Changing Your Self-Perception for Big Benefits

We all have internal perceptions of ourselves. Do you believe you're a good person? Do you believe you're attractive to others? But we tend to also believe these ideas aren't very malleable. Too often we think we're stuck believing whatever it is we currently believe. But that may not be true. And taking it in hand could be a real life-changer. Whether in your business or personal life, changing your self-perception could bring about some big benefits. Here’s why.

Negative Thoughts Repeated Often Enough Can Trap Us in Limiting Beliefs

If we truly believe that we are bad at something we are very unlikely to try it at all or if we do, we are almost certain to make a half-hearted attempt, thereby proving to ourselves that we are "right." in fact we love to be right so much that we may be inclined to regulate our behavior so that it matches our negative thoughts about ourselves. Is this manifesting? Who knows. But it certainly has a terrible impact as we reinforce our own negative beliefs over and over.

Breaking negative thought patterns should be a priority. Our goal: replace self-destructive or negative thoughts with positive reinforcement. It helps to set the intention of discovering our negative thought patterns so that when we hear that mean little voice in our heads we write down the content, look at it objectively, and consider ways to eliminate it once and for all.

What Advice Would You Give a Friend?

Imagine our dearest friend laying on their bed, weeping and tearing themselves down. They're saying things like, "I'm no good at this!" and "I should just quit!" and "I suck!" Do you let them get away with that kind of talk? Of course not. They're your friend and you soothe and nurture them with kindness and help them to overcome their challenges by encouraging them to get back up, dust themselves off, and then you start peppering them with good things you believe about them until they feel better. Can you do the same for yourself? What would happen if you spent ten minutes every day saying good things to yourself on purpose? 

Use Affirmations to Boost self-Confidence

Affirmations are a great way to boost self-confidence and aid in success. To use them you just start saying these phrases to yourself in every spare moment. You might make some dedicated time to go over them but it's okay to just say them while walking to the car, while taking a shower or while watching television. Daily reinforcement is the key. Try some of these:

• I am strong and able to handle everything that comes my way.
• I am confident and unrattled by the upheaval around me.
• I am calm and at peace.
• I am a positive person. 
• I am capable of anything I choose to pursue.
• I am valuable to others.

You may start out with short and simple statements and evolve into longer and more involved statements such as mantras that can help target problem areas. A willingness to modify this practice can give you somewhere to go and help prevent boredom, too.

Consider Past Success in a New Light

Sometimes we're more extraordinary than we realize. And we tell ourselves the stories of our lives in less than flattering ways. We may downplay thinking we're being humble when in fact we're shortchanging our own success. Changing the way we view ourselves starts with acknowledging how amazing we really are—and that truth is buried in our stories.

We are almost always our harshest critics but we can also be our strongest advocates if we choose to be. This is;t an egomaniacal move; it's not selfish, and it doesn't mean you lack humility. It means only that you're choosing self-love, the most powerful love there is, and developing self-love really can make you stronger and even more valuable to others as you have this incredible gift from which to draw. Ultimately, others will begin to see in us what we are telling ourselves we already are. We can start living our best lives by changing our hearts from the inside out!

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