A Stigmatizing Nomenclature
In a world dominated by unrealistic beauty standards, and where social media amplifies feelings of insecurity, cultivating a positive relationship with your body and mind has become more important than ever.
In the previous article, we explored how constant comparison with others—celebrities, models, or even friends—leads to exhaustion without any real improvement.
The truth is, when the problem is generated within your inner world, the solution cannot come from someone else.
When you compare yourself to those you perceive as “better,” you inevitably end up feeling dissatisfied and drained. Even if this comparison seems motivating at first, it quickly turns into a never-ending race. There will always be someone thinner, stronger, or more admired.
Here’s the logic behind it:
If you set a goal of reaching an “ideal” weight based on someone else’s criteria, once you get there, you’ll look for another standard to chase. There will always be new ideals, new benchmarks, and the cycle will never end.
This pursuit creates an endless loop of frustration and self-devaluation. And eventually, you give up.
Does this sound like a constructive attitude? Of course not.
When disappointment sets in, a new pattern often emerges—one that might sound familiar. To protect yourself from further discouragement, you start comparing yourself to people who seem to be doing “worse” than you.
But this, too, brings no real benefit, because those comparisons don’t lead to genuine well-being. Deep down, you know it: everyone is unique.
The goal is not to position yourself against others, but to align yourself with your own sense of balance and fulfillment.
Your perception of beauty depends on your own evaluation criteria—and these criteria can be examined, questioned, and changed. They may not even be truly yours, but learned unconsciously from parents, society, or cultural expectations.
Now imagine spending your life feeling pity for others while neglecting your own body’s needs. Over time, you might ignore your physical health, nutrition, or self-care routines, channeling your energy instead into work, family, or community responsibilities. You might do everything to make others happy while quietly forgetting yourself.
But where does that leave you?
Previously, I invited you to stop seeking validation outside yourself and to focus on achieving harmony with your own body. That means paying attention to your own needs and desires, and defining your personal idea of a “satisfying silhouette” based on how it makes you feel—not how it looks to others.
Ask yourself:
Why do I want to improve my body?
How would my life change if I felt more at peace in it?
Imagine reconnecting with your forgotten dreams—the ones you had before discouragement took hold, when enthusiasm and curiosity guided you. What would you want to experience then?
These questions are not always easy, especially if your only references have been the rigid and stigmatizing beauty standards imposed by media and social networks, and reinforced by those around you.
If you’d like to go further, stay tuned for the next article. We’ll explore how to identify your personal needs, envision your own “solution state,” and establish meaningful criteria for achieving unconditional self-acceptance.
Warm regards,
Metamorphosis
By Maya Naddaf
