Men and women alike can face body image issues starting as young as their early teens. There are some people who’ll outgrow those insecurities, while others may struggle with them well until their adult years. However, feeling uncomfortable in their own skin shouldn’t be the way anyone would live their life.

Here are five ways to comfortable and proud in your own skin:

1. Take Care Of Your Body

One of the best ways to begin feeling comfortable in your own skin is to make sure you’re taking care of your body. This can mean one of many different things, such as:

  • Exercise daily: It’s recommended to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. This exercise can come in many forms, from walking, running, joining an exercise class, joining a gym, and lifting weights. Not only can exercise make you feel better simply by the release of dopamine and endorphins in your brain, but, ultimately, it can alter your body in such a way that you begin to feel comfortable in your own skin.
  • Focus on your diet: Eating foods that make your body feel better instead of worse is hugely important. This can mean cutting out processed foods and fast food, and, instead, consuming more fruits and vegetables. Different kinds of diets can work for different people, including keto, paleo, vegetarian, etc.
  • Incorporate meditation: Making time to meditate every day can provide peace and balance within your life, which will likely promote overall health. Meditation can also help create a sense of calm throughout the day that can aid in managing medical conditions, both physical and mental.

Taking care of your body can also include undergoing cosmetic surgery as it leads to the following benefits:

  • Improves self-esteem
  • Can make exercise easier
  • Provides you with added motivation

While surgical solutions aren’t always the best solutions out there, in many cases, the likes of rhinoplasty and endoscopic breast augmentation can increase your self-esteem. However, when considering these kinds of surgeries, it’s best to be sure you truly want them for yourself and aren’t being pressured to do so by others.

2. Take Care of Your Mind

Taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body. If you can take control of your mind, especially your negative thoughts, you can begin to courageously face and eventually topple down the insecurities you feel about your own body.

How to feel comfortable in your own skin

You can take care of your mind by:

  • Writing in a journal
  • Reading self-help books
  • Making time for yourself
  • Meditating
  • Taking a break from technology and social media
  • Ensuring you’re getting enough sleep

3. Consult A Therapist

If it feels as though you can’t take care of your mental health on your own, don’t be afraid to ask for help. This can be as simple as speaking with a friend. But, even more, speaking to a therapist can be a huge help, and it doesn’t have to be expensive.

These days, you can get the therapy you need while on a budget by:

  • Sliding scale therapists
  • Free/low-income therapy
  • Therapy apps
  • Support groups

4. Block Out Other People’s Negativity

Caring too much about what other people think can be detrimental to your mental health, as well as create many unnecessary insecurities. You should never let someone else’s words determine how you feel about yourself, but, of course, this is easier said than done.

Keeping these things in mind can help you block out the negativity of others:

  • Negative comments people make about you are more a reflection of themselves.
  • Remove sources of negativity as soon as you can.
  • Only trust the opinion of your closest families and friends—the ones who want the best for you.
  • You can’t change how others feel, but you can change how you feel about yourself.
  • Be true to you, not other people.

Blocking out the negativity of others is another difficult task, but it’s not impossible if you make the conscious effort to do so each and every day. And, when you accomplish this, you’ll have a much better time accepting yourself and the skin you’re in.

5. Surround Yourself With Positivity

Just as you should remove the negativity from your life, you should add positivity to it. This can be done simply by surrounding yourself with the kind of people who’ll accept you for who you are and not try to change you, or tell you that you aren’t good enough. This will not only bring more positivity into your life, but it will give you the opportunity to be yourself and feel comfortable doing so because those around you allow it.

Conclusion

Feeling comfortable in your own skin can mean different things to different people. Some will seek comfort through exercise and healthy eating, other’s through surgeries, and some will focus more on reaching optimal mental health. No matter how you choose to do it, if the goal is to feel comfortable in your own skin, the tips above can certainly be of help.