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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When your body image is in the pits, it’s safe to say that you probably hate having your picture taken.

I can relate – a lot.

I’d think to myself, “See, that clearly proves how big, ugly (insert other negative words) I really look.”

It was painful to look at my picture. I’d always find a flaw, or two, or five.

Even if your body image has improved, by leaps and bounds perhaps, for some reason seeing ourselves in pictures is hard. It’s sort of like seeing yourself on video or hearing your voice in a message.

I think to myself, “Do I really sound that annoying and nasally? Do I really look like that when I make those gestures?”

Yuck.

But wouldn’t it be great to just take a picture, minus the complaints, worries and fat talk? To wholeheartedly want to take a picture simply to document whatever amazing thing you’re doing?

Realistically, fretting about our looks in photos (and in real life) might not vanish completely. And that’s OK.

But we can shift the focus – and adjust our eyes a bit!

Today, I challenge you to pick a photo where you were truly having fun. Doesn’t matter where you were, the year, who you were with or what you were doing.

Doesn’t matter at all what you looked like. Just find a photo where you’re happy or carefree. Maybe it’s you in an interesting place, seeing interesting things. Maybe it’s you blowing out the candles on your birthday cake.

Maybe it’s you at your wedding or at your best friend’s wedding. Maybe it’s you running a marathon or lounging at the beach.

The next thing?

Treasure it. Treasure it because you were with a loved one. Because you saw something special.

Because you were on a fun trip. Because you were happy. Because you were excited. Because you were witnessing a momentous occasion.

I challenge you, too, to find the beauty in the photo. Maybe it’s your smile. Or your cute outfit. Or your silly expression, which always makes everyone smile.

Maybe it’s your hair. Or the way you hold your arm on your hip like your mom. Or the way you smile like your dad.

Find the beauty. It’s there.

I’ll start.

Here’s a photo that my dad took of me in Moscow, Russia, next to the DUMA (government building). That day, in the summer of 2001, my parents and I walked all over the city, enjoying the sights and each other’s company.

(I felt like my feet were going to fall off. Thank goodness I wore flip-flops.)

That was our first time back in Russia since we left in 1989…

I find beauty in my smile. It’s signature Margarita, and that makes me happy. I was genuinely exhilarated and excited to be there, on this little adventure, with my parents. And I think it shows.

My dad was also a bit weary of taking a picture right in front of the government building. Which makes me giggle.  (I think he was still in communist mode, where you always had to tread carefully.)

I love remembering that tidbit. I love that I have a photo that brings this tidbit to life in my mind. Even though my dad isn’t in the photo, he still sorta is. This photo captures the tiny memories that over the years end up meaning quite a lot.

What is your favorite photo? Why? Please share in the comments!

P.S., Jules over at Big Girl Bombshell is hosting the Self-Discovery Series this month! Her word? Anger. (Good one, right!)

Check out how you can participate in her post. I’ll be publishing my post soon! Thanks so much, Jules, for hosting!

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    Last reviewed: 9 May 2011