In the simplest form of the word, self-perception can be considered how we view ourselves and our impact on things around us. Our self-perception is also considered as our self-concept. The perception we have of ourselves can determine and influence our moods, behaviors, and judgments of things around us. Someone with a positive perception of themselves will have more positive thoughts and ideas of the world around them. They will feel optimistic about challenges, trust their abilities, and be better prepared to take on opportunities with a more heads-on approach. The positive attributes displayed while assessing oneself can eventually lead to more positive behavior and frequent positive behaviors.
People tend to think of self-perception as the lens through which they view the world around them. Our self-concept and perception contribute to the identities we foster over time and are essential in determining our outlook on life. A person with a positive perception of their existence will eventually have the same perspective when viewing different happenings in their life.
Our sense of the self shifts with various changes in life and the things around us. According to famous psychologist and mental consultant Brittany Bate, our self-perception keeps on changing and improving. If an employee gets a good raise, they will likely feel good about their competencies. Hence, their overall self-worth will increase. This upward shift in the perception of the self forms the fluid basis of how we navigate through life and view our existence.
Reasons Why Positive Self Perceptions Are Important
Positive self-perception allows us to cope with a lot of unhealthy and toxic experiences in life. Instances like failure and rejection are managed more healthily, as we feel good about ourselves. People with more positive self-perceptions tend to be more optimistic about their core beliefs.
These core beliefs are all unconscious beliefs that we foster about ourselves, including being competent and worthy. People can go beyond minor hindrances by indulging in positive self-talk and building an internal coping mechanism that allows them to deal with negative feelings.
A negative self-perception, on the contrary, is built on feelings of being worthless and damaged. A person fostering a negative perception of themselves will view the world around them and the people within them negatively. This will eventually result in several negative consequences.
The consequences resulting due to a negative perception of the self include:
- Emotional repercussions: People with a negative perception of the self might feel higher levels of depression and anxiety, along with lower levels of self-esteem.
- Behaviorally: People with negative self-perceptions might experience behavioral inclinations to decline invitations and social gatherings of all sorts. They may shy away from applying for a job or a promotion.
- Interpersonally: People with a negative perception of the self might face difficulties when it comes to maintaining friendships with others and engaging in relationships they eventually self-sabotage.
Psychology Traits That Come With a Positive Self Perception
In this article, we look at some of the positive psychology traits that come with positive self-perception. These traits are evident and can be fostered through specific behavior.
Not Dwelling on the Past
Not dwelling on mistakes made within the past is one trait that can help you maintain a positive outlook in life. People with a positive perception of the self tend to focus on moving forward and their current mood and happiness rather than dwelling on the past. Whenever you feel that you’re overthinking experiences and moments from the past, you should step back and ask yourself why those thoughts are holding you back and what can be done to move towards your future objectives, rather than letting these thoughts get the better of you.
The past will never leave you until you make a conscious effort to dwell away from it. Ask yourself what exactly bothers you the most from your history. Pinpoint those instances and try to get rid of that dead weight on your shoulders.
The deadweight of your past does not show in the weight machine but can stop you from finding peace in life and developing a positive perception of yourself. Additionally, dwelling on the past means that you’re never able to forgive yourself for the mistakes you once committed.
Mistakes make us human and are part and parcel of who we are. It would help if you stopped those mistakes from influencing your current perception of yourself and move towards a more refined strategy.
Reframing Your Self Talk Patterns
Almost all of us tend to experience negative emotions and feelings in one way or the other. Some of us tend to internalize these negative emotions and thoughts as part of our thinking patterns. The internalization of these thoughts eventually leads to us thinking of them as factual statements related to our existence.
People with a positive self-impression tend to change the way they think and the emotions they internalize to build a positive impression of themselves and things around them. Instead of saying something like ‘I’m a horrible employee, and I will never stop making mistakes,” a positive individual would say, “I made a bad mistake at work, and it impacted my performance and happiness. I will work on this mistake in the future and avoid it to whatever level I can.”
The latter gives an example of a positive self-perception that is based on improvements in the self. It would be best if you considered yourself capable of running improvements in your life. The more competent you think you are, the easier it can get for you to move towards a more optimistic style of living.
Welcoming Feedback
We tend to get a lot of feedback, often in the shape of criticism, from people in our lives and our social circles. The fact is that our self-perception plays an integral role in determining how we handle this feedback and how we react to it. People with a positive self-perception tend to respond more positively to feedback given to them by others.
Such people can pinpoint the positives in feedback and work on the problem without getting too defensive about it. There are several positives associated with each situation around us today, even if it is criticism from the people around us. The complaint can be used to signal improvements in one’s behavior and performance in the long run.
Firmly Trust Judgments
People who have a positive perception of their minds and bodies tend to trust their judgments more than others. They can build and maintain healthy interpersonal relationships and focus on setting and finalizing goals for the future.
Such people are also comfortable voicing their own opinions and do not feel any guilt when discussing and mentioning choices that others do not tend to agree upon. Learn how to march to the beat of your drum without thinking of whether others would follow or not.
Viewing Yourself as Smart, Valuable and Capable
Positive self-perception is built through small definite changes in your behavior and how you view the world around you. People with a positive perception of themselves tend to value their contributions in discussion and consider themselves intelligent, valuable, and capable.
A person that views themselves as capable will be better able to cope with the challenges around them and resiliently manage the setbacks they face in the way. Additionally, if you ever encounter a challenge, half of your success is then decided by how effectively you approach that challenge. A half-baked strategy will leave you wandering in setbacks.
Celebrating Small Wins
People with a positive self-perception celebrate all small wins that they achieve along the way. All such people do not live by the standards others expect from them and carry their mechanism. They champion their strategies to remind themselves of the constant progress they’re making in life. Things get easy in life when you become your own biggest cheerleader.
Avoiding Comparisons
Comparisons are the root cause of all confidence issues today. Individuals can build a positive self-perception by understanding their uniqueness and not comparing themselves to every living thing they breathe. Once you’re done with a big presentation or a big day, you should focus on how good you were and celebrate your win, rather than going on to compare yourself to someone else and finding flaws in your performance.
Do not replay a colleague’s performance in your head to compare the two and eventually find flaws in your performance. Remember that you are unique and have your own specific set of strengths and weaknesses. Comparisons will only highlight the shortcomings without making you feel good about the forces.
Perfection is the Enemy of all that is Good
When you start aiming for perfection in life, you set unattainable standards that will only lead to frustration and headaches in life. The endless search for perfection in decisions and actions leads to no sound other than headaches and frustration.
The search for perfection in decisions will also make you indecisive. You will never be able to take a step in the right direction by being doubtful from the get-go, instead of eyeing perfection, eye experience. Experience makes you a go-getter, as it is something you’ll gain, even if you fail.
Be Driven by the Truth
All of this comes down to psychology. Negative self-perceptions are often based on the flawed versions of reality that we come to expect around us. These perceptions are driven by what we believe others perceive about us.
The cultivation theory mentions that humans are only a reflection of what other people think of them until they come to a concrete realization of who they are and the character traits they possess.
So, the next time you tend to have negative thoughts about your performance or yourself in general, stop for a second. Ask yourself whether you feel this way because of what someone else thinks or because of absolute truth.
Having a Constant Growth Mindset
A growth mindset is a constant character trait found in people with positive self-perception. A continuous growth mindset allows you to embrace and acknowledge weaknesses within yourself rather than shying away from them.
Understand that failures are part of the mix and prioritize the learning process over just seeking approvals from others. Growth is something that comes through endless maneuvering and hitting of the right spots. Positive self-perception is an internalized response to growth opportunities around us. A vision board can help here.
Constantly Striving for a Positive Self Perception
Positive self-perception is not something you are born with; instead, it is an intentional and learned behavior that you apply in your life with time. Recognize the negative thoughts in your life and form a mantra to repeat a positive line of thinking constantly. The more positivity you add to your life, the easier it gets for you. Always remind yourself of your confidence and capabilities in life.
A positive self-perception may take some time to form, but you will be able to approach several complex situations calmly by the time you truly have it in you. Learn these traits of people with positive self-perception and apply them in your life.
