Tag: image

Self: Image, Esteem, Identity

I’ve been thinking a lot about different ‘selfs’ this week and my own definitions of them:

Self-image: Personal perspective of self

  • contentment in own skin
  • self-confidence
  • physical and mental image of self

Self-esteem: Perception of how others see self

  • Projection of self-image in different scenarios
  • Impactor of perceived external views or judgements on self-image and fragility of maintaining that regard for self

Self-identity: The things that make character individual including hobbies, passions, activities, faith, morals, etc..

  • I love to…
  • I’m good at…
  • I get satisfaction from…

I find all my ‘self’ views change on even a daily basis, and can require conscious effort to shape in a direction I desire or view as healthy. My self-image is vulnerable to tiredness and a flustered mind, my self-esteem is situation based and can be easily scuppered by putting me somewhere I feel less comfortable, and my self-identity is easily buried or put aside by obligations which can feel I should put first.

Improved by:Eroded by:
Self-Image– self care: hygiene, exercise, diet, mind-time
– time spent in comfortable space		– stress/depression
– never feeling comfortable
Self-Esteem– being within comfort zone or within limits outside it
– comments which reinforce own positive thoughts		– alignment with social expectations being outside comfort zone
– comments which reinforce own negative thoughts
Self-Identity– time for hobbies/self
– obligations before wants
– acting for ‘the greater good’

Much of ‘self’ relates to comfort zone, and comfort zone is dependent on situation. We all having varying degrees of wanting to be seen, to be individual, to be ME, and wanting to fit in, to be invisible, to be ONE OF. These degrees are fluid even within the individual depending on

  • location
  • personal energy levels
  • goals
  • activity type
  • familiarity

I can be very comfortable sitting in my pyjamas on the sofa at home, even with people calling in but very uncomfortable in the same outfit sitting on a bench in the town centre half an hour later: I am the same me, the pyjamas are the same clothes, but the situation is different and therefore my awareness of the ‘appropriateness’ of my attire with the expectations from society and myself changes, and my self-esteem at a given time alters accordingly. I have moved from ‘in my comfort zone’ to ‘out of my comfort zone’ without actually changing anything with me.

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