As we reflect on beauty this summer, it’s a chance for us to look deeper beyond physique. More than acknowledged, the key to overall good health starts with how we approach ourselves. Learning how to foster strong self-esteem graces us with more compassion, hopefulness and purpose, which leads us to a fulfillment that lasts.

Let positivity shape your self-perception. In research by Uric Orth and Richard Robins (2022), they explored the favorable consequences of a strong self-esteem on our social relationships, professional performance, emotional wellbeing, behavior, and physical health. When we are secure in our individuality, we maintain healthy social networks, academic and professional success, overall health, and less tendencies to isolate. Challenging negative thoughts and treating ourselves with extra care helps us identify detrimental thoughts and view things through certainty rather than catastrophe.

Approach nourishment the right way. Notwithstanding the clear advantages of certain dietary choices, consuming food isn’t something we should overthink. Constantly stressing about your eating habits takes a toll on your mental health which, if persistent, negatively affects your wellness and social connections (Cunningham, 2024). Likewise, categorizing food into good and bad only increases the chances of developing restrictive and disordered eating. We have a biological clock within that naturally governs our hunger and fullness cues. No need to fret about dining times and meal portions, intuitively listening to your bodily needs is enough of an aide to good nourishment.

Reframe your relationship with the scale. Being a single data point among the many indicators of health, reducing our state of being to an ever-fluctuating number on the scale cuts short our understanding of where our welfare currently stands. Our genetics play an integral role when it comes to body shape and fat distribution, predisposing all of us at birth to different body types and health tendencies (Institute of Medicine, 2004). Being truly healthy means nurturing and celebrating non-scale measurements such as quality of sleep, stamina, skin condition, energy, and mood levels.

Attaining good health is not about fitting into a mold or battling with our bodies, it centers on nurturing a deep partnership with our bodies by honoring our needs past the unrealistic idea of perfection. The more we rethink health as a reflection of our well-being, the more fulfilling and sustainable our lives become. Our bodies are naturally designed for balance, and when we work in sync with its inherent processes, we pave the way for healthier, longer and better lives.