| You can't be happy if you have a poor self-image, | | | | about the change. It takes time, but I'm sure you |
| and of course, happiness is what we all want. What is | | | | know that thought is a powerful thing. |
| self-image? Briefly, it's what you think about yourself | | | | So if you truly believe you can change yourself, you |
| -- the image that you have built up in your mind | | | | can. You have to begin by getting a clear picture of |
| about how good, successful, talented, or how | | | | what you would like to be, or perhaps I should say, |
| unlucky, ugly and fat you are. Changing it is not | | | | the person you believe you really are. Be realistic. |
| something you can do overnight; it's an image that | | | | Think in terms of your successes and your strengths. |
| was developed over many years (your lifetime), an | | | | Use them to build up a convincing picture of yourself |
| image that is based on all your successes and failures. | | | | and how you will act under various circumstances. |
| To a large degree it's also based on how you feel | | | | Picture this "new self" in your mind. |
| other people react to you, and how they feel about | | | | Why does this work? It works because of the way |
| you. It is the foundation upon which your personality | | | | your mind, nervous system and brain operate. You |
| is built. | | | | have both a conscious and an unconscious mind; the |
| Self-image is important because it rules literally | | | | key is to reach your unconscious mind. The |
| everything that happens to you in your life. It limits | | | | unconscious mind plays a much larger role in our life |
| how successful you will be, and it certainly limits your | | | | than you may think. It is the thing that shapes and |
| happiness and well-being, and this means you must | | | | forms our self-image. We think about our problems |
| have a good self-image to feel good. If you have a | | | | and failures; we turn them over and over in our mind, |
| poor one it's going to limit you throughout your life. | | | | and even when we are no longer consciously thinking |
| Fortunately, you can change what you think about | | | | about them, our unconscious mind is dealing with |
| yourself, but it's not something that can be done | | | | them. |
| overnight. It took years to build up the self-image | | | | If we spend most of our time thinking about our |
| you have, so you're going to have to work to | | | | successes and the good things in our life, we will |
| change it. Furthermore, much of what you think | | | | have few problems with our self-image. But for most |
| about yourself may be right, but it's well-known that | | | | of us, this isn't the case. We spend far too much |
| most people underestimate themselves. You are likely | | | | time thinking about our failures, our shortcomings, and |
| more creative, more talented, and even | | | | the people we have a grudge against. We think |
| better-looking than you think. The key is to bring | | | | about them until they become ingrained in our |
| your self-image into line with your "true" self, but be | | | | personality |
| honest: it's not much use trying to change it into | | | | To change your self-image you have to undo all the |
| something that it isn't; it won't work. You have to | | | | negative programming that has been going on for |
| truly believe that it is a valid image, and you have to | | | | years, so it's obviously not going to be a "quick fix." |
| be convinced that it is the "real" you. | | | | It's going to take time, but it can be done. The trick |
| How do you go about this? Strangely, you have to | | | | is to "fix" on this new image -- the image that is |
| be subtle. If you just close your eyes and forcefully | | | | based on your successes and other pluses about |
| tell yourself that you're going to change, you won't. | | | | yourself. Picture it as much as possible, but do even |
| It's like trying to break a bad habit. As you likely | | | | more than that: picture the details. Picture everything |
| know, if you try to force yourself to break a habit | | | | about yourself -- and make sure it is an image you |
| by thinking about it continuously, you won't get | | | | are satisfied with and proud of. And in time your |
| anywhere. But it is, indeed, "thought" that will bring | | | | self-image will definitely improve. |