SHOW YOUR BODY SOME LOVE TODAY

The secret to self-acceptance is taking simple steps to reconnect with yourself, says Bethan Rose Jenkins

Steps to self-acceptance

BE BODY GRATEFUL

Challenge the habit of comparing yourself with others negatively by having a conscious conversation with your body. Hypnotherapist Chloe Brotheridge, author of Brave New Girl: Seven Steps To Confidence, advises considering five things you are grateful to your body for, rather than focusing on perceived flaws. ‘Having gratitude for the things your body allows you to do and how it makes you feel is a powerful reminder of what truly matters,’ she says. Start small, such as, ‘Thank you to my nose, which let me smell that stone-baked pizza.’ Recording our affirmations in a body journal can also help us check the language we attach to our bodies and track how our feelings evolve.

BREATHE TACTICALLY

Controlled breathing techniques offer a shortcut to simultaneously calming your body and slowing your mind. Begin by breathing in for four seconds, hold for four, exhale for another four and then hold for four seconds again, before repeating the cycle. This ‘box breathing’ technique (you can imagine tracing the four sides of a box as you move through the four steps), which is used by yogis and the US military alike, can help you re-centre yourself through the careful, measured use of your breath.

GIVE YOURSELF AN ORGASM

Taking self-love literally, masturbating can help nurture your relationship with your body. According to Laura Holland, author of Your Beutiful Body, reaching orgasm releases tension and flushes stress hormones, such as cortisol, from your body. The NHS even advocates orgasm to help maintain heart health, as sexual arousal increases heart rate.

MASSAGE YOURSELF

For Brotheridge, giving yourself a soothing body massage is a fabulous way to relax because it’s all ‘about getting away from what your body looks like and focusing on how it feels’. With self-massage, the feeling comes through both the sensation of being touched and the act of touching. During, or just after, a bath or shower, spend five minutes gently massaging up your body, starting from the soles of your feet. You may wish to incorporate essential oils to heighten the feeling of relaxation. Holland also recommends working castor oil around the stomach and lower abdomen, as this may help to relieve bloating and water retention.

MOVE MINDFULLY

Emerging wellness techniques such as sophrology (a form of ‘dynamic meditation’ or moving while being mindful) and other yoga-orientated practices help a racing mind concentrate through movement. Anxiety can lead to physical tension, but controlled, stamina-building exercises can allow us to rebalance our bodies and stop busy thoughts. Engaging other senses with music or visual stimulation can further help to immerse us in the process and energise our bodies, while still releasing physical tension.

Join us at Red Smart Women Week on 5th October for Frame’s Elton John Yin and Yang yoga with Emily Mergaert. To book, visit smartwomenweek.co.uk