Devina Kaur, Radio Host and Producer, Author of Too Fat Too Loud Too Ambitious

Devina Kaur Born and raised in India, Devina Kaur is an inspirational speaker, author, radio host, and the founder of the Sexy Brilliant Non-Profit Foundation. Her weekly columns are all based on the KAUR™️ process. In 2019 she was the recipient of the Canadian top 25 immigrant awards. She is also the author of the spiritual self-help book Too Fat, Too Loud, Too Ambitious. Devina Kaur is a creative entrepreneur, author, researcher, inspirational speaker, radio host & producer of the 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐋𝐘 𝐒𝐄𝐗𝐘 show with Devina Kaur and founder of the Sexy Brilliant™️ Global Revolution. She is a published author as well as the creator of The Sexy Brilliant™️ Academy.

 

What is body image?

Body image can be defined as the way an individual refers to their body, their thoughts and feelings associated with their body, be it positive or negative. When you look at yourself in the mirror and criticise or praise the different parts of your body, the perception of the aesthetics of your body is called body image.

How does social media influence body image?

Social media has set an ideal body image for others to follow; the perfect or the ideal body shape, the colour, length and volume of the hair, the complexion of the skin tone and the appropriate height one must have to look pretty and even, acceptable in our society. People use social media when they’re free, they scroll through their Instagram feed and find others living the ‘perfect’ life, seizing every moment of every day, having and flaunting the ‘ideal’ body. This distresses them and lowers their self-esteem leading them to question their life and decisions and can often lead to chronic diseases, psychological ill-health and various eating disorders.

Tips to foster a healthy relationship with social media.

First and foremost suggestion would be to gain the ability to discern between reality and the fake. A lot of information posted on social media sites are filtered and made to look perfect and we aren’t shown what really happens behind the scenes of a single post. We are led to believe what our eyes see and not what is hidden behind the curtains.

Additionally, no one is perfect because there is no concept like a perfect lifestyle, a perfect relationship, a perfect household or a perfect body image. The idea of perfection is objective and varies from individual to individual so you can’t base your opinions while looking at others. Instead you should focus on what’s right for you as a person so you can make decisions that are beneficial for you in all ways.

Be more mindful of what you consume and share on your social media accounts. Following unhealthy accounts that share unrealistic expectations from your body or make you feel any less worthy of yourself shouldn’t be the case. Instead, when you interact with others on the platforms, be mindful of your activities as well. Make sure that you’re not spreading hatred or negativity in any way that belittles others but channel your inner self to spread more love and peace through your involvements.

Lastly, take breaks more often. When we’re distressed, our body has a way of telling us. You might get a headache or feel unsure for the past few days about your body and this can be a warning signal from your body to reduce your time online and divert your attention more on your personal growth. You can take meditative breaks, indulge in indoor activities like martial arts. For instance, when my daughter and I have some time together, we like to practice karate together. This not only helps us release our emotions but helps us bond better and spend quality time with the person we love.

How are body image and mental health related?

How we see and perceive ourselves in the mirror, and in our thoughts play a massive role in how we take care of our bodies. If we feel under confident or concentrate more on the negative feelings associated with our bodies, we run the risk of developing unhealthy eating disorders and poorer quality of life. Instead we should focus on developing a positive body image that allows us to have more inner confidence.

Is social media all bad?              

Every coin has two sides and we’ve been hearing this for ages. Yes, social media does play a role in portraying an ‘ideal’ body image but that doesn’t mean that we can place the entirety of our blame on it. Instead, other reasons are equally involved, if not more and as a consumer, we hold the responsibility for what we consume the most. Social media, if used wisely as a tool, can be the base of your business, your place to connect with people who are residing in some far-away part of the world and your corner that makes you feel secure and more connected with your true self.

Lastly, it doesn’t do good to find others we can place blame on but it’s our responsibility to make sound decisions and do what’s best for ourselves and society.

What warning signs are that someone may rely too heavily on social media for emotional fulfilment?

If someone tries to seek validation from others online and make decisions based on what others think, they rely heavily on social media. By seeking external validation, you may be addicted to posting every day on your social media handle and constantly obsess over what others think of you and how they respond and react to your posts. You may get easily agitated when you receive negative criticism and obsess to change your personality accordingly. This leads to a vicious cycle where the consequences can be dangerous; you can start starving yourself, get emotional and irritated and might seek refuge from your friends who can make you feel better.

People also develop an addiction to being more present online and ignoring the reality and people who are surrounding them. Doing other things, and pursuing your hobbies may seem like a waste of time, spending time alone can make you itch for your smartphones and you’d rather spend time online, mindlessly scrolling through your feed.

Someone who has developed an addiction to social media can find it difficult to make decisions on their own and others can easily manipulate their emotions and take advantage of them. They have a change of habits, opinions, and thoughts and people often turn to be more apathetic towards others’ feelings unless it makes them look good online.

Conclusion

When social media is used in moderation it can allow for knowledge sharing and community building. Social media can often help when used as a tool for business and personal reasons. Honest and open dialogue is the best way to learn and accept each other and help others build their body image and self-confidence level.

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