Healthy vs. Unhealthy Self-Image

So what does a healthy self-image look like? What about an unhealthy self-image? What’s the difference? And what impact do both have on your life? Let’s answer these questions by breaking down what it means to live with a healthy and an unhealthy self-image.

As you read through these two examples, take inventory of yourself and identify whether your self-image borders more to the healthy or toward the unhealthy side of the scale.

An Unhealthy Self-Image
A person with an unhealthy self-image tends to consistently focus on their flaws and limitations. In fact, they persistently criticize themselves and tend to judge most of their decisions and actions:

What was I thinking?

That was such a stupid decision.

I can’t believe I just did that.

This constant critical judgment tends to distort their imperfections — making them larger than life. In fact, everything on the negative side tends to be exaggerated and blown out of proportion. This often happens because they are heavily influenced by other people’s opinions of them to their own detriment. In fact, these peoples’ lives are very much defined by societal standards, norms, and expectations. As a result, they are consistently comparing themselves to others and trying to live up to other people’s expectations. And when they notice that they just don’t measure up, this sends their emotions into a tailspin which triggers doubt, pessimism, insecurity and eventually leads to discouragement and potentially depression.

Whenever a person builds their self-image upon external factors, there will always be drawbacks. People’s opinions change and societal expectations constantly shift. When these opinions and expectations are weighed in our favor this leads to a positive outlook and more fulfillment. However, when they flip and become unfavorable or unhelpful in respect to the outcomes we would like to achieve, this then causes upheaval by sending our emotions into a tailspin because suddenly the perfect mental picture/idea we had of ourselves has been thrown out the door. It’s certainly not a healthy way to live.

A Healthy Self-Image
A healthy self-image is primarily based on an individual’s personal feelings and perspectives. Here individuals are no longer influenced by other people’s opinions of them or by societal expectations. They instead make up their own minds about the internalized mental picture/idea they have of themselves. As a result, these people often have a more optimistic outlook on life and thereby more confidence in themselves and in their own ability. Why? Because they feel a greater sense of control over themselves and over their life.

A person with a healthy self-image doesn’t deny that they have flaws. In fact, they are realistic and clearly understand and accept the fact that they have their personal shortcomings. However, there is no critical judgment here. They acknowledge who they are and how they are at this very moment and do the best they can with what they have.

A healthy self-image is of course built upon a high level of self-worth. Both work together to help shape a healthy personality, which effectively builds the foundations of an empowered life.