Article: Criticizing yourself lowers your self-esteem. Criticizing yourself can also cause anxiety and depression. Counteract your self-criticism by learning to practice self-compassion. There are three components to self-compassion:   Self-kindness. Just as you would not be cruel to a friend, you should not be cruel to yourself. Accept that imperfection is subjective. Remind yourself that there is no universal standard for perfection. Be gentle and kind with yourself.  Common humanity. It can be easy to feel like you are the only one experiencing your suffering. Recognize that no one is perfect.  Mindfulness. Mindfulness stems from the Buddhist practice of acknowledging your experiences and emotions without judgement. As you learn mindfulness, you will be able to remain in the moment, focused on your present experience. Try to write down things that make you feel inadequate or unattractive. Write how these things make you feel. Try not to judge your feelings as you write, just be open and honest with yourself.  Next, imagine the perspective of a friend who is unconditionally accepting and loving. If you are religious or spiritual, this perspective could be from a figure in your traditions. If you’re not, just imagine that you know someone who accepts you just as you are. Do not allow this imaginary friend to judge anything. They are only caring, kind, and accepting. Write a letter to yourself from this perspective. Imagine what this accepting friend would say in response to your thoughts on your inadequacy. How would they show you compassion? How would they remind you of your good qualities? What would they really think of those things you see as “flaws” or “unattractive”? Read over the letter when you start to feel down about your appearance. Be mindful of when those negative thoughts show up. This will help you work towards self-love and self-acceptance, rather than feeling unhappy because you don't meet an unrealistic image of perfection. ” Western culture has a very narrow and artificial definition of what “attractive” means. All too often, it means white, tall, thin, and young. You don’t have to accept this (or any) definition of beauty. Attractiveness is subjective, so let yourself break free from these social pressures to conform to a certain ideal. Think about what you find beautiful in your friends and loved ones. Humans tend to choose friends we believe are attractive in some way. What do you find beautiful in people you love? Chances are, your definition of attractiveness for your friends is broader than the standard you hold yourself to. Try to make a list of things you love about yourself that have nothing to do with your physical appearance. Consider qualities about yourself that make you feel happy or confident.  For example, you might think about how much you care for your friends, or how artistic you are. These don’t have to be qualities that make you above-average or extraordinary. The pressure to be extraordinary to have self-esteem is actually damaging. Are you a decent cook? Do you show up to work on time? Those are things to love too. Journaling is an excellent way to get in touch with your feelings. Each day, write down when you felt unattractive. Try to be specific: what did you feel was unattractive? What were you focused on? How did these thoughts make you feel? What happened just before and just after this feeling? Try to identify why you judged yourself this way. Sometimes, you may criticize your appearance if you’re dissatisfied with something else about yourself. Stress and anxiety can also affect how you see yourself. Try to practice gratitude as part of your daily routine. People who practice  gratitude are happier, more optimistic, and feel less isolated. They may even have stronger immune systems. If you are focused on what is good and positive in your life, it’s harder to think about what you don’t have.  Gratitude is more than the feeling of being thankful. It is an active process. Your brain is wired to hang onto negative experiences and let go of positive ones, so you have to work to counteract that.  Turn a positive fact into a positive experience. These facts don’t have to be anything big. It could be as simple as a stranger smiling at you on the street or noticing the flowers blooming in the park. Actively look around you for these positive moments. Be mindful and pay attention to them when they happen. Make positive experiences last longer. Try to focus on positive moments for at least a few seconds. The more you pay attention to positive moments, the more you will remember them -- and the more you will notice. Take a “mental photograph” or say something validating to yourself like “This moment is beautiful.”  Absorb positive moments. Try to imagine that these positive experiences are soaking into you. Relax your body and focus on what your senses are experiencing. Think about the thoughts this experience has prompted. It’s important not to use shopping as a crutch to make you feel better. But when you wear clothing you like or get a smart new haircut, you may feel more self-confident. Confidence in yourself will affect how you hold your body and present yourself to others, which can make you look and feel more attractive. Don’t go overboard with spending, or you will likely end up feeling worse about yourself. Don’t feel like you have to buy a whole wardrobe, either. Choose one or two nice pieces that you feel confident wearing. It can be tempting to wait until you have your “ideal” body before you invest in clothes. Or, you may hide your body in clothes because you feel too large or too small. These things will damage how you feel about yourself. Buy what fits the body you have now to feel your best.  How you dress has a direct impact on how you feel about yourself. Actors often say that getting into “costume” helps them get in touch with a character. Dress like the character you want to be, not the one your inner critic says you are.  Clothes can change the way you behave as well. If there’s a type of clothing you find attractive, wear it! You may find yourself feeling more attractive too.  Remind yourself that you are worth the effort. Wear clothes you love. Let your clothes express your personality and sense of style.  Choose clothes that fit properly. Clothes that fit well increase others’ perception of physical attractiveness, even when the person in the clothes was the same person. Exercising is a great way to get in shape, but it also releases endorphins, your body’s natural mood-boosting chemicals. Regular exercise may also increase your self-confidence and reduce anxiety. Getting regular moderate exercise over a 10-week period can help you feel more energetic, positive, and calm. Try not to hit the gym with the idea of “fixing” yourself. This focuses on negative aspects rather than positive ones, and is likely to be self-defeating. You may even find your workout harder than it would otherwise be if you’re focused on how bad you feel. Instead, focus on the care you are showing yourself by keeping your body -- however it looks -- healthy and happy. Airbrushed bodies and perfectly symmetrical features in popular media stereotypes of beauty may make you feel like there's something wrong with you. Even beauty products aimed at reducing “flaws,” such as cellulite cream or wrinkle remover, can make you feel worse about yourself.  The effect that unhealthy media has on you can be dramatic. Exposure to unrealistic body depictions can lead to noticeable drops in mood and increases in body dissatisfaction.  To see just how many of these beauty ideals are completely manufactured, do an internet search for "magazine Photoshop failures." There’s hardly an image out there that hasn’t been altered in some way.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Practice self-compassion. Identify things that make you feel bad about yourself. Make your own definition of “attractive. Find things you love about yourself. Keep a journal. Practice gratitude. Go shopping. Dress the body you have. Exercise regularly. Challenge media ideals of beauty.