A lot of pressure is put on us by social media and the general media to look a certain way. This causes many of us to become self-conscious about parts of our appearance that we see as ‘flaws’.
Some of us try to obsessively conceal these flaws by always wearing heavy make-up, dressing in concealing clothing, imposing ourselves in a certain way or editing photos of ourselves. In other cases, we may even hold ourselves back from certain activities such as going to the gym or going swimming because we’re insecure about the way we look.
This behaviour is not good for our mental health (and in some cases our physical health). By learning to be less self-conscious about your appearance, you could live life more freely and be happier. Ironically, you may even find that being less self-conscious about your appearance makes you more attractive! Below are just a few tips on how to be less self-conscious.
Stop taking so many selfies
Constantly looking at yourself in the mirror or taking photographs of yourself can make you more conscious of how you look. Learn to not look at your reflection so often and start focusing on the world externally. Start taking more photos of your surroundings rather than photos of yourself. You could even challenge yourself to go an entire day without looking at yourself. Once you stop caring about how you look in a certain situation, you can start enjoying the moment more.
Take pride in your best parts
We all have parts of our bodies that we are proud of - or at least parts of our bodies that we don’t mind. Focus on accentuating your best parts rather than trying to conceal your worst parts. This could be anything from the colour of your eyes to a tattoo that you’re proud of.
Invest in your hygiene and health
If you're interested in getting straight teeth, check out this dentist near me Oakland. Instead of focusing on superficial beauty treatments, prioritise spending money on your health and your hygiene. For example, instead of trying to use tricks to whiten your teeth, improve your dental hygiene and consider reducing bad habits that are discolouring your teeth such as smoking or eating lots of candy. Some procedures can improve hygiene and health while altering the way you look such as getting braces - having straight teeth could make brushing your teeth easier, allowing you to look after your teeth better. This is ultimately better in the long run than investing in temporary tooth whitening kits.
Wear clothes that make your comfortable
A lot of us put up with uncomfortable clothes to hide certain aspects of our bodies such as shapewear that smooths our tummy or push-up bras. Putting yourself through pain to improve your appearance is likely not making you feel any better. Try switching to clothing that makes you feel comfortable - you may find that such clothing helps you both physically and mentally ‘loosen up’ in social situations.
Try going make-up free once in a while
Do you wear heavy make-up almost every day? Regularly wearing make-up is not good for our skin, plus it can take a lot of time to apply. By going make-up free, you’ll help your skin to breathe and save yourself time in the morning. You can also learn to appreciate your natural self more. Start by wearing no make-up on days when you don’t plan to go out or try wearing minimal make-up such as eye-shadow and nothing else. Eventually,y you can make the shift to no make-up. You can still incorporate skin products like moisturiser and lip balm into your morning routine - unlike make-up, these are good for your skin and don’t serve to conceal your features.