Weekly Challenge #94 #MHAW19

Aoife

Hey everyone,

For Mental Health Awareness Week this week, I thought it would be great to do a challenge around this year's theme body image.

Body image issues can affect us at any age and it can be hard to focus on how we can feel good about our bodies. Your challenge this week is to share your top tips and advice for someone struggling with body image and how they can overcome negativity and feel great about their body.

If you have any tips, articles, quotes or resources that you think might help someone struggling, please share them below. 

If you have any ideas for the next weekly challenge, head over to this thread to share them. Remember to vote on next week's challenge ideas.  

Former Member

Appreciate everything your body can do. I may not be happy with my weight restored body but I am happy that this body gives me the energy to do stuff, I can play games with my nephew, I can run, I can sit without being in pain. I remember how hard it was to gain weight, but even though I have gained weight, I also gained life again. 

As someone who suffers with BDD .. something my therapist said was in bad body image days is to take a photo of myself, what I see in the mirror is different to what I see in a photo.

I also have a list of 10 things my friends like about me, personality wise not physical, I read it when I'm struggling cause beauty is so much more than just your body. Once I've read the list I become more confident within myself and it shows. 'beauty is a state of mind, not a state of your body' 

Millie2787

I’ve recently found a few positive body image instergram accounts and for someone who really does ( and quite a lot lately ) hates the way she looks and how much she weighs I really do find them uplifting.

In still learning to love me and having a Ed on top can really take its toll when it make you see every bit that wrong with you and I tend to focus on them so the theme of MHAW this year is a difficult one for me but seeing all of positive things and how other people have struggled and learned to accept themselves has really helped.

So I guess my piece even though I’m not  there yet is to accept yourself for who you are , you are beautiful no matter what and our individual quirks are what makes us special so embrace them, show them off and don’t let anyone tell you any different. 

But this is on of my fav ones from one of the accounts 

Aoife

Thanks so much for sharing @Past User and @Millie2787 your advice and tips are so great! 

I wanted to share this article our amazing content team have written about why we need more body kindness in our lives. Check it out when you have a chance