Self-Image

 Pilgrimage of Healing my Heart, Mind and Soul - Day 38

However, not all relationships are "normal". As I research to try to get answers to understand why I feel the way I do, I am finding mine was certainly far from normal, but not rare.  There are millions of people who face these types of relationships daily. Emotional manipulation can play havoc on your brain. It can mess with how you feel about your "Selfs". That is what I am focusing on, healing me and my many selfs. 

With the information super highway at our fingertips it makes it easier to educate yourself. Knowledge is so important to understanding the why's and the how to's. For me understanding is an important process in healing. I need to be able to move on as well as not to make the same mistakes again. When your eyes are wide open and you are knowledgeable, you can make better decisions. Researching and talking to others with the same experience is vital to healing. It helps you to realize you are not alone. There are people out there who understand what you are going through. 

One of the first steps in my healing is learning about the different selfs, and the role they play in my life. Then I can begin to create boundaries for myself. Those boundaries can help me to have healthy relationships. 

For me Step 1 was learning I am WORTH!  Self-Worth Blog Post 11/21/21 Step 2 was learning how to value myself. Self-Value - Blog Post 12/09/21  Now I delve into my Self-image. Right now it is not very healthy. 

Self-Image is how you see yourself internally and externally. It is how you feel about yourself based on your appearance and what kind of person you believe you are. Self-Image is a part of your self-esteem. 

One of the important aspects of having a good self-image is being able to forgive yourself for past mistakes. Just because you made mistakes in the past doesn't mean you are a "bad person"  You need to let go of a self-image you may have based on other people's judgments. That is one of my biggest hurdles, caring about what other people think of me and believing those judgments.  

Steps to take to help improve your Self-Image

More ways to improve your self-image article 

For a deeper look at self-image check out this article.