• Do you feel good about yourself today?
  
• Do you feel that you fall short in any areas of your life?
  
• Do you put others up on pedestals and see them as better looking; more intelligent or more capable than you?
  
• Do you try to change your body to make yourself feel better? 

As a teenager and well into my twenties, my self-esteem was pretty shaky. At secondary school I was absolutely not the cool kid. I wore clumpy Clark’s shoes when white stilettos were the trend (with white socks of course!) Skirts were short and tight; shirts were long; hair was sprayed; dyed and voluminous, not in a good way! I looked with envy at my classmates for their freedom of expression; whilst simultaneously feeling too scared to rebel or stand out.  Back then, it was nothing to do with weight as I was always skinny and small as a teenager. But the comparisons with others greatly affected how I felt about myself. I was shy; a follower, not a leader. I was insecure. My worth was always calibrated in relation to those around me. Although I didn’t realise this then, it was an instant recipe for confusion, self-doubt and angst!
 
I grew up a bit. Externally, I became a bit cooler. Longer hair interestingly improved confidence. But then my body started to develop the curves of adolescence. I didn’t like it. I wasn’t even overweight, but I remember that it hit me out of the blue, I wanted to get thinner. Skinny was the goal.  I never thought that I would be one of the vulnerable ones when it came to concern about weight. But once on the treadmill, weight loss was suddenly a way to try and feel good; to be better at something than others; to put on the shield of thinness; perfection and escape vulnerability.
 
On the outside, things appeared better. On the inside, I was still the same insecure girl trying to hide it. I actually felt worse than ever. A complete fraud! Plus it wasn’t much fun restricting food. Cold, tired, shaky, food obsessed anyone?
 
 
 It took me a few more years to really grapple with the fact that.....

• Trying to change my weight or how I looked didn’t equate with self acceptance.
• Longing for a body shape that wasn’t realistic set me up for feeling miserable and constantly dissatisfied.  
• Comparing myself with others was fruitless; exhausting and destructive.
• People with good self-esteem were not always the slimmest or best looking. Confidence, charisma and self-assurance oozed from people who had this elusive feel-good factor.
• The only way through this was to begin to accept myself, warts and all. But how to begin?
  

 
It is certainly easier to achieve this if you have had it from childhood. I believe early experiences do shape our lives. Having early nurturing and great support from the adults closest to us can reap significant benefits for the long-term in how we feel about ourselves deep down. People often mistakenly think that some trauma must have happened if you feel bad inside. But often it is the little things that add up. School experiences; comparisons with siblings; mini knocks along the way that all can contribute to how you feel about yourself.
 
However, I do believe that anyone can improve their self-esteem at anytime. It is about making the decision to change. It is about giving yourself permission to be the best version of you.
 
 
Little steps to feeling better about you.
 

1. Stop comparing yourself with others. You are probably doing it much more than you realise. It is a waste of time and self-defeating.
2. Pay attention to the things that you do well; that you accomplish; that you achieve every single day.  Don’t give energy to focusing on your perceived inadequacies or short comings.
3. When you don’t achieve things; your day goes wrong; you mess up; you are still okay.
4. Beware of social media. You are only seeing a glimpse into someone else’s life. It is NOT the whole reality.
5. Take care of your body. Every. Single. Day.
6. Shine brightly and be the best version of yourself. 

Be inspired. What are you going to take from this today? Be brave, be bold and post below.
 
If you would like to get in touch about working with me to explore some of these issues further, I would love to hear from you. I am passionate about helping you to eat all the foods you love; and feel great about your body without disordered eating or dieting.
 
Best wishes
Harrietx