Let Your Beauty Blossom

1. Let Your Beauty Blossom “No one can make you feel inferior without your permission” - Eleanor Roosevelt

2. Introducing: Media Beauty • The media produces a dominating idea of beauty, especially for women • Picture perfect body is: • Skinny, petite figure, flawless skin, straight white teeth, full lips, chest, slim waist, wide hips, toned legs, small thighs, small feet • It is unfair to hold yourself to the media’s beauty standards, and is damaging to your self esteem • Always remember that ultimately, you can decide what you think is beautiful • What frustrates you about the media’s depiction of beauty?

3. Introducing: True Beauty • The media fails to display true beauty: diversity • We are all different, and we are all beautiful • We define beauty in our own different and unique ways • “Beauty is not a size” • Learn to accept your body, learn to love your body!

4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWNYndqFTR4&feature=player_embeddedhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWNYndqFTR4&feature=player_embedded

5. It’s not all about Body Image • What else affects our self esteem? • What does our self esteem affect? • Why is it important to have good self esteem? • What can happen when someone has low self esteem? • ACTIVITY: write down two things that you like about yourself and one thing that you would like to improve/ accept. Be prepared to present 

6. Low self esteem

7. Signs of low self esteem • Negative view of life • Constant fear of being made fun of • Continual need for approval • Blaming behavior • Fear of taking risks • Feelings of being unloved and unlovable

8. Consequences • Having low self esteem can hinder our ability to appreciate ourselves • Stops us from appreciating the world around us • Does not let us be the person we are meant to be • Depression • Loneliness • Sadness “The woman that does not value herself, cannot value anything or anyone.” - Ayn Rand, The Virtue of Selfishness

9. How we see ourselves… • The way we feel about ourselves has a serious effect on our self esteem • If we view ourselves negatively, we will be uncomfortable and unsure of our place in the world • Learning to accept ourselves will create a stability and balance within us • Learning to see our abilities and accept our weaknesses will develop inner harmony

10. Positive self esteem

11. Raising self esteem • Have patience with yourself and be gentle • It requires a lot of hard work and time • May also require counseling (which is totally okay!) • Do not be too hard on yourself • Learn to accept yourself • Make a list of 20 things that you like about yourself

12. Maintaining positive self esteem • Learn how to say “no” • Stop comparing yourself with others • Surround yourself with positive people who support you • Accept all compliments with thank- you; don’t put yourself down • Start giving to those around you • Do things that make you feel good

13. Outcomes • When we have a maintained self esteem, it will be easier to accept: • Ourselves • Our bodies • The world around us • We will be able to tackle problems more confidently • We will ultimately feel more comfortable with ourselves, and with our place in the world “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your own love and affection” -Gautama Buddha

14. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwNJZUZFt-U

15. Thank you! Katy Scammell, Hannah Thiessen, Raven Rickner, Christina Thomson