Being short can sadly be a source of shame, bullying, or other difficulties for many people. This is regardless of the reason behind it - not yet finished growing, having a medical disorder that inhibits growth, or simply being shorter than the average person your age. However, it does not necessarily have to be this way: being short is normal and can even be an advantage in some situations. Learn to live with it, understanding how to use it in your favor and how to manage the judgment of other people.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Dealing with Negative Judgment About Your Stature
Step 1. Understand that your height is not the real problem
Realize that someone who has insecurities about their height or appearance is the one who criticizes or bullies you and makes your height a problem, when it would not be.
- People who treat you badly because of your height may be doing so because they have been victims themselves, because they think it is normal or acceptable to behave like this with others, or because they are affected by the devaluation that is made of it on TV, in movies or on the Internet.
- Imagine that no one makes comments about your being short or that you are mistreated for it. Would you still have problems with your height? This reasoning may help you understand that others are creating the problem, not your size. Are there any aspects of your stature that you like?
Step 2. React to bullies or other people who abuse you
When someone makes comments - which are not to your liking - about your height, let them know, rather than accept it silently.
- Handle bullies or other people who criticize you as kindly as possible, without resorting to insults or anger, otherwise you may encourage them to persevere with their attitude.
- For example, if someone pats you on the head and makes comments about your height, you can politely ask them to stop. To anyone who launches into negative comments about how short you are, you can calmly answer that you like to be the way you are, or you can explain that your height is the result of a medical problem, so it would be better not to joke about it.
- If you feel like you can't respond with determination to a bully, or someone threatens to hurt you or otherwise attack you, talk to your parents, teacher, school counselor, police officer, or any other person available to help you immediately.
Step 3. Get help
Get help from a trusted person if you can't get the person offending or hurting you to reason - both verbally and physically - because of your height. It is always wise to go to the police when it comes to physical violence or threats from someone.
- In case you are a kid, talk to your parents, a teacher, a school counselor or any other adult you can trust and tell them how things are.
- If you are an adult, talk to a friend, guide, therapist, or human resources department at your workplace if you have a problem with a colleague.
- Find a friend, celebrity, or other role model who is equally short and who can serve as an inspiration, guide, or example to use when talking to others.
Step 4. Move with confidence
Avoid negative comments from others by showing confidence in your actions. Keep yourself straight with your chin raised and don't be afraid to take the necessary space when walking into a room, standing or sitting.
- Showing off some confidence in your physical prowess has the added benefit of making you look taller. Looking at the floor, feeling dejected and not wanting to occupy your space have the result of hunching the shoulders and dropping the head, making the body even smaller.
- Make and maintain eye contact with other people, stand upright, face the person you are talking to, walk and talk slowly and firmly. This is body language that subtly communicates confidence.
Part 2 of 4: Gaining Height the Healthy Way
Step 1. Follow your doctor's recommendations
See a doctor if you are concerned about your inability to gain weight or height, or if you already know that you have a disorder that inhibits them. Follow your doctor's advice on how to treat, compensate, or live with such a disorder.
- Learn about any dietary deficiencies or other common ailments that may affect weight loss or the ability to gain weight, especially if you have other unusual symptoms.
- Consult your doctor before embarking on any diet or physical diet to try to gain weight or height.
Step 2. Eat a balanced diet
Consume healthy, whole-grain food on a regular basis, paying attention to any dietary or health restrictions.
- Count the calories you normally consume in a day and increase the number by 200 or 500 units per day to start gaining weight, if recommended by a dietician. Just make sure you don't add calories from industrial packaged food.
- Get protein from foods such as meat, eggs, and nuts. complex carbohydrates from rice, whole foods and potatoes; healthy fats from olive oil, coconut oil and avocado.
- Aim to have five small meals throughout the day or eat snacks between meals to get enough calories.
Step 3. Exercise to build muscle mass
Go to the gym or use some equipment at home to gain strength and weight and build muscle mass in a healthy way.
- Be sure to watch some fitness videos, check out home equipment instructions, and seek assistance from gym staff or a personal trainer so that you are in the correct position when using weight equipment.
- Body strength training should include 8 or 12 repetitions of 8 or 10 exercises involving different parts of the body. To start, follow this type of training at least twice a week.
- Ask your doctor before starting any exercise routine. Also remember that you don't need to exercise to get a particular result or to gain significant weight - training can simply make you feel good and achieve overall health.
Step 4. Emphasize height with clothing
Wear clothes that fit you well and have long, straight lines to accentuate your height and slim your little figure.
- If you need to buy women's dresses, look for flared trousers, dresses with vertical stripes and V-neck tops to elongate your figure.
- Keep in mind that heels can make you look taller temporarily, but it's best to work on accepting your stature for what it is.
- If you have to buy men's clothes, opt for plain colored ones and go for a slim fit for the shirts and pants. V-neck sweaters are also a good choice.
- Small women can shop in the "girl" section of many department stores, while men can find clothes of the right size online, which do not need further modification, from brands such as Peter Manning.
Part 3 of 4: Using Short Stature to Your Advantage
Step 1. Play a sport such as gymnastics or wrestling
Learn how you can join a team at your school or local club looking for new players. There are many sports and activities in which short people can excel.
- Join a group of wrestling, boxing, martial arts, dance, gymnastics, weightlifting, horse racing, or - in the case of other sports - volunteer for those roles where being short is an indispensable advantage or trait.
- Short people usually do better than others in this type of activity as they have a lower center of gravity and / or a greater ability to move the body quickly and easily.
Step 2. Enter the small places
Take advantage of your small size to comfortably fit into small spaces, whether for fun or necessity.
- Move more easily in crowds thanks to your small size. Also know that some people may allow you to stand in front of them at concerts or other events where you may have a hard time seeing past taller people.
- Settle comfortably even in tight spaces and enjoy having more legroom on planes, cars or other means of transport where personal space is normally limited.
- Play hide and seek or other games where you can hide better than other players.
Step 3. Stand out in the crowd
Accept your stature as something that differentiates you from others: it is an aspect that you will appreciate more and more as you mature or as you try to define your role within a particular sector or group.
Use your small size to stand out in the film industry, dance and other careers that rely on physical appearance. You can stand out among other people of medium height chasing the same goal as you and even create your own personal brand around your special dimensions
Step 4. Save some money with children's sizes and discounts
As you enter your teens, enjoy some of the benefits of looking younger and younger, including getting child discounts and other privileges.
- Shop in the boys or girls section of clothing stores, either to find clothes that suit you better, or to save money on cheaper clothing.
- Find out about discounts for children or teenagers at museums, cinemas and other event venues. Even if you are not within the maximum age limit, you may be able to pass for a younger boy and thus get the discount.
Step 5. Enjoy the health benefits associated with your height
Know that some studies have shown that people of short stature enjoy a number of health-related benefits.
- You may benefit from a lower risk of developing cancer, probably simply due to the fact that people of short stature have fewer cells or a reduced energy intake.
- You can spare yourself the complications of a thrombus, which is two and a half times more likely to occur in tall people, due to the distance the blood has to travel through the body.
- You can potentially live longer by virtue of your short stature, since the hormone that regulates growth also determines aging.
Part 4 of 4: Making Your Environment Safe and Comfortable
Step 1. Check the ergonomics of the environments in which you prefer to work or study
Many chairs and desks are designed for a person of average height, so they may not be particularly suitable for your specific case.
- Choose an office or an armchair that makes you feel comfortable. Ideally, you should be able to lower it so that your feet rest completely on the floor. Also check the depth of the seat. You should be able to bend your knees along the edge and rest your back at the same time. Likewise, you should be able to adjust armrests and lumbar support according to your height.
- Adjust the height of your office chair so you can feel comfortable.
- Make sure your feet rest completely on the floor when you sit down. If not, or if you have to raise the seat because the desk is too high, put on a footrest or improvise another object such as a stack of paper, a box or perhaps an old book.
- Adjust the height of your desk, counter or any other type of work surface. If that's not possible, as is generally the case with kitchen counters, you could choose a lower one (such as a kitchen table) or have it stand up. An aerobics step can be a great solution to stand on, with the option of being able to change your height.
- Adjust the height of your monitor or screen. Your eyes should be aligned with the top or about three-quarters. Many modern monitors have built-in mechanisms that allow you to change their height. Otherwise, get a monitor arm or mount it on the wall.
- Purchase and use a pull-out keyboard tray, if necessary, to lower and tilt it to a position that won't strain your wrists.
- Try using a smaller keyboard and mouse if your hands are small. They could be sold as "portable" or "travel" accessories.
Step 2. Place the items you use most often where you can see them and comfortably pick them up
Opt for lower shelves for the things you use most often.
Step 3. Reach the top of light objects with an armrest fitted with a hook or pliers
Try using a long-handled tool like those for cleaning tall shelves, arranging party lights, or changing lamps.
Step 4. Climb on stable objects
Get a ladder or footrest that is sturdy and suitable for what you need to do. Keep them handy and place them on a flat, solid surface. Never climb improvised objects on shelves or swivel or wheeled chairs.
