How to Create a Good Self Image (from 'Handbook to Survive Life')

Article Title: How to Create a Good Self Image (from 'Handbook to Survive Life')
Author: Craig Lock
Category (key words): Self Help, Personal Growth, Self help books, Success, Success Principles
Web Sites: http://www.creativekiwis.com/books.html and www.lulu.com/craiglock
Other Articles are available at: http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981 and http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles.html
(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, spiritual, 'spiritual writings' (how 'airey-fairey'), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig!).

Publishing Guidelines:
We hope that the following article (an extract from Craig's first published book HANDBOOK TO SURVIVE)
may be informative and helpful to your e-zine readers, or on your web site. This article (as with all his articles) may be freely reproduced electronically or in print. If it helps any others "out there" towards success, then we're very happy.

"We share what we know, so that we all may grow."

*
How to Create a Good Self Image (from 'Handbook to Survive Life')

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."
- anon

Authors Note:
Craig Lock has written extensively in the field of self help. This extract is from his 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.

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. (Don't I know all about that!).

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. 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. a spirit of optimism ) is absolutely essential in the path towards success in 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 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 end of the year 2010
(perhaps even 2015, 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 work on your self image daily by affirming that you are "unique and special" . A person with individual gifts and talents. You DO have something totally unique to contribute to the world...
by "simply being YOU."

"For me life is about loving a lot,
laughing a lot and having good friends.
To feel good about your uniqueness and all the special qualities
that are yours to share with the rest of the world.

It's your time to shine...
to celebrate all that's best and brightest in your life.
So be the bright light you can be to the world."

Craig Lock ("Information and Inspiration Distributor, Incorrigible Encourager and People-builder")

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."
- anon

"Life is about finding, then following the dream...
and one's dream/vision comes to reality through believing in yourself,
making the commitment and then creating it."
- Craig Lock

"Success to others may be apparent in what you DO; but
significance, meaning and purpose lies, then reveals itself
in what you ARE and BECOME down the 'river of life' - how
and the spirit with which you face, then overcome the daily
obstacles, the frequent trials and tribulations along the
often rocky path-way of life's magical and mysterious
journey. Light your path brightly."
- Craig Lock

"Our Greatest Good is perhaps not to achieve wealth and share our material possessions, our money and 'riches' with others, but through encouragement and faith in other people, to lay the firm foundation of revealing the rich treasure that lies within themselves.
Perhaps that is true success in life."
- craig

"Together, one mind at a time, let's see how many people we can impact, empower and encourage to reach their fullest potentials."

THESE THOUGHTS MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED

"If you have knowledge, let others light their candle to it."

PS: Don't worry about the world ending today...
as it's already tomorrow in little scenic and tranquil New Zealand