Ever flipped through a magazine, and ended up feeling insecure about your body? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many women also experienced wallowing in insecurity at some point in their life. Poor body image is among the issues that most of us struggle with, but you can certainly do something to get over your body shaming tendencies and start appreciating your own unique figure.

1. Avoid Viewing Offending Media. What we watch and read has a huge impact on how we feel and view ourselves. As much as possible, avoid watching TV shows or reading magazines that are blatantly image-focused. Be very particular with websites that you visit and the magazines that you read. Instead of buying fashion magazines, gravitate towards wellness, entrepreneurial, and travel magazines and media. Read about interesting things that people – women in particular – accomplish. You’ll be amazed as to how it can make you feel more empowered.

2. Stay Away From Department Stores and Shopping Centres. These places are insecurity dens, so unless you need a new pair of trousers, it’s best to stay away from them. Everything from the music, the lighting, the shiny floor, and the clothes worn by the mannequins are designed to look pleasing to majority of people. It’s actually a highly effective form of manipulation because when you feel inferior, you become more docile to the whispering suggestions of the shop’s display window. Shopping centres aren’t just sucking your money, they’re also acting as sink holes for your body confidence.

3. Steer Clear From Conversations Related With Appearance. When someone starts to talk about how they look in a more disparaging way, try to deflect the conversation and focus on topics like how the person might be feeling. Are they feeling any stronger or fitter since they’ve started working out? Or have they been sleeping well every night? Being caught up in a conversation about how the other person looks like, whether he or she needs to lose weight and so on, inevitably leads to thoughts about your own appearance, which is unhelpful if you’re trying to feel better about yourself.

4. Eat Right. Eating right means accepting and being mindful of all the nutrients your body needs to function properly. It simply means eating a lot of good food and ditching fatty and sugary foods that can affect your digestive health, hormonal balance, energy levels, and your mood.

5. Find a Purpose. People with purpose are often too busy to worry about how they actually look. In the end, effective leadership, creative expression, and even growing tomatoes in your neighbourhood can be far more satisfying than making sure that you look good in your outfit at all times.

A positive self-image is a habit and not an attribute. You don’t always need to feel great about every aspect of your appearance, but if you feel less than being supremely confident, simply pull your shoulders back, hold your head up and fake an air of confidence until you make it.