We all have different ways of looking at ourselves. Some of us are confident and perceive ourselves as being highly capable while others may be less-confident and unsure of their abilities. Some people look into the mirror and see positive things while others may see less positive things. All of these intertwining factors that make up how we view ourselves make up what is called our self-image.
Our self-image is the personal viewpoint we adopt towards ourselves which describes characteristics such as intelligence, attractiveness, talents, kindness, and many other traits.
In this article, we’ll take a deeper look at what self-image is and how you can change it for a happier life
What Is Self-Image?
Put very simply, your self-image relates to how you see yourself both internally and externally.
This idea is exaggerated upon by Random House Dictionary who defines self-image as:
“the idea, conception, or mental image one has of oneself.”
So, why is self-image important?
Well, self-image influences how we view ourselves, how we interact with others, and even how we feel about our surroundings. Thus, it has pretty broad influence over our lives.
A positive self-image has the ability and potential to boost our physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being. On the other hand, a negative self-image can decrease our well-being in each of these areas as well as our overall life satisfaction and functioning.
Self-Image vs. Self-Concept
A lot of people tend to get self-image confused with self-concept. The two terms are very similar, so the confusion is understandable. However, there is an important difference:
Self-concept is a much broader term relating to how you see, think, and feel about yourself.
Thus, self-image is a portion of what makes up our much broader self-concept. Self-image is strictly how we view ourselves, not how we think or feel about ourselves.
