15+ Proven Ways to develop a positive self-image and Self-worth

Self-image

Self-image refers to the mental picture we have of ourselves.

Self-image is very important because how we think about ourselves affects all areas of our lives from health, physical, emotional, spiritual, and social well-being.

Self-image affects our self-worth, self-confidence, and self-esteem.

Developing a positive self-image is the starting point in the journey of self-development. Nothing will fall in place until you develop a positive self-image and know your worth.

A positive self-image can boost all areas of our life. And a negative self-image can affect how well we do our work, how much we think we deserve to be loved, and generally how contented we are with our lives.

Negative self-image is when we focus on our weaknesses, failure, flaws, and imperfections and therefore consider ourselves inadequate because of that.

In order to develop a positive self-image, you need to focus on the things you do well – your strengths and all the other qualities that make you unique and beautiful.

For you to develop more self-esteem and confidence, you need to first have a positive self-image and then the things you have achieved in your life – your successes and overall achievements, help boost that up.

Once you have a positive self-image, you realize that you are worthy of love from others too, this helps you gain better self-confidence and self-esteem. One just leads to the other. It just comes naturally although not overnight.

Here’s how to develop a great self-image, overall self-worth, and self-confidence and improve the quality of your life.

1. While trying to develop a positive self-image you need to do things that help you feel more comfortable in your own skin.

You need to face your fears and confront your negative thoughts. You need to become more comfortable in your own skin. Make a list of your positive qualities and keep reminding yourself of them from time to time.

2. Do things that make you feel proud of yourself, it could be singing, dancing, reading, writing, travelling, learning a new skill and so much more. Go ahead and do just that.

3. Don’t place your value in tangible things for example hair, nails, beauty, shoes, money, fashion trends, and so on, they are always going to shift.

Just because you are not wearing the latest clothes, shoes, doing the latest hair, nails, holding the latest bags doesn’t make you any less worthy.

• If you put your value in these, you will never permanently have it. It’s always going to be temporary.

• Don’t measure your self-worth from the outside but rather from the inside. You are already worthy of everything that you desire.

4. People won’t always be there for you 24\7, therefore, learn to be your own person.

And also understand that not everyone is always going to like you. Get comfortable with being your own person and like yourself first.

Also, normalize getting stuff done for yourself and by yourself. Learn to be there for yourself and expect more from yourself than from others.

5. Don’t put your worth in the hands of other people. People are entitled to their own opinions and you shouldn’t hold yourself accountable for their decisions or judgments.

No one should dictate how much you are worth. They are allowed opinions, yes but their opinions shouldn’t define you. You should define yourself.

Whatever you want others to see in you ,you must first see in yourself first.

6. Learn to love yourself a little more.

Caring for yourself is very important. You can’t expect others to love you if you can’t love yourself.

Appreciating yourself for your small and big achievements will also help you feel better about yourself.

Normalize visualizing yourself as you want to become and how you want others to see you.

As a man thinketh in his heart so is he.

Proverbs 23:7

7. Write down the different things you are grateful for and your positive qualities and read them aloud to yourself every day for 30 days.

That will make you feel a lot better every time you read it. And as you read it aloud embrace the joy that comes with it. Smile and visualize you with a positive self-image.

8. Set time aside to meditate and look into yourself, appreciate yourself for who you are, and know that you are enough, in fact, more than enough.

9. Spend some time with friends, and family or do something that makes you feel good and believe in yourself.

10. Don’t follow or unfollow people on social media that make you feel bad about yourself until you are in a better place to see and interact with them.

Keep away, as long as you are still vulnerable.

11. Speaking positively about yourself, and learning to love yourself a little more will help get you through the period of feeling less worthy than you are.

12. Get a card and write out something beautiful about how worthy you are. Positive affirmations can help you increase your positive feelings about yourself greatly

Affirmations like;

• I am worthy, I am beautiful, I am enough and I am wise.

• I am whole, lovely, amazing, special, and deserving.

This is a great self-esteem or confidence boast and self-worth boast, it’s a 3 in one. Just write out what you need to feel, what will make you feel better about yourself. And repeat that to yourself while in front of a mirror.

13. Don’t say just say affirmations, add some feeling to it. Smile, and be happy as you visualize yourself attaining the positive self-image and self-worth you want to have.

With time you will notice that you will feel a lot better about yourself.

14. Comparison is a thief of joy.

Comparison will make you feel inadequate. Stop comparing yourself to other people. Just try to become the best version of yourself.

We are all different and should celebrate our differences instead of trying to clone others.

• Once you are tempted to act or behave like someone else just to fit in, throw off that feeling and go do what makes you feel empowered. Be open with yourself. Let those feelings out for example through a trusted friend or journal, anything that will make you better.

15. Be okay with being different, you are enough just as you are. Sometimes we are consistently doing things that cover up the pain and we get to deceive ourselves that we are confident.

Be honest with yourself. Hiding the pain won’t solve the problem, deal with the pain head-on.

• And always remember at the end of the day everyone cares mostly for themselves than others. So love yourself, be proud of yourself, and believe you are enough before you expect it from someone else.

16. Remind yourself of your accomplishments, memories, and things that make you feel good, and tell yourself that there is plenty of good about you.

17. Appreciate the people around you. This will also help you appreciate yourself more. Remember you can’t give what you don’t have.

18. Work towards improving your physical health as it’s a lot easier to feel good about yourself when you are fit and healthy. Try doing more exercises, eating healthy and getting enough sleep.

But that’s just my opinion if you are okay with your current look (however unfit and overweight you are) that’s great. And doing what am suggesting does not make you any more worthy; it will just help you find it easier to feel better about yourself.

Conclusion note

Do not be too hard on yourself, even Rome was not built in one day. You will not go from feeling zero or poor self–esteem, or self-worth to excellent overnight; take it one day at a time. You will get there. Be patient with yourself and understand you are a work in progress.

The mind is just like a muscle, takes some time and effort to build. And maintain as well.

Once you have developed a positive self-image, it will be followed by a higher feeling of awareness of your self-worth, you feel a lot better most of the time and have more self-esteem and overall self-confidence. Just always keep in mind that you are already more than enough, you just need to discover it and believe it for yourself.

I decided to include these 3 topics self-image, self-worth, and self-confidence in one article because one leads to the other. They are all interrelated. Self-esteem as well. For more about understanding and fixing low self-esteem click here.