Body Image: Your Success Could Depend On It

One of your greatest assets as a professional woman is self confidence, and nothing erodes self confidence faster than a poor body image. Some surveys report that as many as four out of five women are unhappy with their body weight, and nearly half of normal sized women overestimate their size and shape.

Women aren’t the only ones who struggle with poor body image. I recently went right to the sale rack; I always do. It was the middle of winter, and the bathing suits were on sale. I grabbed a couple and headed for the dressing room.

The first was a short suit. I tried it on and looked in the mirror. I was horrified at the reflected image. My belly was too big, and was that gray chest hair? Gay or straight, more and more men are concerned with body image.

In a study published in the spring of 2005, Deborah Schooler, an academic researcher, and a colleague studied 184 male students at San Francisco State University; they learned that the more media the men “consumed” the worse they felt about their bodies.

Of course, the same is true for women. In addition to avoiding fashion magazines, what can you do to improve your body image? Here are three of Everybody’s Gay Best Friend’s favorite tips:

One: Make a list of things you like about your body. It could be your hair, eyes, or nails. One of my girlfriends loves her feet.

Two: Fight negative self-talk. Listen for your inner critic, and call her out when she starts chipping away at your self-confidence.

Three: Wear clothes that you are comfortable in. Don’t wear clothes that are too tight or restrict movement. Feel good—no, feel great—about what you wear.

In closing, don’t let a poor body image hold you back at work. Remember, self confidence often paves the way to success.




By Randy Siegel