Thinking positively about your body

Body positivity. It's something everyone should have, but most of us don't. Whether you're anxious about spots, have greasy hair, are a little overweight (or underweight!) or have gender dysphoria; body positivity can be hard. In this article I'll be sharing some tips on how to be more positive about your body, and overall how to love yourself. You are unique, after all.

* Write down things you like about yourself. For example, maybe you think your eyes are a nice colour, or you like your freckles, or the shape of your hands. No matter how small, write it down. Ignore the flaws and look for the positives. Perhaps challenge yourself to write down 5-10 things.
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* Ignore the trolls. Everyone gets told their flaws. Be it at school, college, work or even by friends. Stop listening to them. They are only one in several billion people, so why should their opinion of you matter?

* Self care. Don't abuse your body. Remember to eat relatively healthy, drink plenty of fluids and get enough sleep. These things really help your body.

* Be yourself. Something that helped me be more positive was to be myself. What I mean by this is to wear what you want to wear. Dye your hair a crazy colour, get a tattoo (or piercing) and just express yourself through your image. If you're happy with these things, you'll be more confident in yourself.

* Distract yourself. If you're feeling particularly down about yourself, remove those thoughts from your mind. Play your favourite song and dance around in your room. Take silly selfies on snapchat (you dont have to post them!) or read a book.

* Use what works for you. If you have spots or blackheads, invest in some good facewash and tea tree oil and use them every day. Or if you have greasy hair, find a shampoo that works best for your hair. These little things can help you feel better about yourself.

* If you can change it, go for it! If you're conscious about your weight, doing something about it will be a lot more effective that just ignoring what's causing you to feel down. Eating healthier and doing some excercise is a good way to start.

* Look after your body. This is something I need to work on myself. Take the time to take care of your body. For example, light your favourite candle, have a bubble bath with some relaxing music, or cuddle up in a blanket with your favourite book. Do something relaxing that will help your body.

* It's okay to be insecure. Everyone is insecure about themselves in different ways. Your favourite band member, youtuber or celebrity is too. It's a natural thing to feel, especially with the media and socitety around today.

* There is only one of you. Remember, you are unique. There is nobody out there that is like you. So embrace your individuality!

* Remember, your body is amazing! There are so many wonderful things that the human body can do. We can see colours, we can taste things, we can feel the warmth in the air, we can run and swim and skip. We are living, breathing humans. And that's pretty cool.

I hope some of these points help you be more body positive, and remember to look after and love yourself!
Riley