When you transform your self-image, you change your life.

"To really live.... you must have an adequate and realistic self-image that you can live with. You must find your "self" acceptable to "you." You must have wholesome self-esteem. You must have a self that you can trust and believe in. You must have a self that you are not ashamed to "be," and one that you can feel free to express creatively, rather than hide or cover-up."

 - Dr. Maxwell Matze, M.D. author of Psycho-Cybernetics 

How would you describe yourself? Are you organized? Are you a woman who is always running late? Do you think that you're horrible at the finite rules of math but pretty good with language arts? Are you an optimistic person, or do you consider yourself a "realist" who always sees the potential pitfalls in every situation?

Do you think your current self-image came from within, that you were born with it? 

Or, maybe you’re pretty certain it came from the words and actions of a parent, teacher, boss, partner, or friend that somehow labeled you either overtly or implicitly. 

And, of course, there is always societal influence. The messages we see on social media, in the news, in magazines, and in advertisements often affect the way we see ourselves.

No matter who she is, every woman - for whatever reason - believes certain things about herself, and more often than not, those beliefs are not true, nor are they in our own best interest. 

We all do it.  In fact, at this very moment, you are likely telling yourself a story about your nature. 

Sometimes that story is positive, and other times, not so much. Most of the time, these thoughts are automatic; they are just happening without any real consciousness on our part about them. 

Sadly, this kind of unconscious thinking can lead to negative consequences.

The good news is that we can choose how we see ourselves. We can consciously change our thinking about ourselves; we can change our self-image. This in turn can lift us to where we want to be. 

Journal and craft the future you

There are numerous reasons why we journal, from logging daily events to sorting out our feelings, to goal setting and keeping gratitude lists. 

Writing can help us to organize our thoughts and make them apprehensible. A diary is a great place to write down goals, aspirations, and resolutions. 

By keeping them in a journal, you can monitor thoughts and feelings about yourself, your progress in transforming your self-image and feel motivated to continue to focus on your goals and dreams.

When writing, take time to reflect on where you are and who you are in this moment; and, more importantly, where you want to be. 

Where are you, and what are you doing six months from now? How about a year?

Write down your values and qualities, and question the negative beliefs you have about yourself. 

Is there a belief that no longer serves you but still keeps showing up in your life? 

Take this time to be with yourself and understand who you are and who you want to be in this world; how you want to show up. 

Use your writing to create positive self-affirmations about yourself. 

The tale you tell yourself about yourself affects how you act.

Our self-image and our habits typically go hand in hand together. Change one, and you will change the other, and vice versa. It is, as they say, the ultimate catch 22. 

When your internal dialogue says things like, "ugh, I'm so fat" or "I'm just not a morning person" or "I simply don't have the energy for that," those things become true for you and manifest in the habitual way that you live. 

When you support yourself in healthy living through healthy internal dialogue, those things manifest, as well. 

When you appreciate and speak to the successful winner inside you, you find yourself reaching goals and succeeding in your endeavors. 

"I love starting my day early" leads to jumping out of bed with plenty of energy in the morning and excitement for greeting the day. 

"I have a strong healthy body" leads to exercise and healthy eating, which in turn leads to a robust and healthy body. 

Repeating affirmations daily will keep you focused on your goals, strengthen your motivation, and reprogram your thinking to change your feelings, and therefore change your life.  

Choose affirmations based on your future self - the woman you are meant to be. 

• I am worthy of (fill in the blank).
• I am prosperous.
• I am healthy.
• I am beautiful.
• I am elegant.
• I am successful.
• I have plenty of energy.
• I have an abundance of love, joy, and fulfillment in my life.
• I always take good care of myself. 
• My growth opens new opportunities and experiences for me.
• I greet every day with enthusiasm.
• My dreams are the precursors to my reality.
• I am living the life that I love because I deserve it.
• I believe in myself; I can accomplish anything.

Use positive affirmations every day to shape

your thoughts, your feelings, and your self-image.

Visualize your future self.

"Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last you create what you will."

–George Bernard Shaw

The most significant factor in personal growth and development is visualizing your success and your desired results. 

According to author Remez Sasson, "No matter what kind of life you are currently living, you have the power to visualize a different life, a different reality. Visualizing a different and better life, and refusing to allow contrary thoughts to enter your mind, will keep hope and expectations high, and will one day turn the things you visualize into reality."

You need to connect with your future self, the you that has achieved your goal.

Through the use of meditation, you can use visualization to rehearse future events before they happen. Through visualization and meditation, you will reprogram your subconscious and create lasting change.

Your self-image is drawn from your subconscious mind, so you must start to visualize yourself as the new you; the woman you intend to be. 

In the School of Self-Image, I talk a lot about my self-image transformation and what it takes to evolve into the woman you are meant to be.

Your self-image transformation starts in three significant areas of your life: mindset, style, and surroundings. 

Transforming your self-image takes a lot of courage, and in truth, will likely require some discomfort. 

Dropping old, worn-out beliefs about yourself and making some daily habit changes help start you on that journey. 

I believe that our self-image affects our lives and changes our experience of the world. 

If you could use some help with the work of transforming your self-image, I encourage you to join the school of self-image today. 

An amazing coaching collective, this community is filled with inspiring women who will help lift you up, encourage you, and motivate you to elevate your self-image and become the woman you were meant to be.