Pressure of beauty standards
At some point, we can feel pressured to conform to impossible beauty standards. But it’s important to remember that there isn’t just one image of what beauty looks like. Here we share a few tips for learning to love your body as it is.
In general, the media highlights just one beauty ideal. They give us the impression that only one kind of body can be beautiful. In the end, we forget that everyone is a different shape. Everyone has their own beauty!
The media mainly shows us slender, willowy women and tall, muscular men. In real life, not many people match these images! Nevertheless, many girls are dissatisfied with their bodies and want to lose weight. And boys are often unhappy with their height and muscles: they want to be taller and have bigger muscles – to have a ripped body.
There’s more to life than your looks!
If you hang out with friends who often talk about their looks, their weight, their bodies, or other people’s bodies, ask yourself if that’s good for you. When we constantly hear people talking about weight and looks, it can have an impact on us and feed our worries on that issue.
Maybe you’ve heard hurtful comments about your body, which made you feel bad and caused you to doubt yourself. Sometimes, the pressure to please, be liked, or be accepted by other people is strong. It can give you the idea that you need to change your appearance or your weight in order to be valued, but that’s wrong!
Remember that your body is just the outside envelope. Your personality, interests, and qualities are the main things that make you attractive. Those are things you can cultivate, and a new look won’t change the situation!
Is it possible to like myself if I’m overweight?
First of all, beauty doesn’t come in only one size. Fashion and magazines show us specific standards of beauty. However, in real life, people are attracted to all kinds of people and not to only one body type! Learn to accept your body the way it is. Identify your qualities and strengths and use them to present yourself. And remember that people who meet you see more than just your looks: they see all of you! They’re also attracted by your smile, your unique qualities, and your personality!
Our advice: avoid comparing yourself with other people and don’t put too much emphasis on your body. Instead, develop your style, your interests, your passions. Your unique personality will make you much more attractive than a beautiful body!
