How to Create a New Self Image

Self-image involves your personal feelings and perceptions regarding your body and mind. It also is the result of the relationships you have with others, as well as incorporates aspects of your childhood, according to research done by Cleveland Clinic.

Self-image impacts your life either positively or negatively, depending upon your thought process. Since self-image is a byproduct of your own mind and environment, you have the ability to create a new self-image by changing your way of thinking about yourself and surrounding yourself with people who make you feel good about who you are.

Things You’ll Need

• Pencil or pen
• Journal or notebook

7 Step to Create a New Self Image

1. Identify and write down your positive and negative traits.

This is an essential step in changing your self-image, according to Cleveland Clinic, as you will want to build upon your developed strengths and eliminate your weaknesses. Rank your traits in order of importance or highlight the traits you especially want to change or eliminate when creating your new image.

2. Think about what you want your new self-image to look and act like.

Envision yourself as a new person and see yourself speaking and acting as you desire. Write down your personal goals and ideas or steps for how to accomplish these. By envisioning yourself as a new person, you can motivate yourself to take the necessary steps toward change.

3. Identify the roadblocks and distortions in perception hindering your current self-image.

According to the Mayo Clinic, these could be self-defeating statements, unrealistic expectations, past hurts from your childhood or comparisons to others. Write down your roadblocks and distortions, then develop a counterstatement for each one.

4. Let go of childhood hurts and resolve yourself to move forward with your adult life and new image.

Avoid comparisons to other people and focus on your own personal development based on what you have and can work with. Focusing on unattainable ideals or unrealistic expectations will only serve to hold you back in developing a new self-image.

5. Set weekly, monthly and yearly goals based off the lists you created.

Strive to achieve each of these goals and reward yourself along the way. Rewards can include new clothing or cosmetics to compliment your new self-image, or a night out with friends to celebrate the “new” you.

6. Create a list of positive statements related to your new self-image to help keep you motivated and confident throughout your journey.

Mayo Clinic suggests using hopeful, positive statements such as, “Every day is a chance to be the new me” or “My life is exactly how it is supposed to be.” Focus on small changes to your self-image, which will lead to larger, overall life changes.

7. Avoid getting discouraged and expect the process to be slow but steady.

You will have upbeat days and ones in which you feel like giving up. Make the most of your good days and focus on your positive affirmations and statements on the bad days. The Cleveland Clinic suggests remembering how far you have come when you begin to feel down.

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