Mondays can be rough for many of us, and this doesn’t create the ideal environment for building a better body image. To help you turn that around, every Monday features a tip, activity, inspiring quote or some other tidbit to help boost your body image – and kick-start the week on a positive note.

Got a tip for improving body image? Email me at mtartakovsky at gmail dot com, and I’ll be happy to feature it. I’d love to hear from you!

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I’ve talked before about body image being so much more than falling in love with your physique or face. (See here, here and here.)

I believe that it’s falling in love with yourself.

It’s taking the time to get to know yourself better. To work toward a more secure sense of self.

Falling in love with yourself is a daily process.

Sometimes, there’s rainbows and butterflies. Sometimes, it’s heartache, tears and a whole lot of sweat.

Susannah, one of my favorite bloggers (seriously, go through her archives!), wrote about various ways to start falling in love with yourself.

One way?

Dating yourself!

I have to be honest and say that for years, I didn’t consider myself very good company. And I didn’t do that many things on my own.

Throughout the years, I’ve never seen a movie by myself, had lunch by myself (with the exception of days spent at Barnes and Noble in college) or taken a vacation by myself.

But I do think that dating yourself is a wonderful way to cultivate a positive body image.

Why? Because it’s another way to feel comfortable in your own skin. Another way not to hide.

I think it also builds self-respect. And even a sense of wonder, as you can observe all there is around you. As you sit with your thoughts.

On her own self-dating experiences, Susannah writes:

Once I discovered the joy of a lone cinema visit, I started getting bolder: i tried a lunch on my own. And i don’t mean a humble sandwich quickly eaten on a park bench. I’m talking about ordering a delicious lunch from a menu somewhere nice. I’m talking waiter service and a bill at the end. There is something extraordinarily empowering about taking yourself for lunch. The first few times I felt a bit awkward and ate quickly and left fast, but these days I sit and savour my space. I might bring a book or notebook, and sometimes I’ll be working at my laptop, but I also like not having anything to hide behind – just me, my plate of food, a room full of people to watch, my thoughts to think and some space to breathe.

She also says that it’s being herself in public. She continues:

To be me… in public. I especially like having lunch on my own while abroad – San Francisco and Montreal provided a few memorable opportunities for me to sit quietly and watch the world go by; i even refused the offer of a newspaper to read. I’ll sometimes get a few quizzical stares from patrons, but generally people are too wrapped up in their own lunch to notice me sitting there. I always share a secret smile with other women I see eating on their own – maybe they’re like me and dig the lone dining mission, or they’re taking a break from work, or are mums who’ve escaped their kids for an hour or two. I like being a member of the lone diners club and i can’t wait to take myself out on a gastronomic tour of London when i return in the summer.

What I love about dating yourself is that it’s a practical way to improve your body image and sense of self. You can pick any favorite activity, and try it out on your own. Have your own adventure, while getting more comfortable with yourself. While listening to yourself and what you want.

Maybe that’s going to the museum and noting the different kinds of beauty. Grabbing a delicious lunch or seeing a movie like Susannah. Taking a long walk through the park. Going to a nearby town for solo shopping. Taking a tour on your own.

You can start by going to a cafe. While there write a letter to yourself, journal or just sit back and take in the sights and sounds around you.

I know that for me, I want to find happiness in my own company.

Actually, even more so, I want to be able to be me, and just me, in public.

Have you taken yourself out on any dates lately? What are your favorite activities to do by yourself? Does doing things on your own help you cultivate a stronger self-image, help you learn more about yourself?

P.S., Stay tuned this week for a few great interviews and giveaways!

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    Last reviewed: 11 Apr 2011