Reinforcing a Positive Self-Concept

Self-concept can be viewed as our individual perceptions of our behavior, abilities, and unique characteristics. It is essentially a mental picture of who you think you are as a person. For example, beliefs such as “I am a good friend” or “I am a kind person” are part of an overall self-concept. It is important that we maintain a positive self-concept of ourselves as it can build you for future events. Let’s discuss five things we can do that will reinforce a positive self-concept of ourselves.

Destroying negative beliefs- everyone struggles with negative beliefs about themselves especially when acquiring a better life seems extremely hard. Negative beliefs will always pop up in our minds but allowing them to manifest is where the danger lies. Examples of negative beliefs are I am a failure, I cannot do this, I am not enough and so forth. I can bet we have all said one or all of these statements before. What I know for sure is that things seem impossible until they are done. So, not because you stumble and negative thoughts arise means it’s true.

Focus on positive things about yourself– this should be easy. Tell me, what are the things you can do really well? Focusing on these things can help to strengthen the things you are not so good at. Most individuals excel in areas they are strong, so why baffle on the things you aren’t strong in? I say choose positivity always and keep doing what you love especially what you know to do well even if it seems hard.

Maintain a positive circle-whether you, believe it or not, these individuals have a huge impact on the way you view yourself. You sometimes receive a positive vibe from certain relationships that you will not receive from others and it is important to distinguish between the two. Do not depend on history or connections to choose what is right for you. In the end only you will have to deal with the repercussions of choosing the wrong circle.

Give yourself time- we all want the best for ourselves. Receiving the best sometimes means that we have to try and try again. Failure is not final but it gives you an idea of what not to do when approaching the situation again. Build on what you’ve learned from previous failures and use it as a stepping stone to acquire a more favourable outcome. Giving yourself time reinforces patience and acceptance and allows you to understand that not because you didn’t achieve something the time you wanted means that it is unachievable. Do not give up on yourself.

Challenge yourself- sometimes you won’t know what you can do if you don’t give yourself a chance. When you challenge yourself you sometimes discover the extent of your abilities, you surprise others and even yourself. This can help to shape the way in which you view yourself. You do not have to accept every challenge that comes your way but it is okay to accept a few. Remaining on one level is boring anyway.

Everyone at some point in their lives struggles with a negative self-concept of themselves but not all wear it on their foreheads. The key is to always find ways you can be better no matter how long it takes. What you think of yourself matters as you have to live with yourself every day. Remember to always be a good host to you!

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