This is much, much easier said than done. Women are faced with so many pressures that accepting themselves is sometimes the most difficult thing to do. You might be able to juggle a busy lifestyle with great success but when it comes to feeling good about how you look, you’re a complete basket case. That’s okay, because it’s normal. But it’s not the most healthy way to go through life.

Start accepting your body by building your self esteem. Self esteem is linked very closely with body image. Women with high self esteem who are confident in all aspects of their lives often have healthier body images than women with low self esteem. Find out what makes you proud, it can be your career, your family, your athleticism or your artistic ability. Whatever that is, gloat in it a little. If this self-esteem booster doesn’t pervade over into your body image, seek out other ways to build your self esteem. There might be an outside factor in your life that’s bringing your self esteem down. Sometimes, you might need to talk to a close friend or a therapist about building your self esteem.

When you lead a healthy lifestyle, you’ll be surprised at how that mindset affects the other aspects of your life. Keep up with your nutrition basics and incorporate regular exercise into your daily routine. These factors will improve your body, but they will also improve the way you feel about yourself. If you’re working toward improving your health, you will feel proud, and this will be reflected in your self esteem. When you’re focusing on health, keep in mind: healthy does not mean skinny.

Focus on the positive, don’t dwell on the negative. If you remember there are things about your body that you like, then keep these aspects always in mind. Instead of fretting about the dimple on your thighs, flaunt the gleam in your eyes and see if that doesn’t make you feel a bit better the next time you get a glimpse in the mirror. If you keep a positive mindset, you might just find yourself loving your flaws after a while.