Self-image is the opinion you have of your abilities, appearance, and personality. These beliefs have a profound impact on your confidence, how you socialize, and even your environment.
Moreover, what you believe about yourself will determine the results you get in life!
“A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success.”
– Joyce Brothers
So, if you struggle to change your income, life, or confidence level, a damaged self-image could be what’s holding you back.
Furthermore, if you allow it to deteriorate, you’ll struggle with past mistakes, resentments, or negative thinking. No good comes from all that!
“Everything that happens to you is a reflection of what you believe about yourself. We cannot outperform our level of self-esteem. We cannot draw to ourselves more than we think we are worth.”
– Iyanla Vanzant
How to Strengthen Your Self-Image:
1. Write about your best qualities
“To fall in love with yourself is the first secret to happiness.”
– Robert Morley
So, get out a pen and paper and write what you like about yourself. For instance, are you creative, ambitious, loving, brave, inspiring, or funny? Also, write down your accomplishments or the challenges you’ve overcome.
See? You’re more awesome than you thought! Then, make it a point to read your lists every day.
2. Visualize your new self-image
“The sky is not my limit…I am.”
– T.F. Hodge
Now, imagine (in detail) if you were your ideal self. Would you be confident? Do you work out? Practice more?
Although your self-image is embedded in your subconscious mind, there’s a proven way to hack it. First of all, the subconscious has no idea what’s real or imagined. That’s why your heart races when you watch a scary movie or think about something stressful happening in the future.
So, take advantage of this knowledge by using visualization. Imagine being your best self every day eventually, you’ll trick your brain into believing it!
3. Change your habits to align with your new self-image
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Next, write down what your ideal self would do every day.
When you’re done, you have your new daily To-Do list. It might feel overwhelming, so take small steps at first. But, over time you’ll fall in love with your new habits as much as you did your old ones!
Also, these activities will solidify your new self-image every day!
4. Maintain your self-image transformation
“Be that self which one truly is.” – Soren Kierkegaard
After you write down what you need to do, plan how you’ll sustain it from there. Don’t accomplish your goal and then quit. Maintenance is key!
So, schedule a time every day to walk, read, practice, create or whatever your ideal self would do. Even if you only do these things for a few minutes a day, it will add up to amazing results over time!
5. Have persistence
“The self is not something ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action.” – John Dewey
It’s taken years of old habits to create who you are today. So, you won’t change in an instant. Repetition will alter your self-image and your life, but you’ll need to have the persistence to keep at it.
So, commit to these new habits every day, at least for a couple of months. It’ll be difficult in the beginning, but each time it’ll get more comfortable. By the time it’s been two months, the struggle will disappear, and it’ll be effortless! Then, it’ll be easy to continue for a lifetime!
6. Change your body language
“Present yourself always As who you would be, And that is the person The world will see.”
– Robert Brault
The way you carry yourself is more important than you might realize. In fact, just sitting up straighter or walking a bit faster can boost your self-image instantly.
“Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got.”
– Janis Joplin
In short, you behave according to your self-image. But, by acting and thinking differently, you can change the opinion you have of yourself. Above all, develop the habits that align with your “new self,” and soon, that’s who you’ll become.
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