Why aren’t I happy with my reflection?
Sometimes it can feel like we went to bed as one person and woke up as somebody else.
The way we feel about our bodies can impact on the way we feel in general. If you’re not feeling great about how you look, it might be because you’ve looked at other people, and your brain’s telling you that you don’t measure up.
But being attractive isn’t all about the way we look. We’re drawn to people (and they’re drawn to us) because of all sorts of things, from their sense of humour to the way they smell to their unique style – there’s a zillion things that a selfie can’t capture.
Rather than comparing yourself to others, or looking at what you don’t like, surprise yourself by picking out the things you’re proud of: what’s your favourite feature? What makes you unique? Our bodies are incredible triumphs of engineering. Focus on what your body can do, rather than how it looks.
You might have fast feet or fingers – perfect for sport, dancing, playing instruments or gaming. You might have hawk eyes that notice every little detail in someone’s outfit, or the chemistry between two people on a reality TV show. Maybe your ears are super sharp so you pick up all the emotion in someone’s voice. Or you might have lungs of steel that keep you going through cross-country in the winter, or swimming length after length.
Whatever it is, your body’s there to help you do the things you love. Cut it some slack from time to time!