SELF AWARENESS

You have probably heard the expression, "You are what you eat." Well, what you eat may help determine our physical being, but when it comes to personality and what makes you the individual you are, the phrase should be, "You are what you think."

The single major factor determining or limiting your success and happiness is your self-image, your self-esteem. The word esteem means "to appreciate the value of." Your self-image will determine your sensitivity to the needs of others, your ability to solve problems, your ability to handle responsibility, and your judgment.

When you have a positive self-image you have a lot of self-confidence. Self-confidence is built on your experiences of success from early childhood on. Some people undermine their own self-confidence and suffer from a poor self-concept, however, by dwelling on their past failures instead of their successes.

Growing up confident and self-assured is not an easy and natural thing, though. You are often reminded that things are not going as they should in the world. You are told what you should be like, how you should behave, when you are a winner, and when you aren’t.

It’s not impossible, however, to change your self-image. What it takes is determination, understanding of who you are and who you want to be. and a support group of parents and friends.

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Send questions about this website to Denise Davies at ddavies@ag.arizona.edu.   For course information or questions not included in these pages contact Dr. James Knight. Copyright (c) 1998 Department of Agricultural Education, The University of Arizona.  Website version 1.2, last updated on Thursday, August 16, 2001.