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>> General Interest >> How to Create a Good Self Image (Part One)
In his powerful book, "Creating The Work You Love",
author Rick Jarow describes what abundance really is:
"To truly accept what you have, your gifts, your
experiences, and your chronic shortcomings - is
no simple matter. But this is where your riches lie,
for no one can duplicate your experiences; no one
is born under the exact set of circumstances, and
therefore no one else can make the same
contribution to the world that you can."
The Man In The Looking Glass
"When you get what you want in your struggle for self
and the world makes you king for a day
Then go to a mirror and look at yourself
and see what your face has to say
for it isn't your father, or mother or wife
who judgement upon you must pass
the one who means most in your life everyday
is the face looking back from the glass
you may follow the whole world down the pathway
of life and get pats on your back as you pass
but your final reward will be heartache and tears
if you've cheated the man in the glass."
Every successful person knows the vital role that their
self- image, or the picture they hold of themselves,
plays in their success. This snapshot is probably the most
important single factor, which will determine how successful
you will be in life - it is your destiny.
I firmly believe that holding a poor self-image short-circuits a
person's chances of success.
Your self-image is what you feel about yourself at the
deepest level. It is your truth - because you subconsciously
believe it about yourself. One's self image (especially with
sensitive people) is a very fragile thing. It can be severely
damaged by the loss of job, separation, divorce, mental
breakdown, or other trauma. Once broken it has to be
slowly rebuilt, brick by brick, which sometimes can take a
number of years before the person becomes their old self
once again.
The people closest to you have a significant impact on ones
self-image. If they don't believe in you, it makes it very
hard to move forward in your life.
How you see yourself personally and professionally also
determines the level of your own motivation. A positive
self-image means that your sub-conscious mind can be
controlled by eliminating negative thoughts and attitudes.
Your subconscious mind determines your ATTITUDE to
events and experiences. It is not what happens to you that
is important - it is HOW you react to events: "The 90%/
10% rule"!
"I am upset not by events, but rather by the way I view
them."
Holding a good self image means seeing yourself as a
unique and significant person - one who has a meaningful
part to play in the world - making a difference. You then
add greater MEANING and PURPOSE to your life.
If you have a strong inner belief in yourself and your
values, you can change your behaviour subjectively by
changing your attitudes of mind or your inner beliefs.
This is what is known as "self talk". For example:
You can turn a negative attitude about your
weaknesses to a positive one regarding your strengths.
Don't get bogged down with circumstances. The 'loser' with
a negative self image often blames others for their adverse
circumstances in life and usually suffers from feelings of
depression. This negative self image then becomes a self-
fulfilling prophecy, as failure follows failure in their life.
So that a "cycle of despair" sets in. Very hard to break out!
On the other hand, the person with a good self image
EXPECTS to live up to their expectations and achieve
success, which is what usually happens. If you feel good
about yourself, the brain sends out positive messages to
your body (as seen in one's body language);
so that you can act confidently and give off positive "vibes".
This in turn develops confidence, which makes you feel
more positive about "having a go" at something you would
not normally tackle.
A positive attitude (ie. spirit of optimism or EXPECTATION
OF SUCCESS ) is absolutely essential in the path towards
success - whatever endeavour in life you may choose.
We all know and envy those people who project an aura
of confidence and success. Don't we?
Thus, self image is a vital self-management skill... and,
like all skills, it needs constant exercise to nourish,
strengthen and grow:
"Water the flowers, instead of the weeds in your garden."
How long has it been since we visited ourselves by looking
closely at ourselves?
The technical word for this is introspection (loved by those
"rather strange psycho types").
*
How Do You See Yourself Now?
1. What do you do well?
2. What do you like most about yourself?
3. What results/achievements are you most proud of?
Your self image can be an 'invisible ceiling'. Don't sell
yourself short, because everyone has the potential to do
anything. "If you can think it, you can do it."
Aim high. If you train fleas to jump in a glass jar, even
if you remove the jar, they do not jump any higher (it's a
conditioned response).
Don't be a flea! Say to yourself:
"I need to lift the lid of my unlimited potential."
Lifting the Lid
Unlimited Potential
Self Image
Self imposed ceiling
Limited Potential
HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE FUTURE?
Write a short note to yourself on who you want to be and
what you want to achieve by the years 2003 and 2005
(perhaps even 2010, as the years fly by so fast, as we
get older). Utilise visual imagery (or mental pictures) and
talk to yourself in a quiet place. Stillness is the key.
Make a decision to change (if you want to) and where
you want to go in life. Involve yourself in clear specific goals.
Enough about goal-setting. That's the subject of another
article!
So "CELEBRATE YOUR UNIQUENESS". Work on your self
image daily by affirming that you are "a unique and special
Creation", a person with individual gifts and talents (God-given).
You DO have something totally unique to contribute to
the world... to make a difference in your individual journey
"down the river of life".
And finally... and most importantly,
BE HAPPY by "simply being YOU."
Craig Lock
http://www.craiglock.com
The Special Person You Were Meant to Be
"If you can value truth above approval, and friendship
over power, wealth, or fame,
If you can share your gifts wisely, leaving someone better
off than when you came,
If you find happiness, simple pleasures, and see the rainbow,
not the falling rain ,
If you have faith to keep on believing in miracles that no
one can explain,
If you live every day to your potential and find the goal in
everything you see,
Then you'll be, not just happy and successful, but the
person only you were meant to be."
This extract is from Craig's first published book HANDBOOK
TO SURVIVE - a collection of writings on various subjects to
help every man or woman survive in a rapidly changing,
uncertain world. HANDBOOK can be purchased at:
http://www.nzenterprise.com/writer/books.html
or
http://www.novelty-gift.com/ebooks.html
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