Summer is (nearly) here and soon you’ll be down the beach with all your mates, throwing a ball around, having a barbecue and enjoying a great time in the sun. However, the midsummer months can also be a daunting time for our those of us lacking body confidence so we’ve put together a list of all the things you need to do to be ready for the beach.
1) Try Not to Compare Yourself
It’s hard not to liken what you have with what other people have. What we have to do is try not to compare. Unfollow the accounts that make you feel insecure or uncomfortable, don’t buy the magazine full of the ripped, airbrushed blokes; there are things you can do to cut it out of your life.
Each person is an individual so we will never look like anyone else but ourselves and we should start embracing that. Try telling yourself positive things everyday to affirm what’s great about you and what makes you an individual. Life would be boring if we all looked exactly the same.
2) Ditch the Products
Supplements, waxes, tanners and vitamins that promise you’ll soon look like a Calvin Klein model may feel necessary, but these products are just reminders that you’re chasing a different version of yourself. You’re doing just great as you are.
Things like protein powders and diet pills won’t provide a quick fix for the summer and, as dietary supplements, what is put into them isn’t regulated. So we don’t really know what we’re putting into our bodies when we use them. Plus, there really is nothing worse than a shelf full of failed quick fixes haunting you every time you get ready in the morning. The best thing you can do for your confidence would be get rid of everything that promised you the beach bod of your dreams and focus on what you love about yourself.
3) Talk About It
Problems are so much easier when you talk them over. Guys take the piss out of each other a lot and often the banter can make a good group of mates in to a great group of mates. However, if you’re feeling insecure about something, like your appearance, then try telling a mate what you’re not feeling great about. Your mates should make sure it’s something they take seriously and not joke about, meaning that even well-meaning joking around won’t end setting you back several steps in confidence. It’ll get the problem off your chest and you should feel a lot better for it.
4) Practice Positivity
Your body is yours. Maybe you might not think it’s perfect but – here’s a little secret – nobody does. We all have insecurities and hangups about our appearance. So if we’re all thinking the same thing then that means we’re all in this together, right? Try to remember that because it’s so much easier to be confident in something if you have other people confident in it too. So back up your friends and tell them they’re looking great. Most importantly, tell yourself that too. It’s ok to be a work in progress.
5) Realise the Media Isn’t Reality
The chances are we wouldn’t struggle so much with body image if social media didn’t exist. Those guys you see on Instagram with perfect abs, perfect hair and perfect skin don’t really exist. Even if the photos were unedited, they will still struggle with skin breakouts and bad hair days just like the rest of us. We’re all human and we can’t expect to look like superheroes. In the words of Jameela Jamil – all bodies are beach bodies. You look great as you are and you are beach ready right now.
For more self-love motivation, you can follow our Instagram @Ditchthelabel.
We understand that body confidence can be hard to find and you can talk to us at anytime. If you would like to speak to someone about it then you can join the Ditch the Label community here.
