From Picking Up A New Hobby To Buying Clothes That Fit: Here Are 5 Ways To Cope With Summer Body Anxiety
Summer is here and it’s perfectly natural to experience some form of anxiety about your physical appearance. From trying on tons of different outfits until you find one that makes you feel slightly comfortable in your own skin, to staying at home in your pajamas because you’re too insecure to wear a swimsuit, we’ve all experienced such insecurities. It’s perfectly natural and everyone experiences this anxiety in one way or another, regardless of their size. Therefore, we have gathered five different ways to cope with and manage some of the insecurities you may experience this summer.
Buy Clothes That Fit
It is very common to buy clothes that are a size too small because we’re too ashamed to walk into the plus-size section or we believe that we’ll fit into that smaller size at some point in time. Regardless of your weight goals, buying clothes that actually fit you may enable you to accept the way you look.
Think of People Who Are Comfortable With Their Large Bodies
There are many people out there who are so deeply comfortable with their body size. This is not to say that they don’t experience any form of insecurities, but more importantly, they appreciate their body irrespective of its size. Thinking of these people who carry themselves with confidence despite the fact that they don’t have the “ultimate” body may inspire you to do the same. This is because you will realize that the same way you love this person regardless of how large they are, there is no reason why others won’t do the same with you.
Shift Your Focus
Once we start obsessing over our bodies and how we look, we fail to notice anything else that usually brings us joy. So try to shift your focus to different, more significant things, think of your friendships, your relationships, or maybe pick up a new hobby that fulfills you. By shifting the focus from that obsession, these insecurities and intrusive thoughts of how you’re “supposed” to look will carry less weight.
Take a Break From Social Media
With photoshop and face and body-altering apps, social media is no longer a reflection of the truth or of what people really look like. From models to influencers, scrolling through various social media platforms’ timelines and seeing different bodies may have us constantly comparing ourselves to others. Perhaps taking a break from social media will shift your focus from your body and appearance onto something else.
Take Care of Yourself In Other Ways
Just because you don’t have the “perfect” body, does not mean you have to let go of everything else until you do. Do your hair, your nails or your makeup, experiment with different styles. You deserve to feel good about your appearance regardless of whether you’re an XL or an XS.
