Allie Morgan – Writer & Cancer Survivor

We beat ourselves up big time because of how we look & how we feel in our body & it’s not healthy to be criticising ourselves in this way. 

This week, I wanted to give you a few things you can start doing to move towards accepting your body.

Let’s get straight into it.

Stop comparing yourself to others

The very first thing you need to do is stop comparing yourself to others. Just stop. Because the reality is we all have completely different bodies. Mine is different to yours. Yours is different to the next person’s. 

Social media is a big thing here – it’s so easy to hop on, see someone with the body we want & immediately, we start to feel bad about ourselves. The truth is, even if you’re following someone as an inspiration to get fit, your body is never going to be exactly the same as theirs because we’re all unique.

What we need to be doing instead is appreciating our own bodies rather than craving someone else’s. What I suggest you do is follow people who make you feel good about yourself – people who ooze positivity and good vibes. Crowd out the things that make you feel bad with the things that make you feel good.

Notice that everyone has a different structure to their body, different genetics, lifestyles, everyone has different metabolisms. Everyone is different. You literally can’t compare because you are so unique.

Spend time with yourself

It’s only when you spend time with yourself that you start to connect more with your body and develop a deeper appreciation for it. We sometimes rush through life and don’t give our bodies the attention they deserve.

I started seeing a Trager practitioner called Lynn last year & he really helped me to see my body in a new light. He draws attention to the way that we hold ourselves because we have all the stress of life on us but he also said to me – ‘remember that all the different parts of your body love it when you give them some attention because quite often, we neglect them.’ 

What I always say is to get a nice, rich moisturiser, especially if you’ve been in hospital – it’s so luxurious to get a lovely moisturiser for sensitive skin after you’ve been under the air con for so long. Just spend time nourishing your skin with it. Don’t just chuck it on – give yourself a little massage while you’re doing it. 

Or find a body scanning meditation on an app or on YouTube – that can help you become aware of your body & just spend time being in it, rather than doing all the time.

Choose clothes that make you feel good

I remember when I was in uni & I used to squeeze myself into size 8 jeans, just to say that I was wearing size 8 jeans. It was SO uncomfortable. Why did I do that? 

There are clothes that I really love to wear – I love big sleeves, I love floral patterns and floaty dresses. I love 70s fashion. It’s only really in the last few years that I’ve discovered what I love & what makes me feel good.

Clothes are the way we express ourselves to the world & if you don’t feel good in what you’re wearing, it can have a big effect on your confidence. So experiment a little, find clothes that really make you feel like you can take on the world and wear them.

Another tip I would give if you’re in hospital or you spend a lot of time at home is to get out of your pyjamas if you can and into some clothes – just to have that differentiation between the two can help you give you more motivation for the day ahead.

Be thankful for your scars

I like to think of my scars as a tattoo of my life experience. I don’t actually have any proper tattoos but I have three scars from my Hickman line & my surgery on my leg. 

You might have seen this quote on social media before but I love it – ‘your scars are just a sign that you were stronger than whatever tried to hurt you.’

I don’t really like using words like ‘strong’ & ‘brave’ to describe cancer survivors because it kind of makes cancer sound like a battle & only the brave & strong make it out. Personally, I think it’s more a game of chance & luck but I do like that quote because I think it helps you to see your scars in a different light.

I’m so grateful for my scars because they’re the reason I’m still here and typing this to you right now.

Get to know your scars, take good care of them and try not to shy away from them. They’re just another conversation starter, if nothing else.

Talking to yourself positively

The way you speak to yourself is so, sooo important.

We can be our own worst critic and it’s horrible. It comes from experiences you’ve had in your life that make you feel inferior or insecure in your body.

So whenever you find yourself thinking negatively, just say ‘Nope’ – say it out loud, see how it feels to just shut those thoughts down and change your negative thought for a positive one. What would you say to a friend if they were saying this stuff about themselves? 

Use affirmations to actively keep your mind focused on the positive things you love about yourself, instead of focusing on the negative ones.

Look after yourself properly

Look after every aspect of yourself – physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally.

Try to do one thing each day for each element.

Spend time creating, working out, meditating, talking about stuff with your friend. Just spend 10 minutes a day building this in to your routine and it will help you to start loving your body again.

Do you have any more tips? Drop them below.

Allie x