Five Habits to Improve Your Self Image Daily

Self-image is defined as “the idea one has of one’s abilities, appearance, and personality.” While it’s normal to occasionally have doubts about one or all of these things, when your internal monologue is predominately composed of an extremely negative narrative, it becomes impossible to enjoy life and other mental health issues can be exacerbated. Use these five habits to improve your self-image daily.

If you perceive yourself as unworthy it’s likely that you’ll use every day experiences, from bad luck, to the rudeness of others, to confirm this notion. Changing these thought patterns and cycles of self-fulfilling prophecy is difficult, but it is possible with these five habits.

Self-Image Improvement Habit #1: Exercise

“Why don’t you try exercising?” is such a common piece of advice thrown out to people suffering with low confidence, low self-image, anxiety or depression, that it has almost become a cliché. The benefits are undeniable, achieving goals can overhaul your attitude to yourself, and your focus can be changed from what your body looks like to what it can do. However, it’s important to ensure that you exercise because it makes you happy, not because you feel like you have to.

Self-Image Improvement Habit #2: Meditation

David Lynch, the director of Twin Peaks, said that in practicing meditation, “you become more you”. Meditation allows you to think clearly, improves your energy levels and optimizes your performance. All these things can help you feel better about yourself, improve your self-image, and the stress-relieving qualities of meditation will also make it easier to worry less.

Self-Image Improvement Habit #3: Talk Positively about Yourself

While it would never be wise to rabbit on at length about how fabulous you are, it’s very important to break out of habits of denigrating yourself to others. Self-deprecating humor is fine as long as it isn’t the only way you refer to yourself, and repeating the negatives you perceive in your life is only going to reinforce them in your own mind.

Self-Image Improvement Habit #4: Look For the Positives in Others

If you are highly critical of other people it’s likely that you’ll apply those same standards to your own self-image, so it’s important to make an effort to look for the best in people. You can avoid comparing yourself to other people in a way that makes you feel inferior by acknowledging that envy is a normal response, but you are just as valid and as likely to achieve as anyone else.

Self-Image Improvement Habit #5: Find Your Network

There are issues with social media and our screen-based lives, but one massive plus is that whatever your interests, you can meet groups of people that are enthusiastic about exactly the same things. The Internet can also provide a surprising support network, where people will reach out to find a community and help each other.

This article was written by:

Holly Ashby is a writer and illustrator who works for Will Williams Meditation, a meditation center that provides meditation classes in London, Brighton and Geneva, helping people let go of negativity and low self-esteem through the practice of Vedic meditation. Find Holly on Twitter.

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