Ever heard the phrase “love the skin you’re in”?  It’s meant to be empowering; a call to confidence and acceptance of your body and self-image. But, feeling comfortable can be a challenge in today’s world of butt implants and Photoshop. But, how do you get comfortable in your own skin? How do you learn to love the bumps, blemishes, and birthmarks when the media tells you your shape and size is “wrong”?

If you’re like most of us, body image insecurities have lingered in your mind for a long, long time. The key to feeling more comfortable in your body is learning to fully accept ourselves — flaws and all. Of course, this is easier said than done, and it definitely doesn’t happen overnight. But, it is possible, and there are some practical steps you can take to kickstart your self love, and help you begin feeling more comfortable in your own skin:

Practicing self-care is probably the most important step you can take to begin feeling comfortable in your skin. When you prioritize things like getting enough sleep, eating nourishing meals, and participating in enjoyable activities, things will start looking up. Rather than focusing on how you look, focus on how you feel.

Fun self-care activities like yoga, meditation, being in nature, and getting enough sleep can help you feel more rested and relaxed. Taking up a new sport or exercise class can help you feel challenged and accomplished. Self-care means doing things that make you feel good in your body, not trying to manipulate it to look a certain way. This shift will help you appreciate your body for all it can do for you, not just how it looks.

Your body image can take a beating from the messages you get from the media. Photoshopped images in magazines and social media can skew your view of the average body and make you feel less-than. Stopping negative body image messages in the media is an ongoing battle, but you can control the conversation by limiting your exposure to these images and messages. If certain Instagram accounts make you feel bad about yourself, simply unfollow! Follow accounts like @aerie that are body positive, and on a mission to empower all women to love their true selves.

Your body image is also affected by your self-talk, since your thoughts feed your feelings and mood. With practice, you’ll naturally begin to think more positively about yourself, and this positivity will ripple outwards into the rest of your life. Does this mean you need self-talk to convince yourself you’re a 10/10? Nope, not at all. But, you can do away with thoughts like “I’m worthless”, or “I’m not good enough” just because you don’t look like a supermodel.

Positive self-talk can sound something like “I have value even though I don’t look like a supermodel” or “my friends and family love me unconditionally even though I’m not perfect.” and “I have a lot to offer, and that has nothing to do with how I look.” Because let’s get real, you DO have a lot to offer and you are worth SO much more than what you look like!

Along with positive self-talk, you can also become more aware of who you spend your time with. They say that we’re a product of our environment. Are your friends constantly complaining about their bodies, or picking apart their appearances? Do they encourage or contribute to your negative self-talk?

Ask them to stop, or set boundaries around how much time you spend with them. Surround yourself with people who talk positively about themselves (and others), and see their self-worth beyond their appearance. Those are the ones who will encourage and support you while you learn to feel more comfortable in your own skin!

It won’t always be easy, there’s a lot you can do to help boost your self-image and self-confidence. These are a few tried-and-true steps you can try to get more comfortable with the body you have. Because each and every one of us is beautiful, valuable, and has a lot to offer — regardless of what we look like. Love the skin you’re in!