Love your body, love yourself
Created by the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1997, the 10th annual celebration of Love Your Body Day, occurs this year on October 18. The very existence of this holiday points to a poignant fact about American life: Many women are deeply dissatisfied with their bodies.
Many images women compare themselves to are the combined result of cosmetic surgery, digital editing, false lighting and the fashion and beauty industry itself. That’s why it’s important to step back and appreciate yourself for who you are. Every woman’s path to self-esteem is different; here are a few thoughts that may encourage you.
Real beauty begins with radiant good health
People look better when they take better care of themselves. Getting enough rest, eating a healthy diet and exercising on a regular basis are the keys to good health.
Since part of loving your body is taking good care of it, be sure to include 3 servings of dairy in your daily meal plan. The vitamin A in milk and yogurt are great for your skin, and can help you have a healthy glow. Getting your 3-A-day of Dairy is also a key way to maintain a healthy weight. Plus, the combination of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D helps keep your bones healthy and strong for good posture.
“Inner beauty?”
The concept of inner beauty is a very attractive idea.
Then again, who says you have to focus on beauty at all? Maybe it’s more important to focus on developing your potential as a human being. Take a class, pick up a new skill or sport, start that business you’re passionate about, read the collected works of your favorite author or start a film club.
And, if you’re really committed to improving self-esteem, work with professionals in your neighborhood and develop a program to help mothers talk to their daughters about this very issue. One place to start is The Beauty Myth, by Naomi Wolf: author, Yale graduate and Rhodes Scholar.
Go to the source
Whatever you do to celebrate National Love Your Body Day, be sure to check out http://www.loveyourbody.org. You’ll find a generous helping of insight, tools and useful suggestions that can help you see through the mirror, past the mask, beneath the surface — to the real you.