Shared by Amber at ShineSheets.com

To feel comfortable in your own skin is such a beautiful trait! Yet don’t get confused – it’s not the same as being confident.

While it is very similar, it’s more about being ok with the way you are and accepting yourself completely.

It is a beautiful peace inside you and it doesn’t need to be shown to everyone around like confidence – it is yours only. A little treasure box inside your heart, filled with contentment and bliss.

But sometimes this box can get empty. For many reasons, big and small, you may find yourself not feeling comfortable in your own skin, or with who you are.

You may feel like you’re not fitting in. Or not good enough. Different. Late to achieve something. Insecure.

Well, the good news – these are all lies, and not because I want to create here some drama.

None of these are true because if you think well, there is no rule of what is right or wrong.

There is no rule of what is normal. The only thing we have is a feeling or intuition of what is “ok”. And we use it as a guide.

Sometimes this intuition becomes a belief of what you “must” do or be like.

We rarely question our own beliefs, so these sneaky little lies tend to infiltrate our mindset and create invisible barriers.

 

Little Sneaky Ways We Stop Feeling Comfortable In Our Own Skin

 

Believe it or not, we tend to do that so often, that we don’t even notice it anymore. Take a look at these examples.

 

1. Your friends are already having their first child and you’re not even married yet. You think you’re not good enough and that you’re late in life.

WRONG.

There is no rule that says you should be married by now.

There is no rule when you should be having a first baby (except the biological rule of fertile age).

 

2. Everyone around is working a “regular” 9 to 5 job. You hate it, but feel like you must do it too – “that’s the way to live” and your parents expect you to do that.

WRONG.

There are many ways to make a living and 9 to 5 jobs are only one of them.

There is no rule that says you should be doing the same thing people around you do.

 

3. You’re not obese, but you’re not fit either. It means you’re unhealthy and “not pretty”.

WRONG.

You don’t need to be size 0 to be healthy. A little weight, as long as it’s in a healthy range, is ok, and being beautiful is not only about the looks anymore.

You see, in order to feel comfortable in your own skin, you should ask yourself – am I trying to be someone I am not?

Am I trying to impress someone or meet someone else’s expectations?

Am I constantly comparing myself to others?

The moment you realize that there is no actual rule book of who, what, and when you need to do or be, it becomes a lot easier to accept, love, and support yourself the way you are.

This is your starting point.

 

How To Feel Comfortable In Your Own Skin

 

1. Take good care of yourself.

 

A great way to practice feeling comfortable in your own skin is by falling in love with your body and soul.

If you spend time taking care of yourself, and trying to be healthy inside and out, you will respect and simply like yourself more.

Eat clean, exercise, meditate and do things that are good for you. The better you feel, the more comfort comes with this effort.

These articles may help you with this step:

• 99 easy ways to improve your health
• 30 ways to calm down your mind
• A guide to self care basics – learn where to begin

 

2. Nourish your mind & spirit.

 

Smart books and nourishing books, self-improvement articles, and even poetry are all food to your soul.

The richer the soul, the less you’re impacted by this world and its demands, which can be pretty hard to meet.

Here are some great books that help you to feed your soul and help you feel comfortable in your own skin:

 

3. Discover yourself completely.

 

Are you comfortable with your closest friend, partner, or family relative?

If so, it’s probably because you know them very well.

Knowing yourself well can help you to feel comfortable in your own skin too.

How do I do that? – you may ask.

One of the ways is diving into a self-discovery journey.

If you don’t know what it is and need some guidance, check out the  “30 days to myself” – a self-discovery journal I designed for my own self-discovery and had beautiful results.

It’s a perfect way to explore your values and preferences, acknowledge your talents and victories + fall in love with yourself.

 

4. Stop caring about what other people think.

 

There will always be someone who doesn’t like you. Someone who judges you or even hates you…

While it is certainly unpleasant, it doesn’t matter to you if you don’t allow it to affect you.

Who cares what other people say?

Live your life the way you want and be proud of every second!

Related: How to not care what other people think about you

 

5. Understand that you don’t have to do anything.

 

If you’re an adult, you have your own free will completely.

And in reality, there’s nothing you must do.

If you don’t like something, you don’t have to do it.

However, you should always evaluate and weigh your options well in order to choose what’s best for you. Sometimes doing something is just more beneficial.

Here’s an example: You don’t like your job because it is draining you mentally.

Yes, you could quit – it is not like you must keep it.

You won’t die if you quit your job – you can always find another.

It certainly would be better to keep it because a job means income, but if things go so bad that you can’t take it anymore, then it is better to quit.

Understanding that you always have an option to not do something helps you keep your head high and feel comfortable in your own skin, as well as with the choices you have to make.

 

6. Befriend your inner monsters.

 

If you keep telling yourself negative things all the time, try to solve this problem and relieve yourself from this negative mindset. It will definitely help you to feel comfortable in your own skin!

I mean, how can you stay comfortable when someone is constantly telling you how bad you or things around are? It is not helpful at all.

Related: How to overcome negative thoughts and restart yourself

 

7. Make peace with your past.

 

If you really want to feel comfortable in your own skin, make sure to forgive yourself for past mistakes. Let go of negative thoughts about your past self. Decide to start a new chapter in your life – the one where you are supporting yourself no matter what.

Read more about this here: How To Let Go Of The Past And Start Living NOW

 

How To Be Comfortable In Your Own Skin… The Bottom Line

 

Being comfortable with yourself is not something you’re born with. It can be and IS learned, just like any other skill. I hope this article gave you a few ideas on how to feel comfortable in your own skin despite being imperfect (because we all are imperfect!), and showed you a few ways to start loving yourself, the way you are.

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