Self-image. It is one of the most important things about our self-concept. When you have a strong self-image your overall life perception improves. Self-concept is at the root of how effective we are at achieving our goals and how we react to different situations we encounter. Typically, self-image has to do with positive or negative self-talk, how we treat ourselves and how we view our strengths and weaknesses. Self-image is typically developed through experiences we have as a child; through relationships, we hold and encounters we have in our daily lives.
Building a strong self-image takes work and maintenance. Let’s look at some of the ways you can work to improve your self-image and keep it strong:
Negative Self Talk – We are often the biggest critic of ourselves. It has been said before, that if we talked to others the way we talk to ourselves, no one would talk to us again. We are the only person who is with ourselves constantly, so having a good relationship with yourself is important. When you catch your mind wandering in the direction of negative self-talk, change the thought process. Begin by redirecting your thoughts. Think first is this true? Then follow by changing the dialog to something positive that is the opposite of what you are thinking. This practice will take time, but eventually, you will be able to start thinking positively about yourself.
Gratitude Practices – Gratitude is important, when trying to rebuild your self-image try practicing self gratitude. Think about things that you are grateful for that you have accomplished, worked through, and just things that are great about you in general. Over time practicing gratitude will help you to feel more confident and content in your life and self-image. Through this method, you will also be able to begin to focus on positive aspects of life one small step at a time, and gratitude journaling only takes a few minutes per day.
Mirror Work – Do you look in the mirror and have a hard time accepting how you look or who you are? Feeling good about yourself starts on the inside, and we should work to accept ourselves from the inside out. Try looking in the mirror every day and tell yourself how wonderful you are, talk to yourself about what you have accomplished, and think about how you can treat yourself with more kindness. If this practice sounds daunting, start small by simply looking at yourself in the mirror and just smiling. Also, put sticky notes on your mirror with little reminders and encouragement that can help you start your day off on a positive note.
Personal Interests – Spending time doing things that make us feel icky can also dimmish our self-image. Are you involved in something extracurricular or work in a place that makes you not feel so great about yourself? Find ways to change this. If your job isn’t making you feel good, take steps to find a new job like writing your resume, or contact your local jobcentre to work on finding a job that gives you a sense of purpose. If you are involved in volunteer activities that do not make you happy, take the steps to complete your commitments and move on to another activity. Simply put look for opportunities to work with encouraging people, doing activities you enjoy. If you aren’t sure what it is, you will want to do then do some exploring and research about different activities and seek out what your have an interest in.
If something is not feeding into your life, look for ways to make a change. The hardest work comes from within when it comes to reshaping your self-image. Self-acceptance is the most important aspect of our well-being and surrounding yourself with people who make you feel good and treating yourself with kindness will go a long way.
Bliss + You 