Does your inner voice tell you that you are not enough? Do you find it hard to accept your strengths and limitations? You are not alone.
This blog dives into why you can have an inaccurate perception of yourself and how to improve your self-image. Read on to learn how to see yourself as you really are.
OUR SELF-IMAGE IS MADE UP
Understanding why we see ourselves differently than we actually are is part of understanding how our self-image is made up. Though strictly speaking, our self-image does not always reflect reality, it does serve as a major factor in how we interact with the world around us. We learn when we’re young that people often make attributions about us—good or bad—based simply on our appearance, ethnic background and social class. These attributions then become part of our self-image whether we like it or not. These people focus more on Hellspin Canada.
Sometimes these attributions may be based on valid characteristics or qualities but other times they’re wrong and if believed can do real harm to our self-esteem and comfort in the world. It can be difficult to shake these beliefs at first because all these attributions have been built up through experiences over time. In order to truly change your perception of yourself, it’s important to challenge any incorrect assumptions and replace them with more accurate thoughts.
If you find that your self-perception doesn’t match the way you really are then it can help to practice positive affirmations with yourself every day. Focus on what you like most about yourself and remind yourself why those things are great instead of focusing on any areas where you think you may be deficient. If negative thoughts pop up in your head, acknowledge them but don’t dwell on them by replacing them with more positive ones instead. Over time, this practice can help change your perspective as well as how others see you as well!
WHAT IT INFLUENCES
Understanding why you perceive yourself differently than you truly are is a complex topic that requires looking at different factors that influence our sense of self. Everyone experiences the world in unique ways and different aspects can contribute to how we perceive things and people, including ourselves.
Several distinct aspects can impact perception and leading to an often inaccurate sensing of one’s true self. One example of how your perception may differ from reality is when we order, generalize, and simplify information about ourselves and others—a process known as “cognitive ego-centricity.” We often select data about our opinions or physical attributes that may be more favorable, enhancing our sense of self-importance or worthiness—a phenomenon called self-serving bias. In addition, research shows that emotional states such as fear or stress can also cause changes in perception that conflict with the real image —we might think we look a certain way without factoring in subtleties such as facial expressions or posture when viewing our reflections.
These influences come together to shape what an individual believes to be truth about themself which could be very different from reality. For example, someone may think they look like their ideal body type but in actuality are still several pounds over or conversely someone may think they don’t look as attractive as they really are due to negative ideas regarding weight or fitness level. These circumstances highlight some core elements that provide insight into why an individual sees themself differently than they actually are; this allows for the opportunity to work towards more accurate understanding of one’s authentic image through conscious effort to note these differences and adjust their view accordingly for better mental wellbeing and overall satisfaction with life.