With social media, “everyone” has a brand, and the interesting thing about it all is the blurred lines between business and personal life. Public opinion is literally an opponent of self-image as it is rooted in other people’s perspectives and what they say about a person, place, or thing. To thrive from public opinion is to starve in the area of self-acceptance. When it comes to public opinion it should be taken as just that: how an individual has experienced you and perhaps the work you have created from their point of view. Opinions are simply perspectives and are usually not based on facts or truth. It’s just an opinion. And here is the importance of genuinely understanding this: many people see themselves through the lens of other people. Their personal self-worth is established by what other people (even people who do not know them personally) say about them.
Self-image is how you see yourself; it's what you believe about who you are. And that is a combination of a few things including your core beliefs and core values. Self-image is not a matter of what you look like in a physical mirror. It is how you think about yourself. If you were another person in relationship with you, what type of friend would you consider yourself to be? Would you agree with your current core values and beliefs? When it comes to personality, one must remember that personality is simply the result of what you value and believe (and how those values and beliefs are uniquely presented with your voice and mannerisms). Again, self-image is how you see yourself from an immaterial perspective (because the real is inside of you).
The beauty in this truth is that core values and core beliefs can change; they can become better and more wholesome. Because many people are unaware of this, they seek to love themselves based on external factors. Then there (hopefully) comes a day when it is realized that nothing external can ever make you more valuable than what’s within.
A major key in valuing yourself and having a healthy self-image is recognizing that all people are special which makes no one more valuable than the next. Many find themselves in downward spirals because they believe the lie that to be valued, one must be more valuable than someone else. Getting beyond this lie opens the door for you to settle in who you are (if you aren’t already) and focus more on more important things like purpose, making a difference in the world, and being grateful for all of who you are.
LifeWork
Based on the article, set aside at least 10 minutes to consider the following:
What lens have you viewed yourself from for the most recent 1 – 5 years? Is that view based on the opinions of others or external factors (work, economics, relationship status, eudcation, etc.)?
Based on your core values and core beliefs, how do you view yourself?
What are some of your core values and core beliefs you think can use an update or simply need to be deleted?
Be sure to journal your experience.
This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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