Body image issues are the covert underminer for many women. No matter how successful we become, how smart and skilled we know we are ⎯ or even how presentable and polished we look ⎯ there will often be that little voice in our head criticising an aspect of our appearance.
Research on body image issues
Research has proved time and again that our body images of ourselves are often distorted. Our inner critic tends to falsify and amplify whatever we’re fixated on as flaws.
But even knowing the body image issues research, it seems we are still victim to the unattainable ideals held up by advertising ⎯ and the fear-mongering of the lucrative diet, cosmetics and plastic surgery industries. This has apparently become a growing maelstrom of body image issues that prompts women to unhealthy and invasive measures just to present the ‘right’ body image.
University of Technology in Sydney researcher Lesley Parker writes that it is becoming more common for women to have plastic surgery before a job interview. “The perception is that it is not enough to be qualified… they must also have the ‘right’ image”.
But to what extent do these ideas about having the “right image” undermine a woman’s idea and image of themselves?
In the business world, the way a company, and its employees present themselves shows to the world how seriously and professionally they see themselves and how they want the outside word to see them as well.
But this does not mean that companies are immune to what Parker called ‘lookism’ body image issues ⎯ “the subconscious or deliberate preference given to people with the ‘right’ body image – or the impact of the perception that there’s preferential treatment, real or otherwise”.
Parker goes on to note that research has been conducted by Dr Jennie Small from the UTS’s Business School and Candice Harris from the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, which “…looked at the portrayal of staff in online promotional videos from 28 major hotels in Sydney”, with Small’s and Harris’s research found that “The images in the videos were overwhelmingly of slim to average sized workers…”
What are we missing when we try and present or aspire to a ‘cookie-cutter’ idea of what people should look like? We’re ignoring the fact that a person’s abilities and intelligence are not chained to their body shape any more than they’re tied to their eyelash length/thickness (so ditch those eyelash extensions… you just look silly at work).
Yes, grooming is important in the corporate world. But good grooming sends the message that you care about your professional standards, are organized and competent.
How to get rid of body image issues
According to psychologists, body image is a cognitive, conscious or unconscious perception that an individual has of his or her body. This perception is built throughout development, through their social relationships. A person satisfied with their body image has good self-esteem, whereas a person dissatisfied with their body has negative body image issues. This perception can include negative perceptions about your weight, skin color, ethnicity or physical development.
Factors that influence body image
The perception of body image issues can be influenced by several factors, including:
1. Fashion industry
Every day when turning on the television or accessing the internet, an individual is bombarded by perfect bodies, worshiped by the fashion industry.
By comparing the bodies displayed by these advertisements with their body image, this individual ends up allowing himself to be influenced, altering his perception of himself and others, creating body image issues.
2. Sports community
In general, athletes display lean, muscular bodies. Wanting to reproduce this pattern can cause a person to start doing things that end up harming their health.
3. Media
Movies, music, and magazines, as well as social media , influence a person’s view of themselves. This influence starts to have an effect when you are young and continues to have an effect throughout your life.
Learn to love your body and improve your self-esteem
1. Appreciate what your body can do
According to psychologists , you need to appreciate your body as it is. Smile, run, kiss, hug, love. Find happiness by being who you really are.
2. List the things you like most about yourself
These things shouldn’t be related to your body image. Make a list of your strengths and add more items to the list as you remember what you like about yourself.
As you make this list, remember that true beauty is not on the surface. You have to feel good about yourself and work on self-acceptance. According to psychologists , beauty is a state of mind.
3. Look at yourself as a complete person
When looking in the mirror, don’t focus on specific parts of your body. See yourself as others must see you, as a complete being.
4. Surround yourself with people who make you feel good
It’s easier to feel good about yourself when you’re surrounded by people who support and love you as you really are.
5. Don’t be critical of yourself
Don’t let yourself get down on the days you’re not feeling your best, when you feel like you’re not as good as you’d like. Don’t criticize yourself whenever you look in the mirror. Remember: beauty is everywhere and in people of different shapes and sizes.
6. Take a break from social media
Social media is full of unreachable body images, which can make you anxious . Delete from your social media pages everything that doesn’t do you good, that makes you feel uncomfortable with yourself and your body.
7. Do something you like to do
Take a bubble bath, change your haircut, go to a party, take a walk outside, buy a new shoe. Do something that makes you really happy.
8. Dress for yourself
Wear comfortable clothes that make you feel good. Don’t wear clothes and shoes that make you uncomfortable. Dress for yourself and not for others.
Conclusion
You do not have to be a wafer-thin waif to convince us that you’re a good business woman. And as long as you’re healthy, you should not ⎯ ever ⎯ castigate yourself, starve yourself, or put yourself under the surgery knife to change your body image. All you need to change is your view of your image.
These tips will make you improve your self-esteem and improve your body image issues. Of course, this won’t change overnight, but the more you experiment with new patterns, the better you’ll feel about yourself.
We ascribe to the motto: healthy at any shape, not thin at any price. Go look at a few Renaissance paintings and classical sculptures of women. And then look in the mirror and smile and leave your body image issues behind.
