Within the realm of human self-esteem lurks a powerful element called body-esteem. I simply define it as "how one feels within one's own body." If you feel good within your skin, then you have a high level of body esteem. If you don't feel good, or are constantly unhappy or unsatisfied with your body, then your body-esteem is off, and it will indeed affect your self-esteem.
Of course, there is more to life than having a great body, and "having a great body" is all a matter of perspective anyway. In my experience, the women who often struggle to have a great body, to fit into a media "norm" of what the perfect female should look like, often have the biggest struggle of all when it comes to having self-esteem of any kind.
America is going on 5 decades of Twiggy/Barbie media images for women, and sadly, some women are still trying to disappear, become too thin, taking on a psychologically unhealthy "insignificance," (yo-yo dieting, bulimia, anorexia) in order to "fit in." The flip side of this tragedy is that many women realize early on that they will never fit in to this skewed, contrived media image of the perfect female, so why even bother. This internal dialogue opens the door to the other extreme dotting our American landscape of low body and self-esteem: inactivity, poor eating habits, diabetes, disease, and obesity.
True power is internal. If you are happy, and coming from a place of self-satisfaction and self-love, then you are free of "want," and your body will respond to the beautiful activities and organic food that you choose to fuel yourself with---from a standpoint of, "I want to feel and be healthy," rather than, "I want to be thin." If people want things for the wrong reasons, the Universe often does us a favor by not obliging.
Balance Your Life With ActivityBalancing your life with activity is a start, and I recommend cardio, strength, and relaxation in equal parts---and getting outdoors as often as possible, maximizing your energy, giving your body the chance to really move and breathe.
The more proactive you are, the more powerful you become, and the more your mind clears away the negative dialogue. By feeding yourself health (activity, organic real food 4-6 times/day…for a healthy meal plan and true organic movement, try Scott's Discover Tai Chi for Weight Loss DVD) your choices of unhealthy (lethargy, boxed nutrient-less foods, meal-skipping) will quickly disappear.
If you are frantically looking for a quick-fix set of moves or the perfect diet, then you are really not in your truth, definitely not in your power, and you are seeking, searching, rather than tuning in to what is or what can be---like the song "looking for love in all the wrong places," you are looking for health in all the wrong places, and your journey needs to begin with going inside to see what is going on psychologically with you. (For a confidence booster, try Scott's Tangerine Green guided meditation)
Your Body Responds To What You Think And What You DoPower and confidence are beautifully contagious too. When you feel good, or if you see someone who feels good (and consequently looks great too), take note, and begin to steer yourself toward those healthy feelings, images, and attitudes-and definitely compliment the person to keep that positive energy afloat.
Your body responds to what you think and what you do, and on that multidimensional note, that harmonious body/mind chord, I open the door for you to let go of media images, self-imposed pressures, and quick-fix panic-ridden solutions. Let go, be active, eat well and often, and relax into your true power---and keep me posted!
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