Exercise 2, page 108.0:01
You are what you think you are.0:16
Two teenagers Joe and Kate are standing in front of their mirrors, getting ready for school.0:27
Joe thinks to himself, "I'm too skinny.0:33
Why aren't I tall and muscular?0:37
And look at those spots!0:41
I look really awful."0:43
A little inner voice tells Kate, "You're fat and ugly in these jeans.0:45
Your legs should be longer, and your hair's horrible, all curly and frizzy."0:51
'No one will look at you twice.'0:57
If these thoughts sound familiar, that's because Joe and Kate are far from being alone.0:59
It's very common for teenagers to have a negative image of their own bodies.1:05
They insist they are hopelessly ugly, no matter how much their parents and friends tell them otherwise.1:11
Magazine problem pages and internet blogs are full of agonised accounts.1:18
The young people who write them are convinced they are unattractive and therefore unloved and rejected by others.1:24
Why do teenagers see themselves in an unflattering way?1:32
The fact is, puberty has a lot to do with it.1:36
During your early teens, the body is preparing itself for adulthood.1:40
New chemicals are moving around the body as it adjusts to adult hormone levels.1:45
The body alters its shape, sometimes resulting in puppy fat.1:51
Skin problems such as acne are also common.1:56
Teens are affected psychologically too.2:01
They become confused and anxious about their changing appearance.2:04
This in turn can lead to feelings of insecurity and low self-esteem.2:08
Nor is the situation helped by the media.2:14
Young people are bombarded with images of the ideal body.2:17
Top fashion models in glossy magazines are all far taller and skinnier than the average woman.2:21
They have their hair and makeup done professionally.2:28
After a fashion shoot, magazine editors have the photographs airbrushed before they are published to give the models a flawless complexion.2:32
Male actors in epic films, flex beautifully toned rippling muscles, but more than likely they have had them digitally enhanced or Photoshopped, as they call it in the trade.2:40
Not to mention the fact that many celebrities choose to have cosmetic surgery done to enhance their appearance.2:53
None of this reflects a realistic body image, so it's no wonder adolescents are made to feel inadequate and unsure of themselves.2:59
The good news is that however dissatisfied you are with your looks, the chances are it's only temporary.3:08
Those extra kilos and that spotty skin usually disappear by themselves in time.3:15
While your body is sorting itself out and settling into its final form, you need to ride out the change.3:22
Resist the temptation to compare yourself with your peers.3:30
This is easier said than done, when you are the tallest girl in your class or the only boy who has started growing a beard.3:33
You tend to feel the odd one out and may even get teased or bullied.3:41
Just remember that although teens' bodies change at different speeds, everyone ends up at more or less the same place in the end.3:46
It's important to realise what things you can change about yourself and what things you can't.3:55
Correct diet and exercise can do wonders for your appearance.4:01
Having your hair restyled, your nails manicured, or your teeth whitened will also help boost your self-confidence.4:06
The things you can't alter, like your height or your shoe size, should be seen as strengths and not weaknesses.4:14
They are, after all, the features that make you a unique individual.4:22
So, don't be like Joe and Kate.4:27
Stop worrying so much about the way you look and learn to accept yourself as you are.4:30
Tell yourself you are just as attractive, intelligent, and cool as the next person.4:36
If you feel good about yourself, the chances are other people will feel good about you too.4:43
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