In the world we live in, physical appearance can feel like the only thing that matters. We read articles about "How to lose ten pounds, FAST," and are constantly bombarded with what the ideal body shape is for men and women. I have fallen into the trap for the longest time until I recently got into the body positive movement, which is about loving the body you have and appreciating it at all times. Like lots of people my age, I spend a fair amount of time at the gym making sure I'm taking care of my body. I am a woman on the larger side and when I first started going into the gym it gave me a fair amount of anxiety. Lots of doubts floating around in my head such as:

"Do they notice how big I am?"

"Are they judging me for being here?"

"Oh god, I hope they don't notice my tummy rolls."

It wasn't until last week when I caught a glance of my disheveled self in the mirror at the gym that I realized my feelings and thoughts had changed.

1. I spend less time worrying

The questions that often plagued me have started to vanish. I know how I look and I'm happy with it but when I go to the gym I am there to work out for me. No. One. Else. Once I stopped thinking about what others thought of me, it became easier for me to just do my workout routine and focus on my body so that I was benefitting from all the work I was doing.

2. Improved Self-confidence

Self confidence is a struggle for everyone, but with body positivity being all about loving yourself and feeling comfortable in the skin you're in, you're able to start pushing insecurity away. Since I don't spend as much time worrying about the people around me, I'm able to be the my normal, fun self at the gym and even go as far as making friends while I'm there.

3. Stopped Viewing Others as Competition

We've all done this at some point, looked across the gym and seen these fit individuals doing some amazing things that you didn't even think the body was capable of. It can certainly put a damper on your spirits when you're out of breath after your 15th push-up. Or the other side is where you see these people with great bodies and you still have a tummy that stick out as you do a sit up. Moments like that can be hard to deal with but as time has gone on, I have started to look less at these people as my competition but my motivators. I'm not trying to look like them as everyone had different bodies but when I've lost my breath and think about giving up I look and it pushes me to keep going. All these people are there to do the same thing as you, improve themselves and stay healthy. As long as I'm not hurting myself and listening to my body then I'm okay and I was great.

4. Glimpsing Myself in the Mirror

This was probably the worst part of the gym and sometimes it still can be. The mirror. There's nothing like checking yourself out in the gym mirror when your sweaty and you're hair is a mess. I've spent a great deal of time avoiding mirrors until recently and nothing was worse than the gym mirror. It felt like you had been putting all this work in and you felt great and you see yourself and you're back to square one. Before, it used to blow my confidence away and I'd spend hours thinking about how bad I looked.

Now, it's changed. Thankfully. When I'm at the gym I am able to appreciate mirrors because I use the as a means to check my form while I'm working out and see them as an asset in my routine rather than an unwelcome reminder of what my body looks like. I have come to realize that they aren't the enemy that I have to put up with and when I see the shine of sweat or my hair is frizzy, I know I've been working and that my body will appreciate it later, once I'm past the soreness.

The gym is always a tough place to go for anyone, there's always people who look great and can do things that will amaze you but if you can step back and focus on yourself, you find that you are slaying at the gym just like them.