It’s easier to list our faults than our qualities. In fact, our gaze is constantly focused on the negative, on our mistakes and clumsiness, rather than on the positive, on our qualities and strengths. But we can see that this prevents us from being fully happy. That’s why here are 7 secrets to improving your self-image and finally loving yourself.

1 – Patting yourself on the back to improve your self-image

First of all, if we want to improve our self-image and love ourselves, we’re going to have to learn to congratulate ourselves.

Yes, learn.

Because when did we ever learn to congratulate ourselves?

In fact, as soon as we try it, there’s always someone to remind us that it’s very egocentric, with that joke that isn’t a joke at all: “How are your ankles? They’re not too swollen?”

Yet you have the right and deserve to congratulate yourself.

Just for everything you do every day. Do you realize all the good, positive, constructive things you do for yourself and those around you?

Then it’s time to boost your self-image by getting into the habit of congratulating yourself every night.

In fact, every night, list at least 3 things you’re proud of.

Because it’s time to stop believing that by constantly pointing out our mistakes and shortcomings, we’re going to improve. The opposite is true.

It’s self-love that gives us wings!

2 – Compliment yourself

Next, to improve your self-image, it’s essential to know how to compliment yourself.

All the time!

Indeed, we’ve learned to expect compliments from others. But we’re just waiting, aren’t we?

And that makes us frustrated, angry and sad.

In fact, we end up doubting ourselves and our self-worth completely.

But why expect this of others? Why not take matters into our own hands?

You have the right and you deserve it.

So get into the habit of complimenting yourself. Every morning, give yourself 3 compliments about your qualities and even your body.

Indeed, compliments are powerful for boosting your self-image. So go for it.

3 – Take care of yourself to improve your self-image

Too often, a poor self-image goes hand in hand with the fact that we never take care of ourselves.

Because we don’t have the time, or because we don’t dare to.

In fact, when we don’t take care of ourselves, we end up forgetting ourselves completely.

We forget our needs, our desires, our dreams, because we’ve turned ourselves into a do-it-yourself machine, and sometimes, a machine that only pleases others.

So, it’s high time you learned to take care of yourself.

Taking care of yourself doesn’t require a lot of time or even money.

Taking care of yourself can be as simple as going for a 20-minute walk, or reading a book with a hot or cold drink for 20 minutes.

In fact, taking care of yourself is simply putting yourself first for a few minutes and doing something that isn’t useful, productive or efficient, just something that gives you pleasure.

In this way, without even realizing it, we reconnect with ourselves, and that feels really good!

Not to mention that it boosts our self-image.

That’s why I wholeheartedly invite you to set aside at least 2 20-minute periods each week to take care of yourself.

4 – Cultivate your passions

Indeed, cultivating our passions helps improve our self-image. Why should we do this?

Because when we devote ourselves to a passion, i.e. something that nourishes our joie de vivre, we feel we really exist.

Existing outside the mountain of things we have to do.

In fact, we feel like we exist, because we’re connecting with the best part of ourselves, with what makes us tick, with what gives us butterflies in the stomach.

It’s like returning to the innocent, magical days of childhood.

Nothing to do, no roles to play, we’re just ourselves for a few moments.

That’s why I wholeheartedly invite you to cultivate your passions, that is, to take time to (re)discover what you love, and to dare to give yourself this gift.

Do what you love, what you’re passionate about.

5 – Learn to boost your self-image

All too often, we have a poor self-image, because we’re totally focused on our weak points.

In fact, since we became adults, we’ve forgotten one essential thing: it’s always possible to learn.

In fact, it’s vital.

After all, just because we’ve finished school doesn’t mean we can’t still learn.

So learn. What’s important to you, what makes you feel good.

Learn, because you’ll feel you’re making progress, and it’ll completely change the way you look at yourself.

Give yourself that gift.

6 – Talk to each other like friends

Our self-image is also bad, because we don’t know how to talk to ourselves.

In fact, we spend most of our time criticizing ourselves, and we think this is perfectly normal.

Worse, we believe it’s necessary. In fact, we learned at school that it’s criticism that gets us ahead.

Not true!

That’s why it’s high time you learned to talk to yourself like a friend.

It’s very simple: when you realize you’re criticizing yourself, imagine what you would say to a friend you love with all your heart, who is criticizing himself just as you criticize yourself. What would you say to reassure and motivate him?

7 – Cultivate joie de vivre

If our self-image is so poor, it’s because everything in our daily lives is so heavy and serious.

We set limits for you, rules for everything. You have to do it this way and no other.

That’s why it’s time to give you the freedom to follow your joy.

Give yourself this right. Take this right!

In fact, stop trying to be serious. Stop asking yourself for perfection all the time.

Follow your joy. You have the right and you deserve it.

Find out more:

I invite you to read these 2 complementary articles:

Discover Low self-esteem: 5 secrets to free yourself from it for good
Discover Morning meditation: 4 texts for a good start to the day

I recommend this inspiring book:

This Is Me: Loving the Person You Are Today by Chrissy Metz
The author walks us through her journey of self-love and acceptance. The memoir delves into the themes of body positivity and accepting one’s uniqueness.
The book is peppered with life lessons, and should readers wish, they can choose to write them down and put them into practice in their lives.
A perfect way to show us by example how to be exactly who we are.
Recommend!

Thank you very much for reading this article.

If you liked it, let me know in the comments.

Take care of yourself