healthy interactions with other people

 

And perhaps most important of all, they are an integral part of self-care.

 

As a side note remember this: Boundaries need to be revisited occasionally and re-evaluated. As we grow and change, our boundaries will change as well. 

 

With all this at stake, it’s no wonder we give boundaries such a lot of attention. Boundaries can mean the difference between a happy and healthy life and a life of drudgery and resentment. 

 

Is it time to learn where to draw the line?

 

How Can I Spark My Imagination?

If you have woken up to discover one day that you have almost completely left your imagination behind in your childhood, you might be wondering how you can get it back. The good news is, there are many ways to spark your imagination to bring it back, a few of which are listed below. 

 

Try Something New

 

One of the main reasons you lose your imagination as you age is because you learn exactly how the world works, and it leaves no room for you to wonder about the unknown. A good way to get your imagination going again is to try something unknown to you. This can be anything from a new hobby, visiting a new restaurant, or a vacation to somewhere new. 

 

Journal

 

Journaling regularly can help spark your creativity, especially if you engage in a string of consciousness thinking where you just let your mind wander and write down whatever comes to mind. This freewriting can help open your mind to new ideas and get your imagination going again! For best results, you should try to journal as frequently as possible, maybe even every day if you can.

 

Read Imaginative Media

 

As you age, you are exposed less and less to imaginative media. Gone are the days where you would read books about castles, dragons, and far-off lands. So help get your imagination going by reading some fiction novels again! There are many fiction novels in the adult section for you to enjoy, but don't be afraid to venture to the Young Adult section. You never know what amazing story will get your mind going.

 

Make A Vision Board

 

Do you have goals in your life that you are nowhere near achieving? Well, surprisingly, achieving goals takes a fair amount of imagination! Creating a visual image of your goal, like creating a vision board, can help get those creative or imaginative juices flowing. This is especially true when you make a physical board using just supplies you can find the house (or maybe old fashion magazines) as it takes creativity to transform unused stuff into a vision board. 

 

Overall, sparking your imagination isn't hard when you know where to start! If you want to get yourself back to a creative state of mind, start by trying something new, incorporate journaling into your everyday life, read more imaginative media, and make a vision board! Before you know it, you will be feeling more imaginative than ever before! 

Top 3 Ways to Boost Your Imagination

As you age, it can be disheartening to realize that you are no longer as imaginative as you once were. This realization can leave you wondering how you can boost your imagination to be more creative. The good news is, there are several ways to boost your imagination, the top three of which are listed below. 
 
Read
 
People often associate reading with learning and thus view the activity as work or some sort of burden. But the reality is, reading a fiction or fantasy book is an amazing way to boost your creativity. You often have to use your imagination to picture the scenes and characters from the book, which you don't do in your regular life. If you can't find an adult fantasy book, don't be afraid to check out another fiction genre. You might find your new favorite book!
 
Daydream
 
When you were a kid, was the teacher always telling you to stop daydreaming? While this may have helped you focus better in math class, it wasn't good for your developing imagination! 
 
This reason is why you should get back into daydreaming as an adult. You can sit on the couch and wonder what your life would be like if it were different, or even spend your time visualizing your goals working out just the way you want to! Either way, the activity of picturing something that isn't in your real life will boost your imagination tremendously!
 
Do Something Creative
 
Now that you've learned how to boost your imagination by sitting on the couch, it's important to know that you can also boost your imagination by doing something creative. If you aren't sure where to start, consider taking an art class at your local community center. It doesn't matter what type of art it is, just that you take the time to create something from your thoughts truly! You can also work on building a garden in your yard or even writing your own book—both of these activities are creative and will get your imagination flowing!
 
Whether you want to be more imaginative when achieving your goals or get back something you lost, boosting your imagination can be a fun and relaxing activity. All you need to do to boost your imagination is to read more, spend some time daydreaming, and commit to doing something creative. Before you know it, you will imagine an all-new life for yourself filled with wonder beyond anything you thought possible!

Top 5 Benefits of a Healthy Imagination

Many people think that a healthy imagination isn’t part of a successful life, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Below are the top 5 reasons that you should work to have a healthy imagination—no matter where you may be in your life. 

 

You Will Get Further In Your Career

 

Think of that one coworker that everyone, including your boss, hates. Are they very imaginative? Probably not. Having a healthy imagination is a huge part of propelling you forward in your career as it helps you problem solve and shows your boss that you have initiative. Not only that, it can help you to enjoy your career more as you will be able to imagine where you are going with it! 

 

Imagination Leads to Passion

 

If you feel as if you aren't passionate about anything and that there isn't anything on this earth you could be passionate about, your problem isn't passion. It's the lack of imagination. Imagination helps you get excited about things that may or may not happen, which makes you passionate about activities in your life. 

 

Imagination Stimulates Innovation

 

Is there something in your life that you wish you could change? Well, without a healthy imagination, you will probably never be able to change it. This is because imagination helps your mind innovate to find solutions to problems that may exist in your personal or professional life. It can lead to all sorts of amazing possibilities as you innovate your world to suit your dreams. 

 

Imagination Helps You Cope

 

There is no way around it. Sometimes life isn't fun. If you don't have a good imagination, you may find yourself getting stuck in a rut every time something bad happens in your life. Imagination helps propel you forward and keep you thinking positively even when the future seems grim. 

 

You Use Imagination to Design Your Future

 

Do you have a hard time picturing where you will end up? This is probably because you don't have a healthy imagination. Using your imagination is a critical part of finding goals you want to pursue and being able to visualize them to motivate yourself to work towards them! Without imagination, you may find yourself stuck in the present. 

 

Regardless of where you want to end up in life, it is very clear that a healthy imagination needs to be part of your journey. This is why you should commit to boosting your imagination sooner rather than later. 

3 Ways to Quickly Declutter Your Mind

We usually think of clutter as physical. It's all that "stuff" you keep promising yourself you'll clean up. Left alone, it seems to multiply on its own. Where you just had a few things out of place and distracting you a few days ago, now there are more.

 

Clutter is like that. A crowded, messy area magically attracts other items that don't need to be there. While you may think this isn't a big deal, it can be. Aside from the danger that substantial clutter provides (it can be a fire hazard, you may trip over it, etc.), any amount can be distracting. This kills your focus and concentration.

 

Maybe you don't have much physical clutter in your environment. You are exceptionally neat and organized. If that's the case, good for you. Don't forget that clutter can also exist in your mind. Having too many unnecessary things in your head at once can keep you from focusing on the things that matter.

 

Here are three simple ways to de-clutter your mind. They go to work immediately, removing thoughts, obsessions, and other mental messes so you enjoy less stress and anxiety and better mental wellness.

 

1.  Divorce Yourself from Drama

 

This might mean saying goodbye to some people in your life. If they don't provide more positives than negatives, their drama might not be worthwhile. Being around a dramatic individual regularly fills your head with unnecessary distractions. 

 

The issues that the drama queens in your life are constantly dealing with become your issues to some extent. Ditch the drama. Say no to issues and individuals you don't have to deal with. If the drama isn't yours, you shouldn't have to put up with it.

 

2.  Stop Living in the Past and Worrying about the Future

 

Well, maybe you can worry about the future just a little bit. It makes a lot of sense to plan your life. If not, you're letting chance, other people, and circumstances decide how your life will go.

 

You probably know what we're talking about here. It doesn't make any sense to obsess over things in your past. They're gone, and you can't change them. Use any lessons learned to move on with more information. 

 

As far as the future goes, constantly worrying about it won't do you any good. This clogs up your brain and leaves no space for your mental machinery to deal with your life.

 

3.  If It Runs on Electricity, Spend Less Time with It

 

From when some people wake up until they go to bed, they are bathing in digital distractions. You have your own unique electrical field. Constantly exposing yourself to the electromagnetic fields of your phone and tablet, television, laptop, and all the consumer electronics you encounter at work and play can fry your brain and fill it with mind-numbing clutter.

 

These are things you can do right now, this very minute. When you do, you immediately start clearing out your mental storage unit. The benefits are less stress, more focus, and better mental health; you might even find yourself sleeping better at night.