The way that we see ourselves, both internally and externally, is referred to as our self image. Our self-image can do far more than paint a portrait of how we see ourselves. It can literally make or break or success, provide us with a blessed life or a troublesome one, and be the difference between true happiness and a miserable life.
The more positive our self-image is, the better our life will be. Many people are unaware of how truly powerful their self-image is. These same people will often times spend years in a rut that they cannot get out of and do not know what the cause is. The thought that it may be the result of their self-image hardly ever crosses their minds.
So, what kind of self-image do you have? Do you see yourself as a strong person who deserves the best out of life or do you see yourself as a weak person who deserves nothing more than the scraps from life? Although that may seem like a bit of harsh example, it is practical. There are people out there who feel like they do not deserve anything good in life, and guess what, they never receive anything good from life.
One of the most difficult things about climbing out of a rut that a negative self-image has created is the fact that the rut just continues to get deeper. The longer a person has a negative self-image, the more negative it will become. The same process takes place when speaking of positive self-images, the longer you have one, the more positive it will become.
You can actually use your self-image to help you change your life and help you become the person that you want to be. For example, many counselors and therapists have patients practice exercises which involve creating self-images that relate to the things that they are trying to change.
There are many other things that you can do to improve your self-image and your life as well. The following are a few examples of techniques that you can use to improve your self-image.
•Affirmations
The act of repeating positive statements to yourself is known as an affirmation. Affirmations are extremely powerful and they can be used to create a positive self-image that is sure to bring you the bright future that you deserve. Affirmations are not difficult to do and they should take no more than a few minutes to perform. All you have to do is look yourself in the mirror and repeat a positive statement about yourself. For example you might say, “I am good person, I am likeable and I deserve a happy life”. You can change these statements so that they fit your current needs. For example you can use an affirmation such as, “I am smart, I will get good grades”. Affirmations can be used to boost your self-image in basically all circumstances.
•Learn to be you
There are a lot of people who live their entire life trying to be someone other than themselves. There are many different reasons for this but the most common reasons tend to be the desire to live the other person’s life of the inability to accept what someone may consider a personal flaw. If you want to develop a positive self-image you need to learn to accept and embrace who you are. We are all unique and it is supposed to be that way. The world would be a very boring place if we were all the exact same. The differences in each one of us is what makes every day exciting and worth waking up to. Love yourself and be proud of who you are.
•Ask others for support
People who suffer from negative self-images often forget about their good qualities. This is especially true when people have a negative self-image for an extended amount of time. For this reason it can sometimes be helpful to reach out to family members and friends and ask them about your good qualities. You will likely hear many things that will boost your self-image and make you realize how good of a person you really are.
There is no reason to think badly about yourself, it will not bring forth the life that you desire, if anything it will just push it further away. Always tell yourself that you deserve more in life, even when you don’t believe it. Developing a healthy self-image can offer you a future of unlimited opportunities and happiness beyond your wildest belief. You deserve to be happy in life, but in order to be happy in life you must first be happy with yourself.
You can also build your confidence a bit more here.
