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Creating a positive body esteem
Almost everyone seems to have something about their
body that troubles them.
Maybe youd be happier if you were thinner, taller, shorter, more muscular?
Perhaps you need to stop trying to change your body and start changing the way
you think about it! You can cause yourself endless upset trying to reach ridiculous
standards of beauty. Or you can decide to pursue reasonable goals and a healthy
lifestyle.
Everybody has their own body concept - a set of
ideas about themselves and their bodies, including what they think they look
like.
We actively change our body concept throughout our lives, depending on the factors
that most influence us at a particular time.
We can also change our body-esteem - our own opinion about what we see in the
mirror.
He sees what she sees? Nope!
Gender is one of the strongest influences on body
concept. In general, society gives men and women very different messages about
their bodies, how they should look and what they should do.
Men, for example, are more often taught to think of their bodies as strong and
powerful instruments of action.
Most women, in contrast, tend to focus on being physically attractive and, usually,
too thin. The sexes also tend to evaluate their bodies in different ways:
Women either love their bodies or hate them.
Men feel either positive or neutral
Women look at their bodies part by part. Men consider their bodies as a whole
Women are concerned about looking young.
Men dont mind a few wrinkles
Low body-esteem can leave you feeling depressed and socially isolated, and lead
to unhealthy behaviours, like eating disorders, using steroids, crash diets
and even smoking to control weight.
Instead of punishingyourself for what you dont have or can never be, try building
a positive concept of your body and yourself based on values that will last
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