Why Are You Not Happy With Your Body?

Most of us have been dissatisfied with our bodies at one time or another. You have probably looked in the mirror and thought “I do not like what I see”. Or tried clothes in the store and felt uncomfortable in your own skin. Wanting to get rid of, add or change different parts of your body is a common desire. But why are you not happy with your body?

Being dissatisfied with your own body goes far beyond the purely physical. Many people feel that their value and success is determined by how they look. The feeling that you do not meet the usual standards of beauty makes you feel like a failure, incompetent and unworthy.

Why am I not happy with my body?

External causes

Culture and society have a strong influence on people’s self-image. Beauty standards have changed over the years, but the ideas of what is acceptable and desirable have always been very limited.

Today, the ideal is unrealistic and inaccessible to both women and men.

Above all, these imposed properties make no sense, given the great diversity of human bodies in the world. Trying to meet the very limited standards of what is considered beautiful can cause psychological harm to those who do not fit the standard. You can see evidence of this in virtually all stores with a small selection of sizes available.

Therefore, we grow up rejecting our bodies, feeling inadequate and mentally punishing ourselves for not meeting the standards. Social pressure can also be devastating. From a very young age, after all, children begin to reject everything that is different.

Internal reasons why you are not happy with your body

What we discussed above are standards imposed on people. However, other aspects of this matter have to do with your personality and attitude. Certain behaviors and ideas can lead to a negative self-image.

• Unfair comparisons. It is clear that beauty standards exist, but it is up to you to understand that they are unrealistic, and there is no reason to measure yourself against them. If you constantly compare yourself to celebrities or even other people in your life, you will feel bad about yourself. Instead, try to recognize and appreciate the incredible diversity of human bodies and shapes.
• Strict or dichotomous thinking. This is to think that there are only two possibilities that are in conflict with each other. For example, if you have a so-called “negative” trait, you automatically fall into the “ugly” category. If you focus only on the part of the body you do not like, you will feel very dissatisfied with how you look.

• Misconceptions. When you do not like the way you look, you assume that others do not either. What’s worse, you think you are not worthy of love and attention just because you do not meet the conventional standards of beauty. You may even think that you do not have the “right” to dress in certain types of clothing or do certain activities. Poor body image can lead to feelings of failure on a social and emotional level.

What can you do if you are not happy with your body?

There are two important things to focus on. Work first to change the beliefs and attitudes that make you feel bad about yourself. Open your mind and start thinking good thoughts about your physical characteristics. You should also try to separate your value as a person from your external appearance.

The second thing is to work on loving and accepting your body exactly as it is. Appreciate all the things your body allows you to do. Remember that your beautiful body allows you to breathe, laugh, run and hug your loved ones. Calm down with the image in the mirror and treat yourself with love and respect, no matter what you look like.

If you want to take care of your body and your appearance in a healthy way, you have to start with unconditional acceptance. If you do, you will exercise and eat healthy for the right reasons. You want to take care of yourself because you love your body, not because you hate it.