Understanding Body Image
When you look in the mirror, what do you see and how do you feel about it? Your body image is not just about your appearance or your figure. It’s about your emotions, beliefs, and sense of identity. In today’s world, the meaning of beauty often depends on trends and culture. People easily fall into comparison, judging themselves against the so-called beauty ideal they see online. This can lead to unrealistic expectations and make self-acceptance difficult.
From magazines to videos, people are surrounded by edited photos and filtered images that set unrealistic standards. Social media pressure plays a huge role, convincing many that being overweight or underweight defines their worth. Even small things either a new haircut, a different hairstyle, or a face expression can change how someone feels about themselves. In some cases, people try to appear perfect by shaving daily or hiding hairy arms or legs. Others feel unattractive or pale because they don’t look like models with thick, glossy hair.
As a result, many experience body dissatisfaction, an obsession with flaws that nobody else even notices. These feelings can seriously affect mental health, causing low energy, depression, or shame. In some cases, people develop eating disorders because they are trapped in a cycle of self-criticism and negative thoughts. Yet there are ways to heal and move forward. Focusing on self-confidence and celebrating small victories can provide a real confidence boost and help restore balance.
Experts recommend learning to accept yourself and avoid comparison with others. When you build confidence and develop a healthy attitude, your relationship with your body becomes kinder. Try to set realistic goals that are about health, not perfection. Be aware of how your actions and words influence others, especially younger people who are still forming their sense of identity. Even simple routines, like taking care of your skin, exercising, or deciding to shave, if you choose to, can help you feel in control of your own image.
True beauty isn’t only about the outside. Having a healthy mindset, a positive attitude, and recognising your inner beauty are just as important as looking well-dressed or stylish. Remember that each person is unique in their own way – tall or short, dark or fair, bold or shy. When someone is genuinely confident, their personality shines brighter than any mirror could reflect.
In the end, the most gorgeous, stunning people are not those who fit the beauty ideal, but those who respect themselves, support others, and show kindness. Real beauty starts when you begin to accept yourself, appreciate your strengths, and believe that being different is what makes you truly beautiful.
Revise: you studied about physical appearance of a person in form 7. Before exploring new vocabulary, take a look if you remember what has already been learnt: Character, Physical Description, Comparative Forms
Key vocabulary:
Concepts and Core Terms
appearance — [əˈpɪərəns] — the way someone looks; izskats
beauty — [ˈbjuː.ti] — the quality of being pleasing and attractive, especially to look at; skaistums
body image — [ˈbɒdi ˌɪmɪdʒ] — how you see and feel about your own body; paštēls, priekšstats pašam par sevi
comparison — [kəmˈpærɪsən] — judging yourself against others; salīdzināšana, salīdzinājums
figure — [ˈfɪɡə(r)] — body shape; figūra, augums
identity — [aɪˈdentəti] — a person's name and other facts about who they are; identitāte
self-acceptance — [ˌself əkˈseptəns] — recognising and valuing yourself as you are; sevis pieņemšana
self-confidence — [ˌself ˈkɒnfɪdəns] — belief in yourself and your abilities; pašpārliecinātība
Physical Description and Media Influence
beauty ideal — [ˈbjuːti aɪˈdɪəl] — the most admired appearance in a culture; skaistuma ideāls
expression — [ɪk'spreʃn] — the look on someone's face, showing what they feel or think; sejas izteiksme
edited — [ˈedɪtɪd] — changed to improve appearance; rediģēts
haircut — [ˈheə.kʌt] — the way in which someone's hair is cut; matu griezums
hairstyle — [ˈheəstaɪl] — the style in which somebody’s hair is cut or arranged; matu sakārtojums, frizūra
hairy — [ˈheəri] — covered with a lot of hair; matains, matiem noaudzis
social media pressure — [ˈsəʊʃəl ˈmiːdiə ˈpreʃə(r)] — influence from online images and trends; sociālo mediju spiediens
overweight — ['əʊvəweɪt] — having more body fat than is healthy; lieks svars
pale — [peɪl] — used to describe a person's face or skin if it has less colour than usual, for example when the person is or ill or frightened, or if it has less colour than people generally have; bāls
thick — [θɪk] — growing close together and in large amounts; biezs (par matiem)
underweight — [ˌʌn.dəˈweɪt] — weighing less than the desired, healthy, or normal amount; ar nepietiekamu ķermeņa svaru
unattractive — [ˌʌn.əˈtræk.tɪv] — unpleasant to look at; nepievilcīgs
unrealistic standards — [ˌʌnrɪəˈlɪstɪk ˈstændədz] — expectations that are not real or achievable; neizpildāmi standarti
Feelings and Mental Effects
body dissatisfaction — [ˈbɒdi ˌdɪsˌsætɪsˈfækʃən] — unhappiness with one’s own body; neapmierinātība ar savu ķermeni
confidence boost — [ˈkɒnfɪdəns buːst] — something that increases self-belief; pašpārliecības pieaugums
depression — [dɪˈpreʃən] — a mental state of sadness or hopelessness; depresija
eating disorder — [ˈiːtɪŋ dɪsˈɔːdə(r)] — an illness related to food behaviour; ēšanas traucējumi
mental health — [ˈmentəl helθ] — emotional and psychological well-being; garīgā veselība
obsession — [əbˈseʃən] — thinking too much about something; apsēstība
self-criticism — [ˌself ˈkrɪtɪsɪzəm] — judging yourself too harshly; paškritika
shame — [ʃeɪm] — feeling embarrassed or humiliated; kauns
Actions and Changes
accept yourself — [əkˈsept jɔːˌself] — to be happy with who you are; pieņemt sevi
avoid comparison — [əˈvɔɪd kəmˈpærɪsən stop judging yourself by others; izvairīties no sevis salīdzināšanas ar citiem
build confidence — [bɪld ˈkɒnfɪdəns] — develop self-belief; attīstīt pašpārliecinātību
develop a healthy attitude — [dɪˈveləp ə ˈhelθi ˈætɪtjuːd] — think positively about your body; attīstīt veselīgu attieksmi attiecībā uz savu ķermeni
influence others — [ˈɪnfluəns ˈʌðəz] — have an effect on how people think; ietekmēt citus
set realistic goals — [set rɪəˈlɪstɪk ɡəʊlz] — plan what is possible to achieve; noteikt sasniedzamus mērķus
shave — [ʃeɪv] — to remove hair from the body, especially a man's face, by cutting it close to the skin with a razor, so that the skin feels smooth; skūties
Positive Language and Empowerment
confident — [ˈkɒnfɪdənt] — sure of yourself; pārliecināts par sevi
gorgeous — [ˈɡɔː.dʒəs] — very beautiful or pleasant; lielisks, grezns, krāšņš, satriecošs
healthy mindset — [ˈhelθi ˈmaɪndset] — a positive way of thinking; veselīga domāšana
inner beauty — [ˈɪnə ˈbjuːti] — qualities that make someone beautiful inside; iekšējais skaistums
positive attitude — [ˈpɒzətɪv ˈætɪtjuːd] — thinking in an optimistic way; pozitīva attieksme
stunning — [ˈstʌn.ɪŋ] — extremely beautiful; apdullinošs jeb ļoti skaists
unique — [juˈniːk] — one of a kind; unikāls
well-dressed — [ˌwel ˈdrest] — wearing attractive and stylish clothes; labi ģērbts
appearance — [əˈpɪərəns] — the way someone looks; izskats
beauty — [ˈbjuː.ti] — the quality of being pleasing and attractive, especially to look at; skaistums
body image — [ˈbɒdi ˌɪmɪdʒ] — how you see and feel about your own body; paštēls, priekšstats pašam par sevi
comparison — [kəmˈpærɪsən] — judging yourself against others; salīdzināšana, salīdzinājums
figure — [ˈfɪɡə(r)] — body shape; figūra, augums
identity — [aɪˈdentəti] — a person's name and other facts about who they are; identitāte
self-acceptance — [ˌself əkˈseptəns] — recognising and valuing yourself as you are; sevis pieņemšana
self-confidence — [ˌself ˈkɒnfɪdəns] — belief in yourself and your abilities; pašpārliecinātība
Physical Description and Media Influence
beauty ideal — [ˈbjuːti aɪˈdɪəl] — the most admired appearance in a culture; skaistuma ideāls
expression — [ɪk'spreʃn] — the look on someone's face, showing what they feel or think; sejas izteiksme
edited — [ˈedɪtɪd] — changed to improve appearance; rediģēts
haircut — [ˈheə.kʌt] — the way in which someone's hair is cut; matu griezums
hairstyle — [ˈheəstaɪl] — the style in which somebody’s hair is cut or arranged; matu sakārtojums, frizūra
hairy — [ˈheəri] — covered with a lot of hair; matains, matiem noaudzis
social media pressure — [ˈsəʊʃəl ˈmiːdiə ˈpreʃə(r)] — influence from online images and trends; sociālo mediju spiediens
overweight — ['əʊvəweɪt] — having more body fat than is healthy; lieks svars
pale — [peɪl] — used to describe a person's face or skin if it has less colour than usual, for example when the person is or ill or frightened, or if it has less colour than people generally have; bāls
thick — [θɪk] — growing close together and in large amounts; biezs (par matiem)
underweight — [ˌʌn.dəˈweɪt] — weighing less than the desired, healthy, or normal amount; ar nepietiekamu ķermeņa svaru
unattractive — [ˌʌn.əˈtræk.tɪv] — unpleasant to look at; nepievilcīgs
unrealistic standards — [ˌʌnrɪəˈlɪstɪk ˈstændədz] — expectations that are not real or achievable; neizpildāmi standarti
Feelings and Mental Effects
body dissatisfaction — [ˈbɒdi ˌdɪsˌsætɪsˈfækʃən] — unhappiness with one’s own body; neapmierinātība ar savu ķermeni
confidence boost — [ˈkɒnfɪdəns buːst] — something that increases self-belief; pašpārliecības pieaugums
depression — [dɪˈpreʃən] — a mental state of sadness or hopelessness; depresija
eating disorder — [ˈiːtɪŋ dɪsˈɔːdə(r)] — an illness related to food behaviour; ēšanas traucējumi
mental health — [ˈmentəl helθ] — emotional and psychological well-being; garīgā veselība
obsession — [əbˈseʃən] — thinking too much about something; apsēstība
self-criticism — [ˌself ˈkrɪtɪsɪzəm] — judging yourself too harshly; paškritika
shame — [ʃeɪm] — feeling embarrassed or humiliated; kauns
Actions and Changes
accept yourself — [əkˈsept jɔːˌself] — to be happy with who you are; pieņemt sevi
avoid comparison — [əˈvɔɪd kəmˈpærɪsən stop judging yourself by others; izvairīties no sevis salīdzināšanas ar citiem
build confidence — [bɪld ˈkɒnfɪdəns] — develop self-belief; attīstīt pašpārliecinātību
develop a healthy attitude — [dɪˈveləp ə ˈhelθi ˈætɪtjuːd] — think positively about your body; attīstīt veselīgu attieksmi attiecībā uz savu ķermeni
influence others — [ˈɪnfluəns ˈʌðəz] — have an effect on how people think; ietekmēt citus
set realistic goals — [set rɪəˈlɪstɪk ɡəʊlz] — plan what is possible to achieve; noteikt sasniedzamus mērķus
shave — [ʃeɪv] — to remove hair from the body, especially a man's face, by cutting it close to the skin with a razor, so that the skin feels smooth; skūties
Positive Language and Empowerment
confident — [ˈkɒnfɪdənt] — sure of yourself; pārliecināts par sevi
gorgeous — [ˈɡɔː.dʒəs] — very beautiful or pleasant; lielisks, grezns, krāšņš, satriecošs
healthy mindset — [ˈhelθi ˈmaɪndset] — a positive way of thinking; veselīga domāšana
inner beauty — [ˈɪnə ˈbjuːti] — qualities that make someone beautiful inside; iekšējais skaistums
positive attitude — [ˈpɒzətɪv ˈætɪtjuːd] — thinking in an optimistic way; pozitīva attieksme
stunning — [ˈstʌn.ɪŋ] — extremely beautiful; apdullinošs jeb ļoti skaists
unique — [juˈniːk] — one of a kind; unikāls
well-dressed — [ˌwel ˈdrest] — wearing attractive and stylish clothes; labi ģērbts
Practice: now that you have learned the key vocabulary, it is time to use it in practice. Answer the discussion-type questions, which will help you develop the ability to give longer answers and practise expressing opinions — just as in an English exam or real conversation. For each question, an answer prompt is available to guide you.
Discussion-Type Questions
Discussion-Type Questions
1. Why do many people feel dissatisfied with their appearance?
"I think many people feel dissatisfied with their looks because of unrealistic beauty standards in the media. Every day, we see edited images that make perfection look normal. For example, social media filters can create pressure to look flawless. On the other hand, some people manage to focus on their strengths instead of their flaws. In my opinion, learning to accept small imperfections is the first step towards healthy self-esteem."
"I think many people feel dissatisfied with their looks because of unrealistic beauty standards in the media. Every day, we see edited images that make perfection look normal. For example, social media filters can create pressure to look flawless. On the other hand, some people manage to focus on their strengths instead of their flaws. In my opinion, learning to accept small imperfections is the first step towards healthy self-esteem."
2. How does social media influence the way people see themselves?
"In my view, social media has a huge impact on self-perception. People often compare their real lives to the highlight reels of others. For instance, influencers usually post only their best moments or edited pictures. This creates false expectations about how we ‘should’ look. However, social media can also be positive when it promotes body diversity and self-acceptance. Personally, I think it’s all about who you choose to follow and what messages you absorb."
"In my view, social media has a huge impact on self-perception. People often compare their real lives to the highlight reels of others. For instance, influencers usually post only their best moments or edited pictures. This creates false expectations about how we ‘should’ look. However, social media can also be positive when it promotes body diversity and self-acceptance. Personally, I think it’s all about who you choose to follow and what messages you absorb."
4. How can people develop a more positive body image?
"I think developing a positive body image starts with self-awareness and gratitude. Instead of focusing on appearance, we can focus on what our bodies can do — like move, dance, or hug people we love. It also helps to set realistic goals and surround ourselves with supportive people. Of course, it’s not easy when media keeps sending negative messages. Personally, I believe that kindness towards yourself is a form of strength."
"I think developing a positive body image starts with self-awareness and gratitude. Instead of focusing on appearance, we can focus on what our bodies can do — like move, dance, or hug people we love. It also helps to set realistic goals and surround ourselves with supportive people. Of course, it’s not easy when media keeps sending negative messages. Personally, I believe that kindness towards yourself is a form of strength."
5. Why is self-acceptance important for mental health?
"In my opinion, self-acceptance is the foundation of good mental health. When people constantly criticise themselves, they feel stress and insecurity. For example, worrying about weight or looks can take focus away from more meaningful things. Accepting yourself doesn’t mean giving up on improvement — it means being kind to yourself while you grow. I think people who accept themselves live happier and more balanced lives."
"In my opinion, self-acceptance is the foundation of good mental health. When people constantly criticise themselves, they feel stress and insecurity. For example, worrying about weight or looks can take focus away from more meaningful things. Accepting yourself doesn’t mean giving up on improvement — it means being kind to yourself while you grow. I think people who accept themselves live happier and more balanced lives."