A Powerful Process to Help Transform Your Self–Image

Your self-image is how you see yourself. And that will be the greatest determining factor in your success or failure in every area of your life. But the good news is that you can change it.

If your self-image is less than ideal, here is a powerful process you can do at the end of each day to help transform it into a catalyst for your success.
Rewind That Movie

1. Prepare. Each evening, just before you settle down for sleep, sit with your back tall and straight. You can lean against a wall or sit on a chair if you need support. It’s recommended that you don’t do this lying down—you don’t want to fall asleep.

2. Breathe. Take a couple of full, deep breaths to calm your mind. Focus your attention on the inhale and exhale as much as possible.

3. Review. Review your entire day. Was it all perfect, or was there something you did that, in retrospect, you wished you had done differently? If everything you did throughout your entire day was perfect, congratulate yourself and enjoy a great night’s sleep. Otherwise, continue.

4. Observe. If there was something you wished you had done differently, see the incident or the activity in your mind’s eye. Maybe you said something you later regretted, or you reacted to something without thinking of the consequences. If there was more than one incident, pick one to start with. You can always come back to another one later.

Observe that moment with as much detail as possible. What is it about the activity or the incident that you wish you had done differently? (Note: Only focus on things you did, said, or felt that you have control over. You can’t control or change something that someone else did!)

As you observe, stay as detached as possible. I know this is not easy, but imagine you are watching a movie. In this movie you are just an actor saying your lines and going through the motions.

5. Rewind. In your mind, rewind the movie and play it again, but with a new ending. See yourself being the way you would have liked to be. How would you have liked to react? What do you wish you had said? (Remember, this is about replacing negative thought forms with positive ones. This is not the time to practice all the things you’d love to say to your boss or that client from hell. That’s a different exercise.) See the new ending in as much detail as possible.

6. Repeat. You may want to replay this new movie more than once. So, when you get to the end of the new movie, imagine hitting the rewind button and play it again. Do this as often as you need to until the new ending overshadows the old one in your mind.

7. Relax. When you are done, take a few more deep, focused breaths and relax. If you want to transform another incident, go back to step three and repeat the process from there. When you are done, have a wonderful sleep.

This process seems simple but is amazingly effective at changing your self-image into a more positive one. Realize that it takes practice to hold the new image of your preferred response in your mind without it wandering. Stay with it and you will be rewarded with greater confidence and well-being.

Of course, you are still accountable for what you did or said. But this is a powerful step to change your self-image and to support you in making more positive choices next time.