“I’m not bikini ready”, a common statement heard amongst new and seasoned spa-goers. It’s a duty amongst the spa community to break down the idea that you should have 10% body fat to feel good in a bikini, and instead visit the spa to feel good within yourself.
So, how exactly do we get here? With body confidence! We’ve partnered with Laura Ferry, of What Laura Loves, an expert in body confidence and inspiring others to be the best version of themselves, to share our top tips on gaining body confidence…
Show your body gratitude
Showing your body gratitude is the first step to becoming confident within yourself. Your body is your home, and it’s easy to forget all of the amazing things it does for us to experience life. The legs we have to walk, mouth we have to speak with, and a heart that beats. A good practice of gratitude is to physically thank and be compassionate to your body for holding you, accepting you and keeping you alive. Some simple ways to show your body gratitude:
– Exercise to keep your heart and body healthy – not to punish your body or put it under strain
– Be gentle, meditate, practise yoga to bridge the body and mind connection and tune into self
– Pamper yourself to feel the psychical connection with your body; a self-massage, body stretch or a bath with rose and lavender oil are great ways to do this
Practise self-love
Self-love can come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, either from running yourself a bubble bath or doing something that supports your mental health and makes you feel good, like spending time with friends. It’s also listening to your body and not ignoring its needs, so if you have been feeling like life has been moving at 100mph, it’s a sign to slow down and relax, in your own special way. How can I listen to my body and practise self-love?
– Keep a journal to write down how you have been feeling, and reflect upon your notes to identify common themes to identify which actions to take
– Every day, write down 5 things about your body that you’re grateful for
– Feed your body nutritious and healthy foods that make it thrive
– Exercise to keep healthy
– Slow down when you need to
Focus on the bigger picture
The more space you make for negative self-talk, the less space you’ll have for positive self-talk. The objective is to speak so positively about your body that it floods the space and leaves no room for negativity. Focus on being the person that has only love for their body, and you’ll see this appreciation ripple through all of your relationships too. You’ll find new and exciting ways of loving people and things because you’ve already mastered love from within.
Give yourself a break
This is your body and your life, so really, you should be the last person to give yourself a hard time. It’s time to liberate yourself, own what you have, work towards being the best version of yourself, and you’ll feel 100 times better than you ever have.
Check out What Laura Love’s Instagram highlight where she talks about body confidence at the spa and reveals her top tips and advice. Explore our spa offers here.
