It is time to change the “beauty” standards
By: Deepika Bengali
Tags: Lifestyle, Bodyshamimg, Body Positive, Body Image, Self Love

We all have been criticized as being too fat,too thin, too tall, too short, at some point in our life and for some of us such comments might have damaged are self-esteem.

Are you someone who still identifies yourself with something that someone said to you?

Yes, I am talking about body shaming. I think a this Valentines Day is a great start for all of us to see ourselves differently and start caring and loving our body and appreciate it more.

We are constantly bombarded with advertisements and magazines that tell us how we should look, what we should wear and what is sexy and what isn’t?

Most of us just blindly follow whatever we see without thinking for ourselves.

Take a deep breath and now read this.

You are totally different than I am. There is no person who is exactly like me and there isn’t any person who is exactly like YOU.

Can we not see that our uniqueness is what makes us special? Then, why is it that we force our bodies to be like that model in the magazine? Why do we force ourselves to go on diets to slim down or to take proteins to look more muscular?

1. Who is deciding the standard of beauty?

Advertisements and TV shows tell us what is the latest fashion and then we all go out to buy that dress, that cosmetic product or follow that new diet.

I see so many videos on YouTube that give advice on how to slim down, have tighten you butt or tips on face-lifting just to name a few. I am not saying that it is wrong but we need to understand that our bodies are different and that we all look different. That is how nature intended us to be!

We need to realize that what maybe good for one person may not be good for another. So please stop following dangerous diets and exercises that your body cannot handle.

2. We need to stop telling our bodies what to eat, how to look and what to do.

Our bodies are way smarter than we think. Look how your body takes you from one place to another, helps you in doing the work that you, regulates all the complex systems and helps keep illness away.

Please appreciate your body for working so hard for you and taking care of you even though you keep constantly judging it.

Every morning tell your body how grateful you are, how much you love it and how you appreciate it’s hard work. Be grateful everyday towards your body for being healthy and allowing you to build the life you want.

3. Self worth and the body

We often attach our self worth to how attractive we look, what brand clothes we wear and how “slim” or “muscular” we are.

This leads serious issues like eating disorders in teenagers and young adults. We start thinking that we can only feel confident and good about ourselves if we loose those pounds or gain those muscles.

This is a very dangerous trap and many of us have fallen right into it and are stuck, struggling everyday to look at ourselves in the mirror.

4. We need to change our “thinking” not our “body”

Your body loves you 24/7 through the day no matter how you treat it and what you say to it.

It is time you appreciate the way you look and feel. I am not suggesting that we shouldn’t change our lifestyle but it is important to know what motivates us: is it fear of not looking a certain or is it self-love and wanting to be healthy?

It is time for all of us to step up and decide our own unique standard of beauty and live that truth. We are all beautiful and lovable. Please don’t buy into those commercials and magazines that tell us otherwise!

My wish for you is that this Valentines Day you deepen your connection with your body and fall in love with it!

Lots of Love,

Deepika❤