20 Ways to Love Your Body
Courtesy of NEDA and Margo Maine, Ph.D.
- Think of your body as the vehicle to your dreams. Honor it. Respect it. Fuel it.
- Create a list of all the things your body lets you do. Read it and add to it often.
- Become aware of what your body can do each day. Remember it is the instrument of your life, not just an ornament.
- Create a list of people you admire: people who have contributed to your life, your community, or the world. Consider whether their appearance was important to their success and accomplishments.
- Walk with your head held high, supported by pride and confidence in yourself as a person.
- Don’t let your weight or shape keep you from activities that you enjoy.
- Wear comfortable clothes that you like, that express your personal style, and that feel good to your body.
- Count your blessings, not your blemishes.
- Think about all the things you could accomplish with the time and energy you currently spend worrying about your body and appearance. Try one!
- Be your body’s friend and supporter, not its enemy.
- Consider this: your skin replaces itself once a month, your stomach lining every five days, your liver every six weeks, and your skeleton every three months. Your body is extraordinary–begin to respect and appreciate it.
- Every morning when you wake up, thank your body for resting and rejuvenating itself so you can enjoy the day.
- Every evening when you go to bed, tell your body how much you appreciate what it has allowed you to do throughout the day.
- Find a method of exercise that you enjoy and do it regularly. Don’t exercise to lose weight or to fight your body. Do it to make your body healthy and strong and because it makes you feel good. Exercise for the Three F’s: Fun, Fitness, and Friendship.
- Think back to a time in your life when you felt good about your body. Tell yourself you can feel like that again, even in this body at this age.
- Keep a list of 10 positive things about yourself–without mentioning your appearance. Add to it!
- Put a sign on each of your mirrors saying, “I’m beautiful inside and out.”
- Choose to find the beauty in the world and in yourself.
- Start saying to yourself, “Life is too short to waste my time hating my body this way.”
- Eat when you are hungry. Rest when you are tired. Surround yourself with people that remind you of your inner strength and beauty.
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{ 66 comments… read them below or add one }
i love this list – some things seem so simple, but little reminders can make a huge difference in your attitude and perspective!
Thanks for sending me this! I especially love #20!
i agree, this is a really awesome list!
This list fits well with my personal mantra: “My body is a gift from the gods and will be cherished and nurtured.” I am strong and like to play hard, something I couldn’t do if I was a size one.
I am adding this to my list of inspirational quotations. I love it absolutely.
On a side note, this list is wonderful and I’m implementing it in my life ASAP. I’ve already done some of them without realising it and I’m going to continue. Thank you so much!!
wow thats so nice that there’s ppl who care about REAL beauty…not the unreachable perfection we strive for..
<3 it!
Great list, thanks!
Every one of you is beautiful
No matter HOW creepy that sounds from a stranger XD
To me, that’s not the least bit creepy at all. Thank you. You’re beautiful too. The fact that someone who doesn’t know anything about you is STILL calling you beautiful makes my day!
I’m going to post one of these saying on FB each day for twenty days just as a reminder to all my Family and Friends! Thank’s for sharing
I love this!! This made me feel so happy and positive, I’m going to write a post about it and try and encourage others to read it.
I’ve been having some low self-esteem issues lately and this really helped to lift my spirits
Thank you!
I just printed a copies of this list for my office, gym bag and day planner. It’s such an uplifting, positive list– perfect for when I need a reminder about true beauty.
Thank you!
what happens when your about 7 months pregnant, and you dont feel pretty anymore because you’ve gotten cellulite and gained about 20 pounds?
what’s the advice for someone like that?
I actually have a guest writer who will be sending in a post about being pregnant. It should be up in a few days so stay tuned! But remember you are beautiful because you are creating life – that is the most amazing thing your body will ever DO!
I really like this list but I actually found it really, really unhelpful.
Why? If you just think about it, it seems that telling yourself how great you are is pointless and that this list is just a decoration. If you ACTUALLY do them, you will feel encouraged as when someone else says it to you and gives you a big hug after a bad day.
<3
A little positivity never hurt anyone!
me 2. i am still depressed. not helpful at all. :[
It’s about time we changed our outlook on our current culture.
I am very self-conscious & this summer, I decided to be ME. I’ve started wearing a bikini & anyone who has had anything negative to say to me has received a “I love myself the way I am.” Ive started eating healthier & Have started drinking water more than ANYTHING else & I feel A LOT better. This is a wonderful website to help me with my self construction. Thank you.
Love this list, it’s so supportive and honest. And some other things I think are so important, and have taught me to love my body:
- take time everyday for you, for your body. this is why I love fitness. it is only for me, for my body. sometimes me time is during a meal, where I eat slowly and enjoy every bite, or lying in the sun for a little while. or browsing through a store, or treating myself to a little something I love. or journaling.
- also surround yourself with people that make you happy, and activities that make you happy. I love learning language and work hard every day to feel successful. but when I am not, or when I don’t want to work out for a week, I’m not hard on myself. I treat myself to chocolate and love myself anyway. we’re always striving to be perfectionists that we forget how much we’ve already done!
- also, my boyfriend has taught me to love myself, because he loves me so much, and vice versa. we have become much healthier (and look better!) since we’ve gotten together, because we’ve learned to love ourselves through loving each other. and whether it’s romantic or with friends, surrounding yourself with people that love you make you realize how awesome you are
Thank you, thank you for this great site. What a powerful list. Each day I will try to live by it, and most important be an example to all women and yes men too, by trying to practice what you preach….! I sent this site to all my nieces, friends, sisters and coworkers. We need more of this kind of reinforcement instead of trying to live up to hate, punish and despise our bodies. Once again, may God bless you by creating some REAL MEANINGFUL BEAUTY in our world!!!
I am miserable. I read all these things and want to cry because i could read them and study them 1000 times and believe them for everyone else but myself. I know im a pretty girl, only because i get attention from males,. but on the inside i feel like im better off dead, and have for a while. its an everyday struggle not to just end it all and theres no one i feel safe talking too..i hate myself and cry everyday. no one else knows it though because i always have bfs and frieds around me..Iv already had one failed attempt at ending my life.. i wish i did it but my friend found me passed out and called 911.. i want to love myself and not need to feel like i need men, or anyone… what do i do?
Are you in high school or college? If so you have access to free counseling and PLEASE take advantage of it. If not, please look into seeing a therapist. Depression is a very serious problem and you NEED to reach out to a professional.
Alternatively, please consider calling a hotline to speak to someone who can help you: http://www.spsfv.org/hotlines.htm
You are worth it.
Dear Noname,
You be strong! You are smart and funny and NOT pretty- you are BEAUTIFUL and AMAZING and STUNNING in every way!
Smile right now, while you’re reading this. Just do it, actually smile in front of this screen. Close your eyes, grin, and open your window. Stick your head out and laugh out loud! Go hug your dog and SMILE! Tell your friend you love them! Put on some clothes that make you feel as beautiful as you are! Go get ‘em, girl!
On the other hand, so may actually be depressed, which is a real medical condition that you need medicine for and stuff. See a doctor or a therapist. You are worth whatever cost it has, and I truly believe that. You are worth so much that the equivalent amount of money hasn’t been invented yet!
I wish you the best and hope you remember how great you really are. I am not part of this site. I know it doesn’t always cheer people up.
Cry for a while to get it all out and then smile.
Love,
Me
Dear noname – my mom had the same issue for years. I watched her put up with an abusive boyfriend, spending years so unhappily. It made me determined not to need a male. It’s really hard. Who do you go out to dinner with? I found friends at work and at my gym – gym friends are full of energy =). Find something you love: dancing, kickboxing, knitting, reading, and find friends who do it too. Your friends will love you and show you that you are worth love for yourself.
Love the constant reminders – I can never get enough of them. Thank you!
Thanks for the reminder. Copying this list for daily use.
I really have to try #17 and say it out loud to myself when i wake up and o to sleep!
If you can, be whole:
Modifications of “20 Ways to Love Your Body” Courtesy of NEDA and Margo Maine, Ph.D.
Twenty Ways to Love Yourself
1. Think of yourself as the vehicle to your dreams. You deserve Honor and Respect.
2. Create a list of all the things you can do. Read it and add to it often.
3. Become aware of what is new each day. Remember today is your life, not just another day.
4. Create a list of people you admire: people who have contributed to your life, your community, or the world. Consider what was important to their success and accomplishments.
5. Walk with your head held high, supported by pride and confidence in yourself as a person.
6. Don’t let anything keep you from activities that you enjoy.
7. Wear comfortable clothes that you like, that express your personal style, and that feel good.
8. Count your blessings, not your blemishes.
9. Think about all the things you could accomplish with the time and energy you currently spend worrying. Try one!
10. Be your own friend and supporter, not your enemy.
11. Consider this: your skin replaces itself once a month, your stomach lining every five days, your liver every six weeks, and your skeleton every three months. You have new ideas every minute! You are extraordinary–respect and appreciate yourself.
12. Every morning when you wake up, thank your body for resting and rejuvenating itself so you can enjoy the day. If you had a bad night, know that the day can only get better.
13. Every evening when you go to bed, appreciate what you have accomplished the day.
14. Find a method of exercise that you enjoy and do it regularly. Don’t exercise to lose weight or to fight your body. Do it to make your body healthy and strong and because it makes you feel good. Exercise for the Three F’s: Fun, Fitness, and Friendship.
15. Think back to a time in your life when you looked forward to doing most everything. Tell yourself you can feel like that again. If you can’t remember, find a four-year-old and go to a park. When you get there, play “catch” until you laugh yourself silly.
16. Keep a list of 10 positive things about yourself. Add to it!
17. Put a sign on each of your mirrors that says something that makes you smile.
18. Choose to find the beauty in the world and in yourself.
19. Start saying to yourself, “Life is too short to waste time.” Let negative emotions go.
20. Eat when you are hungry. Rest when you are tired. Surround yourself with people that remind you of your inner strength and beauty.
i really appreciate this with a smile because me too, there was a time, i was uncomfortable with my body .
This helped me so much:D this entire site did.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this website. I love what you are doing here. I feel as if every single girl in the world should have this website at their fingertips!
omg! so many girls at my school talk about other people starting drama. some girls i overhear they say ” omg! i look fat!” or ” ugh! my hair is soo ugly!”. it gets on my nerves. i hate it.
Reading the stuff on here is amazing.
I wrote on my mirror the other day “be positive, don’t ever give up”
Before even hearing about this site, and I used to always have “Be positive” written on my wrist.
Since I’m a pretty negative person, a lot of the time, and I hate it. I hope this site helps.
You are an amazing person, for making this site.
hey there. I’m a outdoorsy girl living in the mother city … Cape Town, this being a total change in lifestyle, making it hard for me to adapt socially, personally and emotionally! when i read this (might sound silly) but it turned my world around, and brought a tear to my eye.
As a young women on my life journey i want to thank you so much for sharing this with the world! and to who ever sees this post … YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL NO MATTER WHAT!
peace, love and happiness
Ambs
keep smiling
thank you for this! brilliant
The one thing that this website makes me think about is that your body is the one thing that you own. the one thing that nobody else can have. So cherish it, protect it, and love it because its yours and dont let anyone else tell you otherwise. =]
I heard a quote that really changed the way I look at myself. The quote is “you are beautiful, God doesn’t make junk”
Is exercise mandatory? I’ve tried aerobics, dance, yoga, sports, etc. and have hated them all.
It’s not “mandatory,” but it’s definitely required for a long, healthy life. What do you hate about being active? Even if you just go for long walks, that’s something!
I have the same problem. I imagine people have different reasons for it but a lot can be blamed on the way physical education is taught in school. Fun no, punishment and shame yes. Then there are time constraints. I go on long walks but only TO places. I walk to places and save train or bus fare. But exercise is the antithesis of fun, it is all about punishing your body for not being good enough and observing how crappily your body performs at physical tasks so you can get started trying to punish it into performing better. Maybe it would be fun if I just magically stopped caring (although if I didn’t care, maybe I wouldn’t do it at all anyway), but unfortunately I can’t just flip a switch and stop thinking of it that way. Then there’s the sweating, the commitment (meaningless to do it just once, you have to do it x times a week), the changing into and out of appropriate clothes, the hassle. So my best suggestion for Kiki above would be to move somewhere pedestrian friendly and not have a car. That is what I did, and it creates incidental exercise in the form of walking or possibly biking. It is also very impractical unless you already live in a place like that or are moving to one for other reasons.
Also, I just noticed that you just said “it’s not mandatory, it’s just required.” Hehe, those are synonyms. (And I am afraid it comes off as nagging, which is also not associated with things that are fun.)
Exercise is not about punishing yourself at all! There are so many ways to move that are fun – and start slow! But you’ve got to look at it positively.
i will print this and paste it in my cubicle
I love dance and I enjoy that it helps keep me fit, but I can’t afford dance classes/lessons right now… any suggestions?
I’m afraid I just found that list trite and impractical. Surround myself with people? How the hell do I do that? Much less people who remind me of inner strength or whatever. No one has ever managed that.
What kind of ways do you remind yourself to love your body? I’m interested in your thoughts!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am going to put this list into practice! Thank you for dedication to bringing about change. As women, we need to support each other no matter where they are in the journey to better health and well being.
Thank you!
This website is: AMAZING! So inspirational. THANK YOU!
Thanks so much for this web site after battling anorexia nervosa for a year i have had a hard time accepting my body . lately though, i have learned that it doesn’t matter what size you are or what you weigh its what’s on the inside that counts
This is a perfect website for boys, girls, men, women, young, old, etc. It truly strives to teach that beauty comes from within, and your appearance does NOT define you.
Thank you so much for helping people throughout the world gain a positive view of their bodies; I’m personally recovering from anorexia and bulimia and I look to this site to remind me that life does not depend on being skinny, but on being healthy and balanced. I’m changing my way of thinking and living <3
I honestly cried when I read this. Thank you so much for opening my eyes. I am wasting my time worrying about the way my body is when I should be embracing it. Thank you.
this is so true but i still cant fight my thoughts. i have put my body throguh a lot of pain and there is no going back. all i feel is an emptiness
Have you looked into getting counseling? There are many different ways you can get help!!! You deserve it.
We are all here for you, we preomie. Trust me, your body is worth it, you are worth it. It wont be easy and you may not like it, but you deserve to be healthy and happy. Do what you can, sister, we are all here to help you.
I love this list i am starting rite now
This list is so good! It brightens up my day every time I read it. Thanks for posting this, I love it!
I have been dealing with anorexia for about a year and a half now… and recently have been thinking about how selfish i am being… I am being selfish to God, my family, my boyfriend, and all my friends by not willing to stop destroying my body so that i can be around for them… I am working on telling my dad about my problem and getting help. I know i have a long road ahead but it will be worth it. I love number 20 and going to focus on recognizing when i am hungry and tired and how to hadle those feelings properly.
Absolutely Yes, there are sooo many important things about this list that we should post as a daily reminder to ourselves to love something or someone and to allow ourselves to be loved or cared for by something or someone else. When you can step out of yourself for a moment to love…it rewards you back !
Aww I love this list =) its so amazing and true everybody is beautiful in their own way I had such a low self-esteem for so many years then I stumbled across this website and well..you can guess how it skyrocked my self-esteem =)
This list is awesome!
When I read number 20, “Eat when you are hungry”, I remembered how I ate well last night after work for the first time in my life. My tummy was full for once. I realized last night that I starve myself and seem to never have time to eat. When I ate so well last night, I was happy and I felt good for once. From now on, when I get hungry, I will eat. I wont go all out and eat all day but I will make sure that I make time in my busy schedule to have three meals a day. Thank you for this list and reminding me that I am happy when I am full.
this is reay awsome list. but the problem am not freind with the food means i dont eat well.
i need some thing make me to eat more to be strong and fit body.
Wonderful. Gorgeous. Thank you for the reminders.
I love myself so much! Thanks