What Does it Really Mean to Be Comfortable in Your Own Skin?
Life is hard enough to navigate at the best of times – but now, more than ever, people are feeling distant from one another. The after-effects of a global pandemic have had significant effects on us socially and mentally, and many of us might have a much lower view of ourselves than we once did. To be comfortable in your own skin is a rare and precious joy, and one that should be sought out at all costs – but what does it really mean?
Comfort in One’s Own Skin
‘Comfort in one’s own skin’ is a phrase borrowed from the French ‘bien dans sa peau’, and one which has seen a growth in usage in the last 20 years. The expression is an idiomatic one, that does not describe the literal feeling of our skin, but instead seeks to address a sense of comfort in one’s self. You are comfortable in your own skin if you accept yourself as you are, whatever the criteria.
You might have previously judged yourself to have a poor sense of style, but today feel comfortable in your own skin with regard to the sartorial choices you make day-to-day. You might feel professionally self-assured, and confident in asserting yourself as a leader in your field. This comfort comes with the acknowledgement of your unique shape, and the limits that come with it – which is where the thought becomes all the more powerful. Comfort in your own skin is acceptance, and a resulting self-worth.
The Importance of Self-Comfort
Self-comfort is a powerful trait to have as a person, and extremely important to nurture for a number of reasons. Mental health issues are on the rise across the population in the UK, as more people suffer from low self-esteem. Engendering a sense of worth from your form means realising that you do not need to change yourself to suit another’s mould; that you are, and should be, unapologetically you; that you have unique strengths and should own them.
Indeed, a recent survey by women’s t-shirts retailer Damart revealed that comfort in one’s own skin was a key part of what makes someone stylish; of the 2000 adults surveyed, 14% saw self-comfort to be important, with 16% valuing self-confidence. Taking steps to realise your self-worth, and to grow comfortable with your mind, body, character traits and limitations, can lead to a much happier and easier life. But what can you do to achieve comfort in your own skin?
What Can You Do to Feel Comfortable in Your Skin?
One of the biggest changes you can make to your life in search of better self-comfort is to re-evaluate your relationship with social media. The dangers of social media to our self-esteem are well-documented, with fictionalised content and impossible beauty standards rife across platforms. It can be easy to attempt to measure up to the lives it seems others are leading – but limiting your exposure to these false realities can work wonders for the way you approach your own life.
