It was revealed recently in the Dove 2010 global study The Real Truth About Beauty: Revisited that only 4% of women consider themselves beautiful. Jacqui O’Bree, an independent life coach from Johannesburg has some tips to help women realise how beautiful they are.
1. Focus on your beauty
- Write down five aspects of your body and face that are beautiful - don’t stop until you find at least five things!
- Share these five aspects with a friend, partner or colleague.
- Fully
appreciate these five aspects and love your body from head to toe.
2. Identify your uniqueness
- What about you makes you stand out?
- Ask a friend, partner or colleague "What makes me unique?"
- Write down what she/he says, keep it in your pocket, stick it on your bathroom mirror and read it every day.
- Silence your inner critic.
- Accept compliments without judgement.
- Celebrate
your own unique beauty.
3. Admire your inner beauty
- Consider your inner beauty - what do you think your best friend admires about you?
- What qualities and characteristics do you admire about yourself and are you most proud of?
- Write down at least five qualities and characteristics you are proud of.
- Your inner beauty and strength is reflected to those around you.
- Get in
touch with what makes you beautiful inside and remind yourself of those
qualities - realise
your full beauty potential.
4. Change the way you speak about yourself
- Words have incredible power in our lives, so stop criticising yourself.
- Change the
words you use to describe yourself to change how you think, feel and how you
live.
- Move on and forgive yourself.
- Let go of the memories, the pain and regrets that are holding you back from seeing how beautiful you really are.
- Be a kind and supportive friend to yourself.
- Treat yourself with compassion, understanding, love and support.
- Realise
that you really are beautiful.
"Together we can change how women see beauty," says Jacqui.
Join the Real Beauty conversation on facebook.com/dove, @DoveSouthAfrica #realbeauty
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Image of woman lying in flowers from Shutterstock.