Appearance and Self-Esteem
How does your image and appearance influence your self-esteem?
We all agree that the way we feel about our appearance or our image can influence our ‘Self-esteem’. If we don’t like something about our appearance, it is often difficult to feel good about other aspects of ourselves, mainly our value and worth.
Just like values aren’t born with people, neither is Self-esteem. People's perception about their image and own appearance changes over time, and is influenced by many things, mainly how much emphasis they place on looks and appearance.
Hence people who experience hardship and negative situations tend to have low self-worth, low self-esteem and struggle to feel anything positive about themselves, it becomes very essential to seek help, in order to change their perception, acceptance and appreciation of their own image and self worth. With professional help and the right consultation, people can positively bring their self-esteem to a higher level, and thus, will be able to feel good about themselves and recognise their abilities, strengths and achievements.
If early in life, you faced situations where you may have been teased or bullied, or if people made comments about your appearance, you may not feel so good about how you look, and your overall self-esteem.
And as Self-esteem and body image can change over time, a change in appearance such as weight gain, or hair loss, may affect self-esteem negatively. Many people also experience a strong sense of loss of their self-image, self-identity and who they were. Faces and voices can be particularly important to our identity. Therefore, any change to the above, will have a great impact on self image.
On a positive note, if a person's appearance and looks were valued by others or by one’s self, that will have a very positive impact on their self-worth and their confidence and image.
That is why it is very important to maintain healthy self-esteem when we are experiencing difficulties. And that can be achieved through:
Lean on a good support network around you - family and friends
Take control of the things you can control - accept what you can’t change.
Recognise your strengths. And appreciate all experiences, the good and the bad. Those are the experiences that made you who you are.
Do the things that you enjoy. And surround yourself with positive people and learn from them how they respond to things around them and how they take care of themselves.
Don’t suffer in silence, speak to someone about your feelings.
