CHANGE YOUR BODY IMAGE

It is rewarding to find someone you like but very essential to like yourself. It is also wonderful to recognize someone so good and decent but indispensable to view yourself as acceptable.

You can't find yourself in another person neither can someone else give you life. Can you live in someone else? Please make sure you answer that question before proceeding. I will be glad to know that your answer will be "No". Because, of all the people you will know in a lifetime, you are the only one you will never leave nor lose. Why am I going through all of these? It is because that's how your regard yourself has everything to do with yourself image.

Self image is the mental picture of how you believe you appear to occur, how you picture your physical self, how you believe others see you physically, it is also your idea (positive or negative, rational or irrational) of how you present yourself to others and how you are subsequently judged by them.

An accumulation of all of your character, personality, Skills, abilities, and other attributes are script you have been given throughout your life.

Factors such as-

- Your personhood 

-accomplishment in athletics or academic

- Shape of your body

- Physical appearance

- Social skills

- Relationship with family, peer group and siblings

- Background and environment from which you came.

- Job and job tittles need.

- Societal status

- Goals, ambitions and aspirations for the future.

All of these factors help in creating your self - image.

Maybe at this point you are beginning to think like my friend whom didn't allow me to finish this writing in time because of her endless question on discovering I was writing on this subject. Amongst all her ending questions, this one I said I must answer in here. She said "so what about what body image is; but how does it affect me? Hmm! I will tell you see.

It is from self - image that you set goals for yourself. For example, if your self - image is too high or unrealistic, you set goals that are often unreasonable or too perfectionist and if its too low you always find yourself setting goals that are too easily reached, never attaining overall satisfaction. It is from your self - image that you develop scripts as to how you believe you should act to fit that image and develop expectations for how you are to act and react.

I deliberately move from body image to self - image, this is because body image is part of self - image. Body image is simple, the way people see their bodies in their minds. Body image has a great impact on self image because:-

- Physical appearance is the first quality by which people are judged.

- Our society is very physical appearance e.g. where being thin is the in thing.

- Physical appearance is the external presentation people make to other.

- If you feel attractive you will act accordingly. The reverse is true if you feel unattractive.

- Your self - image is affected by the way others react to your physical appearance.

 To change your self - image; you will have to learn to accept your body image .the following will help you begin to look at your body differently.

- Begin looking in the mirror frequently.

- Stay around people who are appreciative.

- Learn to accept compliments about your looks and don't think they are just trying to make you feel good. That is who you are.

- Treat self to new hairstyle

- Try wearing clothes with colors you were once afraid of wearing.

- Improve your social skills and try to socialize.

- Treat self to places you thought were made for some group of perfect people.

- Work with your clothe designer to find styles that will fit your body shape perfectly.

- Attain to those parts of your body that you thought where beautiful.

 Remember, you are unique. I can't wear your own skin and be comfortable. Celebrate your uniqueness because that is another name for progress.

EVALUATE YOUR BODY IMAGE.

Put an X next to those statements that best describe how you think.

- I dislike myself in mirror.

- I dress in a way to hide my body.

- I feel conscious over my height and how it affects my looks.

- I am self - conscious about my body in the present of the opposite sex.

- I am intimidated by people who have great bodies and I believe the look better than me.

 If you X three or more items, your body image needs to be strengthen because it is negative...

Written by Amina Habu

aminihabu@yahoo.com