Your own Self Image is highly important; you have to be happy with you, how you think about yourself directly effects how you see and treat yourself and how you respond in life.
If you have a negative Self Image you tend to distort the reality of who you actually are, focusing on any weaknesses you may have, leading to a lack of confidence and usually worrying about what others think and generally being negative.
We do without even realising it carry a lot of baggage from the pastin the form of negative self believes, these can be lodged way backthere in our minds and still be our beliefs of today.
These beliefs are first heard or seen and stored from a young age and come from the thoughts and ideas from your parents, teachers, and friends and from what you hear and see in the media and society in general.
These thoughts and ideas will manifest as positive or negative beliefs.
The good news is if you do have a negative Self Image it can be changed as these beliefs are not fixed forever into your subconscious mind, with some work and consistent action you can turn them around and learn to accept and love yourself for who you are.
This will lead you to be more confident and optimistic, not worrying about what others think and loving and accepting yourself.
So What Can You Do to Gain a Positive Self Image?

• The first thing to do is to recognise these negative labels, really think and write down what these labels are some examples I have come across: Not clever enough, you will always be a follower not a leader, not pretty enough, Big boned, large legs, not from the right background etc.
  
• A good way to turn the negatives into positives is by affirmations, to be said as often as possible on a daily basis.
  Affirmations are nothing new, and have been around for generations one of the past masters who's works focus on The Law of Attraction mentions affirmations, Wallace Wattles of the famous The Science of Getting Rich writes if you do one affirmation make it this one 'I can be what I will to be'.
  
• Other sample affirmations: 'Each and Every Day I am becoming stronger and more confident''I am intelligent and everyday in every way I am becoming more successful''I am happy and confident being me'
• Stop comparing yourself to others, focus on you, change on the inside will result in change on the outside
• Write down all your positives, and focus on your strengths, you might surprise yourself.
  
• Don't forget you are a unique person; you are wonderful and worthy and deserve to feel it.
  
• Visualise, use your imagination and see and believe the new you, continue everyday.
  
• Set some achievable goals for yourself, write them down and take one small action today.
  
• Love and be comfortable with yourself and your body.
  
• Meditate; it's great for the mind, body and soul.
  Start by doing about ten minutes per day and slowly increase, the results are fantastic.
  
• Smile, laugh and be happy, happiness is a state of mind.
  
• Start a gratitude diary and focus on what you are grateful for.
  

You really can change your own Self Image, once you travel down the road of a more confident you, congratulate yourself on the way, and give yourself a reward no matter how small.
Remember only you can change you, you cannot change anybody else and nobody can change you.
Be Your Best Always Deborah