How do you see yourself ?

       "A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success." 

                                                                                                         Joyce Brothers

Before we start lets know what does this word self Image mean. Self-Image - The idea, conception, or mental image one has of oneself. Self-Esteem - Respect or favourable image of oneself (Random House Dictionary). In lay words it means the idea one has of one's abilities, appearance, and personality. Self image is the ability to see and realise the potentials which others aren't able to see in us.It is the way we carry ourself, all are reflexes and our reaction to a particular situation depends upon the self image we carry in our mind. This self image can broaden your potentials or can break them to the extreme levels.Self-image is how you perceive yourself. It is a number of self-impressions that have built up over time: What are your hopes and dreams? What do you think and feel? What have you done throughout your life and what did you want to do? These self-images can be very positive, giving a person confidence in their thoughts and actions, or negative, making a person doubtful of their capabilities and ideas.Surprisingly, your self-image can be very different from how the world sees you. Some people who outwardly seem to have it all (intelligence, looks, personal and financial success) may have a bad self-image. Conversely, others who have had a very difficult life and multiple hardships may also have a very positive self-image.

In fact, it is precisely because low self image does not seem to be the problem, that it is so very insidious. Many people who suffer from low self image attribute their life challenges to wholly different causes. It does not even occur to them to relate their problems to how they regard themselves at the deepest level. Instead, they blame their problems on a mean boss, racial or sexual prejudice, a talent for choosing abusive love partners and so on.

In this way, the problem is externalized. However, doing this merely moves a person further away from the real problem, and consequently from the solution. Thus by disguising itself as some other more immediately visible issue, low self image is never tackled and overcome. It remains to rear its ugly head again.

Whatever challenge you face, you can rest assured that someone else has had it even worse, and yet gone on to triumph. If so, what prevents you back from doing the same? The answer must inevitably be - yourself. YOU are the primary force shaping you life. If others faced similar external challenges and triumphed, then external circumstances are NOT the primary determiners of your life. Your attitude of mind is.

our self image depends upon three factors - self confidence, self esteem and our experiences. These three factors are contextually proportionate  with each other . To explain this take it this way your experiences builds your confidence and your confidence generates your self esteem .

As we have discussed  your self image  have powers to make you or break you the only difference in two phases is of positive and negative self image. while a positive self image can help you to boost your abilities , a negative self image has power to destroy even your masterly crafted tendencies.

So what is a Positive or a negative self image ? 

Have you ever doubted your potential ,even though you know you are capable of achieving what you desire for , have your said phrases like why do I look like that , why do Its only me suffering every time and have your ever felt a break down just before approaching an  opportunity, then my friend you are carrying negative self image with you all the time . the negative self image doesn't allow you to perform you at your fullest capacity it fills you with terror ,hesitation , fear and sometimes even guilt . On the other hand  When you set and achieve goals to improve your selfimage, to commit yourself to their attainment, and to take action to bring those goals into reality, you begin to develop a more positive self-image than you ever dreamed possible. A positive self-image, in turn, reinforces your courage and confidence. You’re then capable of undertaking even more lofty and challenging goals.

Developing a positive self-image is based on the principle that each of us is the product of what we think and what we believe about our abilities. The only practical world is the one within ourselves – the world in which we develop courage and self-confidence and a more positive self-image. It’s here that we motivate ourselves to transform goals into tangible realities.

 

If self image is such a vital part of our existence and who we are is there a way to improve our self image, is there any way we can amend or fix our negative self image into a positive one. 

Well the answer is yes you always have a choice to improve your self image. All you have to do is follow a simple pattern to improve your self image. 

1. Create a Self concept : self concept simply means -

The ability to know yourself; to be able to assess your strengths, weaknesses, talents and potential.
The ability to be honest with yourself and be true to who you are and what you value.
The ability to take responsibility for your choices and actions.
The ability to love and accept yourself as you are, knowing that you can improve and develop any aspects of yourself that you choose.

2. Grant yourself the permission to make mistakes. learn from them:

Your reaction to your failures, as much as your successes, defines you. You can beat yourself up over a failure, or you can give yourself the permission to make mistakes and vow to learn from them. Let’s face it, whichever route you take, you will still make some mistakes in your life. One approach chips away at your self-esteem, the other helps you become a better person. Choose.

3. Think positively about yourself.:

 Remind yourself that, despite your problems, you are a unique, special, and valuable person, and that you deserve to feel good about yourself. Identify and challenge any negative thoughts that you may have about yourself, such as ‘I am a loser’, ‘I never do anything right’, or ‘No one really likes me’.

4.Become aware of thoughts and beliefs

Once you've identified troubling situations, pay attention to your thoughts about them. This includes your self-talk — what you tell yourself — and your interpretation of what the situation means. Your thoughts and beliefs might be positive, negative or neutral. They might be rational, based on reason or facts, or irrational, based on false ideas.