Seven Ways to Kickstart Your Body Confidence Journey

 Loving your body seems like such a simple concept, but it's one that so many of us find so challenging that it can seem nearly impossible.

I believe that the equestrian world, as wonderful a place as it is, can be a place of judgement, body shaming and confidence bashing. Now, I'm not necessarily talking about other people body-shaming you, but instead, body shaming yourself.

For example, I wasn't blessed with slender thighs, which made growing up in white breeches difficult. I remember looking at other girls in Pony Club wishing I had little skinny thighs and elegant calves; even today, I still catch myself doing it. But just because my thighs are bigger doesn't mean I'm a less capable rider or I don't deserve to wear white breeches, it simply means that everyone is unique, and no two bodies are the same.

Over the years, I've learned to accept my thunder thighs; they keep me standing in my stirrups around a cross country course, they help me box jump onto the highest box at the gym and boss dead-lifts with large weights. They help me push up steep hills when I'm out running, and they even catch all the biscuit crumbs I drop while having my cuppa - saves on the hoovering, am I right?!

 Don't be fooled it's taken me a while to get here, and there are still days when I put on an outfit and don't have the confidence to wear it, so it ends up back in the wardrobe. It's a work in progress, but here are a few of my top tips on how to begin the process of loving your body:

 
1. Cut yourself some slack and commit to being kind to yourself. This one is half the battle. Once I realised that the perfect bodies we see on Instagram and our favourite Netflix shows aren't the norm (or every real sometimes, #filter), I could commit to accepting a more realistic body shape for myself. Finding that first mindset shift is the most challenging part, I think.

2. Stop thinking that looking a certain way or being a certain weight will make you happy. I've always run with the narrative that "if I weighed a stone less, I would be happy with myself" but honestly, what a waste of time. I am valuable and fabulous and loveable and successful at the weight I am, and trust me, so are you. 

3. Stop comparing yourself to others. Just because whats-her-face over there on the gorgeous bay looks like a supermodel in her breeches doesn't necessarily mean that she's happier in her body than you. Concentrate on what you love about YOURSELF and forget about what other people look like.

4. Acknowledge parts of your body which you love. Focusing on positives instead of negatives will naturally build your self-esteem. Look in the mirror and tell yourself what you love about yourself, or, if you can't quite bring yourself to say them out loud just yet, jot them down in a notepad or on your phone. Re-read them when you are having a down day. 

5. Cleanse your social media. If following an individual or celebrity makes you feel bad about yourself, then hit the unfollow button. Find people that look like you, share your energy and who promote self-love. For me, this has been a huge turning point in loving myself. 

 
6. Find an exercise that makes you feel good. If going to the gym intimidates you and makes you feel worse about yourself, don't do it; instead, find an activity that you enjoy. Ask a friend if they will come out for a power walk with you or find an online dance class on youtube. Working out to lose weight can be soul-destroying, but working out to boost endorphins and promote self-love will be soooo much more enjoyable. 

7. Don't deny yourself little things that make you happy. They say that "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels", but honestly, chocolate cake and prosecco make me happier than being a size six ever could—end of story. 

The older I get, the more important learning to love myself has become. It's not about what others think, how many likes I get on my selfies or what size is on the label of my leggings; it's about how I FEEL in my skin, and it's my mission to feel fabulous every single day. Join me, won't you?

 
Keep being unstoppable, 

Sarah x