Self-Love Affects your Mentality

Elizabeth Waters-Leiga, Staff Writer

We commonly hear about self-love and positive body image in the media; some would even say that it is sometimes glorified. But how does it truly affect us in our regular day to day lives?

In a day and age with so much pressure on both males and females to be a certain weight, it was found by dosomething.org’s campaign for healthy body image that 91% of people admitted to not being happy with their bodies.

It is no coincidence that according to the Body Image Therapy Center, an eating disorder treatment center, 50% of women and 37% of men turn to unhealthy habits to change their body, which results in more self-hatred and long-lasting mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety.

Constant thoughts tearing yourself down takes away from time you could be using to get work done, enjoy time with your friends, or simply living life with true confidence.

In a survey done by The Telegraph, it was found that women have negative thoughts about themselves in a physical or mental way 252 times a week. The constant comparisons you make between you and a classmate, teammate, or celebrity takes away from you appreciating yourself as an individual. Someone else’s pretty face does not take away from your unique take on beauty.

One of the Barbara Lee Health Center’s Program Managers, Atziri Rodriguez, explained that self-love is vital to living a happy life because no one is going to love or root for you more than you are.

Sometimes, you have been the biggest motivator for yourself. Using positive affirmations can help you get through a situation with less stress and self-deprecation. As Rodriguez said, “once you learn how to love yourself, you will be able to truly love others.”