Hate Your Body? Here's a Different View on Changing Your Body Image by Sheri B Doyle

I grew up with a massive body image problem. By “grew up” I mean even today. I learned as I aged how to keep it in check by avoiding myself in the mirror or focusing on being proud of my exercise efforts. It is always managing the self-hate. My wish is that it wasn't a struggle, that I could love myself for who I am and not have wasted so much of my life hating my body.

Recently I read a blog post that, at first, I read knowing it wouldn't help me see myself any differently. Then I reached the end of the post suggesting how we can come to feel differently about ourselves. The suggestion was to compliment each other, for our outfits, our style, our hair, makeup, whatever. Just speak the compliments out loud when we think them. By doing so we support each other and help ourselves.

Suddenly I realized this blog had changed the way I think about my body image. Her suggestions reminded me when I am complimenting others, the way I look doesn't matter at all; I am shining from my thoughtful words. Yes, it will always be management for me to not hate the way I look, but maybe the more people raise us up the farther away we get from our worst feelings about ourselves.

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