Self Esteem – What is Self Image and Why Is It Important To Your Self Esteem?

What Is Self Image? In very simple terms, your self image is basically the mental picture that you have created of yourself. It is made up of a number of elements which fall into two broad groups. The first group contains the things which others are able to see and which could be objectively investigated or measured. Things like how tall you are, what colour your eyes are, whether you are male or female and what your IQ is for example. The second group consists of the things that you have learned about yourself and is the most important. These are the things which you have come to know either through personal experience, or by your acceptance of other people's judgements and opinions. This last part is so important because it forms the basis of so many of your beliefs about yourself and the way you think, relate to others, behave and store your experiences are all influenced and filtered by your beliefs. Where Does Your Self Image Originate Most of the information you needed to gather in order to form your self image and your beliefs will have been collected when you were still a child. This is a major problem in itself for two key reasons. Firstly, it means that a lot of the information used will have come from other children, who are not yet equipped to be objective or to think about the impact of their words. Secondly, you did not yet have enough mental competency to evaluate the input you received from others. When you add to this the fact that many adults are not consciously aware of the damage they can cause through a careless choice of words, or by the example they set, it is no wonder that many beliefs and values learned at an early age do not serve you well if maintained into adulthood. This in no way implies that any adults caused you any intentional damage, it is however a good reminder that we need to remember to consider the potential impact of our words and actions at all times, particularly in relation to young people. If you think about some of the things you believe about yourself, that help to shape your self image, you would probably be surprised to discover, or rather remember, the source of those beliefs. Perhaps a nickname you had when you were young, or something which was true for a time. How many children who were once a little chubby regard themselves as overweight all their lives for example, despite often contrary empirical evidence. How many label themselves as stupid at an early age and go through life unfulfilled and never achieving their potential because of that label, that belief? Why Having a Positive Self Image is Important One of the main reasons why it is important to have a good self image is the role it plays in determining your level of self esteem. Your self esteem is derived from comparing your ideal self, usually made up of bits of people you admire, with your self image. Therefore, if your self image is poor, you will find yourself comparing unfavourably with your ideal you and your self esteem will suffer as a result. Improving your self image will require some conscious effort on your part but the results will justify the effort. The better your self image, the higher and more stable your self esteem and the higher your self esteem the more authentic and fulfilling your life will be. If you would like more information on self esteem, beliefs and other areas of personal development, please visit the personal resources section of the web site for my business, julianandamanda.