Gaining Confidence In Your Appearance

Feeling confident about your appearance isn’t as simple as snapping your fingers and making it happen. In fact, as much as I hate to admit it, body image and self esteem is something I have struggled with for as long as I can remember – even though it might come across very differently online. Even when others compliment you, you might find yourself doubting their words. When you lack self-esteem, it’s difficult to tell yourself that you’re beautiful. However, learning to love your appearance is an important part of being healthy and happy. So, if you’re struggling to smile when you look in the mirror, then it might be time to make some changes. Easier said than done, I know, but today we’re going to look at some ways in which you could start gaining confidence in your appearance. These are some things that I have found help me, at least!

Lead a physically active lifestyle

If you want to gain confidence, leading a physically active lifestyle can really help. In fact, starting personal training sessions is something that has made a huge difference to my life. Obviously, exercise helps you to get in shape, but it’s not just beneficial to your physical state; it’s beneficial to your mental state, too. If you’re trying to improve the way in which you perceive yourself, then a new workout routine might be the way to go. Exercise improves your mood by releasing endorphins in your brain, so it’s a great way to feel more positive about yourself. Most people focus so much on the physical benefits of exercise, but you shouldn’t overlook the mental benefits. For me, simply going to regular gym sessions helps me feel better about how my clothes fit, even if it’s just in my head!

Everybody knows that fitness helps to improve your waistline (providing you’re eating a healthy balanced diet too), but that shouldn’t be your only motivation for doing it. Plus, remember that having a healthy weight is the main goal; you don’t have to be a certain size to be physically and mentally healthy. With age I’ve come to accept that I’m a curvy lady and that as I get older, I will probably never be as slim as I was as a teenager or in my early twenties – but that’s okay, and weight training during my personal training gym sessions has helped me come to terms with it. Gaining confidence in your appearance could start when you lead a physically active lifestyle.

Learn to compliment yourself in the mirror

As mentioned in the introduction, being able to look in the mirror and smile would be the goal of most self-conscious people. For me, some days are better than others and it can vary on what I’m wearing, how my skin looks (hello, hormonal spots) and what makeup I’m wearing (or not!). So, make it your goal to look at yourself on a regular basis. Stand in front of the mirror and think of positive things to say. Yes, it sounds cheesy as hell and this can feel strange at first, but it’ll feel more natural as you do it time and time again. Believing your beautiful is the key to gaining confidence in your appearance. It’s about finding the aspects of yourself that you enjoy.

Of course, if you have tried everything and aren’t feeling peer pressure, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to make small changes if you feel that these would greatly improve your confidence. As a teenager, I had braces which really helped me to love my smile in the longterm – and to this day it’s one of my favourite features of myself! If you’re interested, you might want to check out this cosmetic dentist, Dr Fadi Yassmin. Please don’t even feel under pressure from friends, family or the media to make any major changes to yourself, but if you feel that a cosmetic tweak is the missing step in your journey to self-esteem, you could get assistance from a professional to make changes to your appearance.

Get plenty of beauty sleep

It’s also important to get plenty of beauty sleep if you want to gain confidence in your appearance. You’ve probably heard people talk about “beauty sleep” before, but you might not realise that there’s a lot of truth to this concept- as my personal trainer keeps telling me! We need rest to stay physically and mentally healthy. Getting enough sleep can keep your mental state healthy, and reduced stress can lead to many health improvements such as a better functioning body, repairing muscles after exercise and on a surface level, even reducing skin blemishes. Sleeping well also keeps your metabolism working properly, so that means you’ll be able to maintain a healthy weight more easily. Beauty sleep is a legitimate idea.