Introduction

You'll need the following book for this section.  Talk to your teacher or local librarian about accessing this.   You may even find a copy online.


What is self-image and how does it become shaped and define us?

Self-image is how YOU perceive yourself. It is a number of impressions that have built up over time. What are your hopes and dreams? What do you think and feel? What have you done throughout your life and what did you want to do? Your self-image can be very positive, giving you confidence in your thoughts and actions, or negative, making you doubtful of your capabilities and ideas. How we perceive ourselves is shaped by how we interact with our world and allow our mind to shape the perception of those interactions. Throughout this unit, we will explore how:

  • language constructs personal, social, and cultural identity (self-image)
  • we exchange ideas and viewpoints to build shared understanding and extend our thinking (of ourselves)

If you project a positive self-image, people will be more likely to see you as a positive, capable person. However, it can be very difficult to control our thoughts as our mind does not distinguish between reality and perceived reality. We have an internal voice. In some people, that internal voice can be too critical and harsh, leading to low self-esteem. In others, it may be so weak that they don't notice when they are mean or insensitive to others. Take a moment to look at the power of our mind.