Interesting Psychology Team
What’s the Real Meaning of Self-image
Your self image is the perception you have about yourself and all you’re capable of. We all have a self-image. How we are at our jobs, how we are as parents and friends, socially, at sports, in relationships, and where we stand in relation to others.
Your self-image isn’t only shaped by the experiences you’ve had in the past but also your interpretation of those experiences. People with social anxiety and poor self-esteem tend to have a poor self image. They tend to see themselves as shy, unconfident, and inferior to others.
It’s really hard to outperform your self image. Some would say it’s almost impossible. How you see yourself on the inside will govern the results you get on the outside; so, it’s of the utmost importance that you change your self-image to that of someone who is socially confident.
If you continue to see yourself as shy and inferior (or whatever else it is for you) on the inside, you’ll keep getting those results on the outside.
What factors contribute to a poor self-image?
A poor self-image is created by focusing only on your flaws and failures and seeing yourself for less than you truly are, instead of focusing on your good points.
It’s formed by seeing yourself and your accomplishments as average and other people’s as much better. Seeing yourself as inferior to others, either because other people have been telling you this your whole life or from your own flawed perception of events. An example would be having a few awkward conversations, then telling yourself you’re an awkward person.
It can also come from constantly putting yourself down, calling yourself names such as loser and idiot when you fail and from taking other people’s opinions on board as your opinion of yourself. When someone calls you dumb, ugly, or weird (which is going to happen from time to time) do you believe them and take it onboard as your own identity?
Write down your self image in the following areas:
- In your career?
- How much money are you worthy of making?
- What kind of partner are you capable of attracting?
- What kind of friend are you?
- How smart are you?
- How attractive are you?
- How are you with the opposite sex?
- How are you in social settings and with people?
Don’t sugar coat it, but don’t make it worse than it is either; just be totally honest with yourself. Who do you really deep down think you are at all these important things?
Now, if you have any parts of your self-image you’re not happy with, I want you to re-examine them. When was the last time you tested these assumptions and where did they come from?
Because someone else told you so?
Because it has always been like that?
Because you failed in the past?
Because you stopped trying after one or two bad experiences?
Remember, we’re constantly growing and becoming better every day. If any part of your self image isn’t what you want it to be, perhaps it time to start re-examining some of these assumptions you hold about yourself.
