Page 63 - Demo

63www.i-am-magazine.comBy Violet PrichardBecomingUnstoppable:BecomingUnstoppable:Your self-concept is how you perceive yourself.How do you see yourself? Do you believe inyourself? Do you wish to be someone else, orcan you not imagine being anyone but yourself?The way you see yourself influences every aspectof your life.Self-concept is closely related to self-esteem.The difference is that self-esteem focuses onhow much you like yourself, while self-conceptencompasses everything you think aboutyourself. If you don%u2019t believe you are capable ofachieving success, for example, you probablywon%u2019t even try. Instead, you will settle for lessthan you truly deserve and live feelingunfulfilled.Having a positive self-concept is key to achievingour dreams. But the first step is convincingourselves that we deserve them. The road isn%u2019talways easy, so here are five strategies tostrengthen your self-concept and boost yourpersonal growth.1. Celebrate Small WinsBuilding confidence is essential to improvingyour self-concept, and the best way to do it is byaccumulating small victories.If you lack confidence, start with baby steps.Talk to one new person each day, increase theweight you lift at the gym by 5 pounds, or learn anew word in another language.These small achievements will add up and giveyou the momentum needed to take on biggerchallenges. Over time, you%u2019ll look back and seehow far you%u2019ve come, reinforcing yourconfidence and elevating your self-concept.Practical example: If you feel insecure aboutpublic speaking, start by practicing in front of amirror. Then, try sharing an idea in a smallmeeting.Each step will bring you closer to your goal.