What do you think when you see yourself in an image?

  • Are you hyper critical?
  • Are your thoughts different compared to looking in the mirror?
  • Or are you accepting and feel good about what you see?

Does it matter? After all these are your thoughts, nobody else needs to know or hear about them… do they?

Had you ever considered your body listens to everything you think and say about yourself.

Yes that is a fact and well, why wouldn’t it, it is after all you.

It fills me with much encouragement and hope that society in general is opening up and discussing mental health. This got me thinking how important it is that we learn to cultivate a positive view on what we see in ourselves.

Ok, let’s start with looking in a mirror.

How often do you practise gratitude for the person you are and where you are in life? You height, your colouring (skin and hair), your size, your age… yes especially age! So what do you think when you see yourself in an image?

  • Sometimes we can find ourselves in ‘comparing’ mode with others.
  • Sometimes we think we have a good outlook towards self, and then be over critical when it comes to seeing ourselves in a photo!
  • How many of us have said “if only I could lose a bit of weight” – I know I have in the past!

So why? Where did we learn all that? What good did it do us?

Much can come from our childhood years and the values and expectations we learned from finding our place in society. Comparisons and judgement could have been placed on us by sibling, school peers, teachers, parents and people we love.

I grew up in an era when Twiggy rose to fame and to be stick thin was in fashion. Not a lot of fun for those of us who were born a completely different shape! This followed the era of soft and curvy from the 50’s. The objectification of women was considered quite normal. It took me many years to stop thinking I could be a different shape!

But attitudes and generations are changing thankfully! Comments that were once considered ok, are no longer acceptable in society.

Every size, shape, gender, colour and age should be equal and celebrated. How we see ourselves is very attached to the balance of our mental health. Again something that is today discussed more openly and vitally important for us to be aware of.

Again you may think, ‘is it really that important?’ Well yes, as I said earlier, our body listens to everything we say about it. Have you ever heard the phrase ‘self fulfilling prophecy’? If you are overly self critical, be careful what you say, think and wish for.

So a positive self image is important especially when times get tough.

Our lives can be full of things that come along to challenge us and our personal confidence. Life can be trundling along happily, when something major can turn it on its head in an instant. If we already have a lot of self doubt and self criticism going on, it’s going to make things even tougher.

Cultivating a positive self image is very important and can be helped by several small simple daily tasks that will cost you nothing. 

  • Practising gratitude for everything in your life. 
  • Look in the mirror and tell the person looking back how much you love and appreciate them. 
  • Be grateful for the person you are, even when life gets tough.
  • Learning to recognise negative thoughts and stopping them in their tracks.

Learning to recognise and deal with doubt about ourselves early on can help prevent a downward spiral.

Going back to our question, what do you think when you see yourself in an image? The next time you find yourself being self critical, stop and think where it could lead. Even if it was the result of a wrong decision and you are giving yourself a hard time. Be kinder and just promise you will choose differently next time. Once you’ve learned to observe the thoughts you have, you can make sure there are plenty of positive ones are in there.

Yes, being kinder and patient with yourself is a very good thing.

If you’d like to discuss how you feel about being in photographs, the experience and what you see – a free review, with no obligation is available for you at any time – Your Free Review

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