Reframe Your Self-Image: A 3-Step Personal Inventory Exercise

Woman looking in a mirror on a beach

The fact that someone else loves you doesn’t rescue you from the project of loving yourself.

– Sahaj  Kohli

Living a beautifully, balanced life starts with how comfortably you live in your body and in your ability to truly see yourself… your unique self.

This personal “seeing” takes shape as your self-image. Self-image is one of several “self” concepts ranging from self-worth, self-esteem, and self-confidence to name a few in this psychological family. Our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, and what we perceive others think about us, fuel and foster the type of self-image into our psyches driving our lives.

While some of us enjoy a balanced self-image, which includes our lovely flaws, idiosyncrasies, strengths, successes, and everything in between, others really struggle to find and know their realistic place amidst their lives. Truthfully, most of us lie somewhere in between “abundant balance” and a “less than” lower self-image picture.

What Is Self-Image?

Self-image is your personal impression and image you have of yourself; your impression of what you see when you look in the mirror. Self-image takes into account how you think and feel about yourself based on your physical appearance, your performance, and all your relationships, among other factors. It’s based on your feelings and emotions playing out in the context of your life, but not so much on black-and-white facts.

Here Lies the Nugget of Truth for Each of Us:

Because our self-image isn’t based on solid life facts, it can be re-tooled and reframed to reflect a truer, lighter essence of who you really are. Finding and owning a balanced self-image is not only foundational to our “core,” but it also significantly impacts those in your tribe and how they, in turn, see and approach their lives. When we are in tune with who we are, we collectively, as a whole, raise the Universal vibration which makes our world a place of greater harmony and peace.

Here is a 3-Step Personal Inventory Exercise to Reframe Your Self-Image.

Your personal self-image inventory listing:

The purpose of this personal inventory is for you to uncover all the good in your life that may be unconsciously or consciously buried, so you can form a stronger solid impression of who you truly are.

Step 1:

Start by finding a quiet distraction-free place with little to no interruptions so you can think, reflect, and create. You can journal in a special notebook or in an online journal if this feels better.

Below are a few items for you to inventory. Do this with reverence, truth, and care because the life document you are creating is your unique resume. Please take this exercise to heart as this is you on paper.

Step 2:

  • List 5 things you like and love about yourself.
  • List 5 unique skills you possess.
  • List one or more personal achievements you are proud of.
  • List an occasion where you overcame adversity.
  • List the people you have helped and served.
  • List the people who have helped you.
  • List 5 or more things you appreciate about your life.
  • List 3 core life values (i.e. travel, family, freedom, honesty, recreation, eating local foods, joy, etc.).
  • List a personal signature that you are drawn to. This can include things like a unique color preference, music, book categories, movie categories, foods, art, cars, travel, a “saying” that you use, being an activist or advocate, a yogi, a vegan, … You get it!

When completed, read through your responses. What you recorded on paper or digitally is your unique life as it is right now.

Step 3:

Craft a self-image statement of yourself based on your personal inventory. This is your true self-image. May your self-image cultivate and continue to renew and thrive as you live each day!

Did you know you can find help here? From personal to professional well-being, connect with someone who can guide you to a happier, healthier, and whole life! Become a WU Friend today!

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– The Wellness Universe

*Originally published on May 28, 2019.


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