Time: 20 mins

Outcome:

Learn the importance of being ‘true to you’ and not being defined by other people’s standards.

You will need:

• A pen / pencil & a piece of paper.
• Access to a magazine / mobile phone.

What is beauty? What does the perfect body look like? How can I achieve perfect beauty?

These are questions we have all asked ourselves from time to time. How can I look more like her? What do I have to do to look like him?

Everyone compares themselves to others now and again, but how do we stop?

On a daily basis we are surrounded and influenced by thousands of pieces of information; from what we hear, watch, listen to and see we are constantly bombarded by other people’s thought’s and opinions of beauty.

In amongst all of that, do you ever stop to discover your own?

Open your phone or magazine, and flick through it. After returning to the beginning, ask yourself these questions taking note of your answers:

• What is the first thing you notice?
• How long does it take you to find an article or photo that judges someone’s looks?
• How many articles speak about someone being ‘beautiful’?
• What features do all the ‘models’ have in common?

Now, ask yourself these questions:

• What do you think is beautiful about the pictures featured in the magazine?
• If you were to write an article based on one of the photos, what would you say?
• What characteristics of the ‘models’ do you see in yourself?
• How do you think the people featured in the magazine feel about themselves?

Compare the two lists of answers. Was it easier to find positive or negative information?

More often than not, the information we are surrounded by is negative, judging people for their height, weight, and features, yet these are not what makes a person beautiful. Beauty is their individuality, their uniqueness, their personal sense of style. Each and every person across the world is beautiful in their own way, yet they will have been made to feel so much less than that at one point in their lives.

Beauty is our differences. Beauty is our personalities. Beauty isn’t our shape or size.

Next time you think you aren’t beautiful, ask yourself whose standards are making you feel that way. Walk out the door with confidence, because beauty is you.

At a glance:

• Learn to love yourself from the inside out!
• Start to recognise the positives through looking at your own reflection and realising your own potential.

You will need:

• A mirror,
• Post It Notes / Paper
• A Pen or Pencil.

Thinking positively about yourself and your body is not easy. It is something that everyone struggles with from time to time, but it is really important. It takes practice but reminding yourself about what you are capable of and what you love about yourself is a great way to build your self-esteem and confidence.

For the next 20 minutes, you are going to think about your strengths, what you like about yourself and what you are proud of yourself for achieving.

Go and sit in-front a mirror. Mirrors are reflectors and for this activity, it will only be able to reflect back positive messages or attributes that you write down.

Get out post it notes or paper and a pen / pencil. Think about your strengths. What are you good at? What can you do, that no else can? Write down 5 strengths and stick them to the mirror.

Now think about yourself. What do you like? What pieces of your personality are you proud of? What aspects of your physical appearance do you like? Write down 7 things and stick these to the mirror.

Lastly, have a think about what you are proud of. What have you achieved that makes you proud? What have you done that you didn’t think you could do? Write down 3 things and stick them to the mirror.

Step back.

Look at the mirror. Look at all of the positive things about you that you like and are proud of! One by one, read out each of the statements.

Ask yourself:

• How did it feel to be positive?
• Why is it good to practice thinking about and saying what you like about yourself?

People with high self-esteem feel good about themselves and tend not take other people’s negative thoughts of them too seriously. People with lover self-esteem find it more difficult to recognise their strengths and often have a negative impression of themselves making it easier to take other people’s opinions more seriously than they should. Which sounds more like you?

Whichever category you find yourself in, it is important to remind yourself of your strengths and everything you are good at. Take off the notes from the mirror and place these in places around the house where you will see them often, for example next to a plug or a light-switch. Every-time you read them, remind yourself of this activity and everything you wrote down.

Be your own best friend and be true to you! Be proud of who you are and don’t try to be anyone else, as you are perfect as you are.