Your Self-Concept Has Got to Improve Now
Nothing changes until something changes. Pretty straightforward forward right? What if I told you that the change has to be you? Low self-concept is part of the reason why it is difficult to change, difficult to reach goals and resolutions.
Keep reading to find out what self-concept is, what the benefits of having a high self-concept are, and some awesome ways to improve it today!
What is Self-Concept
Self-concept is the collection of beliefs we have about ourselves. It is composed of self-esteem (confidence in one’s own worth, ability, and morals), self-image(the mental picture of oneself resistance to change), and ideal self (the person you want to be). It is formed through experiences, reflections, and interactions, and can affect how we think, feel, and act.
Benefits of Positive Self-Concept
Self-concept affects everything. It affects our mood, energy, actions, and much more. Having a more positive concept of oneself allows us to find more moments of joy, self-love, and growth. It allows us to be kinder to ourselves, make better decisions regarding our health, and boost our respect towards ourselves and others.
Fortifying and boosting the concept we have of ourselves will help us feel less stuck. Often, we are dissatisfied, feel unworthy, and criticize ourselves. We think we need to reach a goal or action to think better of ourselves. There’s a tendency to push ourselves, critique ourselves, and never feel like it is good enough.
With positive self-confidence, we feel better, have more positive thoughts, and take better actions toward our own health and wellness. We care about what we nourish our bodies with, we move with our health in mind, and we are kinder when we make mistakes.
5 Ways to Improve Self-Concept
Here are some ways to improve self-concept. When we believe in ourselves, we are better able to make positive changes in our lives. Spoiler alert, these tips are not quick fixes. Each consists of developing simple daily habits that require self-reflection, analyzing one’s feelings, and introspection. However, the journey of positively impacting the concept of oneself is worthwhile.
1. Feel Good in the Now
There are great benefits to being present in the moment. Anxiety about the future or regretting the past is an unhelpful and detrimental state to live in. Focusing on the now allows us to be more present to what is happening. There is no need to wait for a big change to occur to feel better. You can do little things right now to boost your mood and treat yourself. This can be something as small as listening to your favorite song or serving yourself a cup of coffee that you love. Allowing yourself to work for your joy and actively seek it out can allow your mind to become more positive and genuine towards yourself. Being active in seeking out joy in the present moment is a way that we can respect ourselves more.
2. Respect
Along that same vein, we should try to practice self-love. Now, this isn’t always something that comes naturally or easily. This is especially true if you have a long-standing habit of feeling negative towards yourself. Therefore, a practice that can be more achievable is self-respect. We don’t have to like or love others to respect them. This applies to us. We can respect ourselves and show the same courtesy we give others inwardly. This can help us start to see ourselves as valuable and worth it.
3. Set Boundaries That Benefit You
Sometimes, we give too much of ourselves. A candle that stays lit for too long will burn out quickly. In order for us to create more space for ourselves, boundaries are important. Boundaries are limitations that we place in order to protect ourselves and preserve our mental health. This could be something as simple as saying no to someone when you know doing or going to that event will place too much strain on yourself. Boundaries can be communicating when something makes you uncomfortable or giving yourself the time and space you need to rest and relax. When we actively set boundaries, we are providing ourselves with what we need to not just survive but to thrive. If you don’t know how to set boundaries respectfully and with confidence, look no further than this article right here.
4. Appreciate the Little Things
The power of gratitude continues to grow. It has been proven to raise your baseline happiness and improve your mental health and physical health greatly. This is because gratitude lowers stress, improves mood, increases happiness chemicals, and allows us to feel happier where we are right now. It is one of the smallest steps you can take to better yourself and improve overall wellness. Something as simple as sitting outside and feeling grateful for the Sun is small, yet can have a huge impact on health and wellbeing. Take moments throughout the day to feel grateful. Make it a habit to wake up and the first thing you do is to feel grateful about five things. Go to bed and before you doze off, think about things that you were grateful for throughout the day. Gratitude is a habit that needs to be nurtured and maintained. Gratitude outward then becomes gratitude inward. You start to become grateful for the little things you yourself do and who you are. This is a simple yet effective way to raise your self-concept daily.
5. Believe You Deserve Better
At the end of the day, you have to believe you deserve better because you do. There is nothing worse than feeling like you are failing when you compare yourself to others or society’s expectations. This is detrimental to yourself and to your progress. Believing you deserve better will fundamentally change how you approach your resolutions, dreams, and goals. It will create a version of yourself that is more motivated and more joyful in the pursuit of desires and happiness. A belief that you define your own self-worth can create an environment in which we act with more confidence, joy, and sustainable energy. Want to know two magical affirmations that can help change your concept of self? Check out the article here.
The Takeaway
Self-concept is vital to health, mental wellness, and overall health. Change starts with thinking and feeling differently, which leads to different actions and reactions down the line.
Remember that health comes from within. Eat nutrient-dense meals, exercise when you can, at least 3 times a week, and take care of your mental health. Daily habits become the building blocks for emotional, mental, and physical health. Take care of your gut health too! Learn everything you need to know about gut microbiota today for free here.
