Beautiful Attitude - Body Beautiful

Beautiful Attitude Body image is the mental picture you have of your physical appearance. Does that sound confusing? Simply put, it's what you see when you look at yourself. Your body is changing, and may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about these new physical developments. This may also be the first time you have ever thought about how your body looks. Remember, no matter your shape or size, you are beautiful and there are things to love about yourself. When I am having one of those "I don't like the way I look days" I take out my Ten Commandments to a better body image cheat sheet and I remember all the things I love about myself.

The Ten Commandments to a better body image:

1. Thou Shall Not Criticize Thyself: When you concentrate on what you believe are your limitations or weaknesses, you give them a lot of energy. In turn, that gives them power. Take that energy and put it toward your assets. Start by writing down one thing that you like about yourself every day.

2. Thou Shall Spend Less Time in Front of the Mirror: It's fine to check yourself out (it's especially a good idea to look in the mirror to make sure your shirt's buttoned right before you head out to school). And if you love what you see, go ahead and keep gazing. But if staring at your reflection makes you self-conscious, quit it. You have more important things to do.

3. Thou Shall Not Worry About What You Can't Change: There are simply some things you can't change, like the color of your eyes or your height. So lamenting the fact that you aren't taller, or your feet are too big, is simply a waste of time. If what's bothering you is in your control-like getting in shape-then start working on your goal instead of obsessing.

4. Thou Shall Surround Thyself with Supportive People: If you spend time with nice people who care about you and compliment you on areas that really matter, you will definitely feel better about everything-including your body.

5. Thou Shall Wear Comfortable Clothes: A dress can be the hottest trend in the world, worn by celebrities on the red carpet. Still, if it makes you feel awkward, take it off. There are plenty of fun styles to try, so don't force yourself into clothes you don't like.

6. Thou Shall Exercise: Moving your body relieves stress and helps you get physically stronger. Exercise isn't about losing weight, it's about being healthier. When you get in shape, you'll feel great.

7. Thou Shall Not Weigh Thyself A Lot: If your physician says your weight is healthy for your height and age, then believe the doctor and move on. Worrying about the number on the scale is not as important as maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

8. Look at Others the Way You Would Like Others to Look at You: Don't be overly critical of people's appearances. That means you shouldn't make fun of people for being tall, short or wearing last season's shirt. If you judge someone by how they look on the outside, you may miss a lot of great stuff inside.

9. Thou Shall Not Compare Thyself: Your best friend might have beautiful grey eyes while yours are a deep shade of brown. Everyone is unique and your beauty is all your own. So size yourself up by your own set of measurements.

10. Respect Thy Body: Eat well, exercise and get enough sleep. If you treat your body like the precious instrument it is, it will allow you to make beautiful music throughout your life.

Marlene Wallach, President and Owner of Wilhelmina Kids & Teens, takes pride in nurturing young talent in the modeling and talent industries. For over 10 years she has been assisting kids and parents as they navigate through a sometimes daunting industry.

Miss Wallach has written the Tween Lifestyle Collection of four books published by Simon & Schuster that was released summer 2009 - MY SELF, MY LIFE, MY LOOK and MY BEAUTY. In conjunction with Marlene's book collection, At the core of these books and the site are messages of empowering girls to find their unique beauty and have it shine from the inside out! Beautiful Attitude