Having a negative view of yourself can affect your behaviour in many unhelpful ways. For example, you might:

• avoid social situations
• not speak your mind
• not feel confident to express your uniqueness through styles of clothing or hair
• avoid activities and/or sports that expose your body

There can be many reasons that you might not feel comfortable with your body. Understanding that ...

• the media significantly influences our perceptions and standards of physical beauty – they often portray super thin, taller than average women with perfect complexions and perfect bodies. It is simply unrealistic for most people to look like this!
• it can take time to adjust to the body changes that occur as a natural part of puberty
• it is normal to feel awkward and to become fixated on imperfections particularly during adolescence
• it is common to want to portray your own unique look and style but also "fit in" and be accepted by your peers, but this isn’t always easy to do
• beauty has many definitions
• people come in all shapes and sizes
• the majority of people don’t look like models
• even models have had a lot of assistance to achieve their look – many of the images that are portrayed in magazines and commercials have been digitally modified to enhance models’ appearance
• no one is perfect

... can help you set realistic expectations for yourself when it comes to your body. And you might find it helpful to:

• focus on the aspects of your face and body that you like and then accentuate these
• be yourself when you are choosing clothes and accessories – people will admire you for expressing the real you
• choose a hair style that is compatible with your type of hair and that you can manage
• accept compliments without debating the issue or dismissing the comment – just say "Thank you"
• maintain an active lifestyle and a healthy body weight

Check out our nutrition and exercise sections for more information that can help you with your body image.