How I Overcame Body Image Issues Using These 4 Tips

Over the past years, I’ve received hundreds of comments and messages on my Instagram page regarding body image issues:

“I’m insecure because of my height,” one says.

“I’m really embarrassed about my short legs and long torso,” says another.

We live in a society where we celebrate unrealistic ideals of how our physical appearances should look like. With the constant bombardment of social media culture, maintaining a healthy body image has become increasingly difficult. As a result, many individuals experience eating disorders, depression, and anxiety that could be both mentally and physically damaging.

Certain industries, such as modeling or ballet, are notorious for its negative body perceptions. But body image issues, it seems, are not only common among dancers or young women but among business professionals as well.   

Back when I was in business consulting, I encountered executives who held back their true potentials because of their body image insecurities. One young gentleman confessed to me that he worries that he is “too short to be an executive”. It turns out that his negative body image was making him insecure which had an impact on his authority and leadership skills.

I quickly realized that body image issues are ubiquitous and that so many of us are deeply affected by it. If the issue is not taken care of, negative body image can have long-lasting harmful effects on both our physical and mental state.

So how can we embrace what makes us who we are and live fulfilling lives?

My Personal Experience

Before I tell you to do this or do that, let me tell you my story. I’ve been there too.

Back in 2014, as I was in my final ballet school years, I was crushed.

Some combination of being a 16-year old dancer, trying to find a job, having a perfectionist ballet teacher, and staring at yourself in the mirror wearing see-through white leotards and pink tights for a nightmarish 8 hours a day, led me to some pretty dark moments.

In fact, I was so harsh on myself that I danced for days without eating.

Eventually, I stopped drinking water because I felt that it bloated me. (I’m grateful and lucky not to have collapsed. Please do not copy as it is highly dangerous. Get help from your local doctor, mental health professional, or nutritionist.)

Like many others who develop body image issues, I had high anxiety as well.

It took me a total of about three years to fully recover but today, I’m able to cherish my physicality.

I’ve learned how it feels to be (more or less) confident in your own skin. Ever since this dark period, I do not weigh myself nor do I ever count calories. I eat when I’m hungry and I eat what I want (usually, that’s cookies and chocolate.)  I do this deliberately. Nothing, not even ballet, is more important than my health. Now I understand that first and foremost I am a human being, then a woman, and only then am I a dancer.

The same can be said for others who also struggle with body image. Societal perception is temporary while our minds and bodies are with us for a lifetime.

There are certainly various reasons why someone might struggle with body image. Too tall, too short, too heavy, too skinny, too curvy, too flat… the list is never-ending. The common grounds, however, are either internal pressure (such as perfectionism or lack of confidence) or external pressure (such as social media or being a ballet dancer or model, as in my case). Sometimes it’s both.

So what can we do to cope with the situation? Here are 4 tips that have helped me with overcoming body image issues.

4 Tips If you’re Struggling with Body Image

Tip 1: Determine why you’re unhappy with your body

In order to improve our own perceptions, we must get to the root causes of why we are dissatisfied with our body image. Although we may not believe so, our negative body image may only be the tip of the iceberg. Your dissatisfaction may be stemming from other causes, such as insecurity. If so, the root causes of your body image issues must be addressed first. Otherwise, we are only providing band-aid-like solutions. So take a minute now to really ask yourself why you aren’t happy with your body.

Tip 2: Limit Social Media Use

Now that you’ve asked yourself why you are unhappy with your body, it’s time to assess the causes. Are there certain activities you do that reinforce this negative perception?

For example, social media can have a big impact on our self-esteem because we are exposed to carefully crafted images of idealized bodies. In fact, a 2018 research found that the more time you spent on social media, the more likely you were to feel worse about yourself.

That’s bad news for all of us especially because social media is so dominant in our lives. (Surely I’m not the only one checking Facebook or Instagram before even getting out of bed, am I?)

If you feel that social media is having a negative effect on your body image, take a break or unfollow certain accounts that do not make you feel good. That way, you’ll be able to decrease your vulnerability to body image issues.

Tip 3: Do something about it or learn to accept

If we are unhappy with our body image, we have two possibilities:

The first option is to do something about it. Depending on what exactly you are dissatisfied with, you may be able to work on it. For example, weight issues are challenging but have possibilities for improvement. Height, however, is most likely not (as in my case, I talk about that in tip 4).

The second option would be to learn to accept it. (I know, it’s easier said than done.) Our bodies are not perfect and there’s no need for them to be. Most importantly, however, it has to function. So if there is nothing you can do about your dissatisfaction, learn to accept it. You can do so by focusing on the positive aspects. Direct your attention to anything (big and small) that you are grateful for about your body.

Tip 4: Leverage Your Differences

We all have the tendency to be embarrassed about our differences especially if we are unhappy with our body image. However, it’s important to understand that your ‘flaws’ may be the unique qualities that differentiate you from others.

That was the case for me. For those of you who never met me in real person, you would probably be surprised to learn that I’m only about 5ft 1 (155cm).

In the ballet industry, where there are strict height restrictions, I lack a few good inches (or a cool 10 cm) in order to get audition invites. To grow taller, I did everything I could, from taking amino acids to falling for Grow-Taller-4-Idiots scams. (Obviously, none of it worked.)

“What we oftentimes believe to be our flaws, may actually be unique attributes that differentiate us from others.”

Because of my height, I struggled in my early ballet career to find a job. However, I made a constant effort and took on any opportunity that came along the way, no matter where it was. (Hence, the unconventional countries that I have danced in, such as Armenia, Kazakhstan, or Turkey).

But then something funny happened. My height (or lack of it), coupled with stage experience, eventually opened my door. All of a sudden, my height was not an issue anymore; it was an advantage because men could lift me easily. (My height also took an unexpected pivot in my modeling business later on because photographers found me to be a perfect tiny fit for their low-ceiling home photoshoots.)

As we can learn from my experience, what we oftentimes believe to be our flaws, may actually be unique attributes that differentiate us from others. So if you’re unhappy with your body image, don’t let that limit your thinking; be creative and come up with unique solutions to leverage your differences. That way, you’ll start to have a more positive self image.

Final Thoughts

In a society where we are constantly bombarded with unrealistic ideals of how our physical appearances should look, it’s especially important to take care of body perceptions. I hope my story and my tips help you to accept your body as well.

I wish you all the best!