Measure up to life by building body confidence

Either way, how we feel about our bodies can have a big impact on our lives, affecting everything from our relationships, our career choices and our health.

Experts are increasingly recognising that it is a very real, and very important, issue, and one we can't ignore.

Next week, marking the start of Body Confidence Week (www.campaignforbodyconfidence.com), a new campaign is being launched in a national movement of charities, businesses, public bodies and individuals, to encourage a change in attitudes and help everybody - of all shapes, sizes and abilities - to put health above appearance and to feel more confident in our skin.

Research reveals two-thirds of parents feel their children are under unbearable pressure about the way they look. The grown-ups are feeling the pressure too, with 29% saying they feel ugly on a daily basis, a third confessing they're embarrassed about how they look, and only 15% of adults are happy with their bodies.

Below are five things that have really helped me:

Be your own best friend:

We can be mean telling ourselves we're 'a disgrace'. When you're ashamed of your body, it's easy to fall into the trap of believing you're not worthy and don't deserve to feel good or have fun.

A very useful trick is simply to speak to yourself as you would a friend. You'd reassure them they're beautiful, remind them of their many good points. Maybe you would offer to accompany them on walks or to a gym class. Try this approach on yourself?

Shift your focus:

I have always loved swimming, but there was a time when the sheer dread of getting changed and wearing a cossie in front of other people dominated the activity.

But it's normal to feel slightly uncomfortable being seen in swimwear - we're used to being far more covered up. Learning to accept a degree of discomfort can frees us up to realise it's not that big a deal.

Reminding myself why I love swimming, really focusing on the peacefulness of the water, mastering that tricky stroke, how invigorated I am, has meant that worrying how I look while doing it has become less important.

Now I see that swimming gives me confidence.

Don't confuse perfection and confidence:

The notion of perfection is a dangerous one, as it doesn't really exist. Those glossy ads in magazines are photo-shopped, celebs spend hours in make-up before hitting the red carpet, and supermodels are paid to sell products, not set weight-related benchmarks.

Secondly, you do not need to be perfect. That friend of yours who already has the "perfect" thighs and nose though, you can guarantee they've had her own set of insecurities.

Perfection is irrelevant, but confidence is something you can actively pursue.

Widen your horizons:

A big part of building body confidence is to instead think of it as general confidence. Addressing things on the outside, be that losing weight or getting help with a skin complaint, for example - might really help you feel better about yourself and that's great, but we can all benefit from working on our inner confidence.

When we're confident on the inside, we're better equipped to deal with whatever life throws at us. Broadening your horizons - taking up hobbies, learning a new skill, embracing things you're passionate about - is a great start.

Be a team:

Our bodies can really let us down sometimes. From zits popping up before a big date to even more serious stuff, like the tumours and heart attacks that strike without warning. But you and your body are a team, so it really does help if you're on the same side. And our bodies really are capable of amazing things, and they work hard for us.

Nurturing that connection teaches you to respect your body, and in effect, respect yourself.

You don't need to live like a saint or go to extremes, but getting into the habit of doing regular exercise, thinking about eating well and giving yourself the fuel you need, getting enough sleep and making time to relax, will boost your body and mind.