If you’re like me in the East Coast today, then you’re suffering from the gloominess of this terrible flood-watch, possibly tornado-alert storm. And that’s enough to get you down.

So the last thing you need this morning, or any other morning, is to let how you feel about your body get you down. Here are my six tips to help you feel better about your body, every day.

Look at Positive Features

Every morning, spend 10 seconds in front of the mirror looking at yourself. Focus on your positive features. Say a blessing and be grateful for them. Then move on with the rest of your day.

Focus on Positive Traits

Because it’s not all about looks. People don’t love you for how you look like, but for the person inside of you. Focus on your positive personality traits and let them grow. Maybe you’re a good listener, or you always help your friends out, or you always make people around you laugh, or you take care of your kids, or you care for an elderly. You know you can come up with at least one thing you do well.

Have a Critical Eye

Seriously, don’t be fooled by magazines. Photographers and photo editors can trick your eyes and wipe out your sanity! Most model and celebrity photos are edited to make them look thinner, add a curve here, and remove a tiny bulge there. And they make their skin tones look much better. These pictures are not real.

See those before and after picture for Brittney Spears and other celebrities–and more celebrities. (I apologize if you find some of the pictures inappropriate)

Accept Uniqueness

Because we can’t look exactly like each other–that would be just too boring. An orange looks like another orange, we don’t. People are created in different shapes and that’s what makes us human. That doesn’t mean you can’t improve your health or try to improve your looks. Use make up, get  your hair done, and dress in style to look better. But accept that there’s no one look or one style that works for all. And no body size works for all.

Exercise

Not to see the number on the scale go down or the cellulite go away or the muscles beef up. Do it for fun. Do for quality “me time.” Aerobic exercise that gets your heart rate up releases endorphins (feel good hormones), and that has been shown to brighten mood. Go to a zumba class, walk or run somewhere with nice scenery (trees will soon get their fall colors on), dance, or chase your kids in the park (and laughing about it will make you feel better too). Do something you enjoy and learn to love.

Be Nice to Others

If your co-worker or friend looks nice, tell them. Don’t withhold a compliment. That will make them feel better, and believe it or not, what goes around comes around. They will do the same to you too.

What’s next:

Do you have an adolescent or teen struggling with body image issues? On Saturday, I’ll be posting tips on how you can help them. Come back!