Who am I? What Your Self-Image Says About You.
© Eiger Selfness Hotel, Switzerland
Many people are very sure about who they are. However, if you maintain this position you are unconsciously admitting that you cannot see beyond your self-image.
This is who I am and I won’t change!
To be fixated by a certain self-image means to be non-creative and, essentially, limited to a defined set of thought processes and beliefs, which can have devastating consequences for all aspects of life.
An identity, built up over years, governs your view of the world more than you realize.
“We’re locked in an image, an act – and the sad thing is, people get so used to their image, they grow attached to their masks. They love their chains.”
– Jim Morrision
Holding onto this created identity is like wearing a mask, which in turn prevents you from being truly authentic and most importantly, limits you in your personal development.
Is it possible to maintain a self-image for years and not even notice? I personally only realized that ‘the other’ persons were there (yes, we can have several) when I began to question why I thought and reacted in the ways I did.
The more authentic you become, the better you can rediscover your greatness.
Only when we start exploring our actual thoughts, reactions and emotions, can we begin to live in the truest sense of ourselves. If one of your masks has been groomed for many years, it can be a painstaking process to discover who you really are.
So why is the dismantling of a carefully built mask so important?
When you got rid of the mask, you no longer need to pretend to be somebody else and to run on ‘patterns’. Instead you connect to your inner wisdom, which is a far greater guide in life.
„To be nobody by myself – in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make me somebody else – means to fight the hardest battle any human can fight, and never stop fighting.“
– E.E. Cummings
Exploring your self-image means challenging certain beliefs and removing others that may have been limiting you. You will discover the world for what it actually is, rather than what you believe it to be. You will become curious again. As a result, creativity and inspiration will flourish again.
Unimaginable opportunities are unfolding!
Unfortunately, there is no quick fix. But it is a powerful experience that will connect you to your inner wisdom, where you will find contentment, joy and guidance.
In the following you will find 7 powerful Self-Image Assessment Exercises:
- The first step is to name the labels you give to yourself, i.e. “I am a successful, highly in demand, creative and outspoken manager.” Write down your labels.
- Pick out the labels you would like to dissolve and make a commitment to move closer to your ideal life situation.
- Create some time for reflection and start to explore what lies behind the identified labels.
- Be aware of the story you create about yourself: is it a negative or a positive self-image, or an over-inflated self-image guided by ego?
- Pay attention to your opinions: what do you say and how do you say it; what are the likes and dislikes you use to reinforce your self-image. Do you judge fairly or based on pre-conceived ideas?
- Observe how connected you are to your memories: whether good or bad, acting in response to memories can lead to inauthentic results, from irrational fears to rose-tinted actions.
- Think about how your story, opinions, actions and reactions would be, if you created them anew based on what you actually see, think and feel.
Enjoy discovering yourself! Awareness creates choice.