A Fun House Mirror Belongs in a Fun House

What if all your life, from the time you were born, the only mirror you were ever given to look at yourself was a fun house mirror?

Every time you saw your reflection, you’d see a distorted image of you staring back. You’d go through life believing that the image you saw in that mirror was how other people also saw you.

And even though you could look down at your body and touch your face, you still believed that other people saw you the way you saw yourself. Can you imagine how much that would affect your confidence, your interactions with other people, and the way you moved around the world?

How do you see yourself? When you see your reflection in the mirror, do you see the same person you envision in your mind? 

What about the reflection you get of yourself from those around you? Do you think that reflection is accurate? Do people see you the way you see yourself?

Most of the time, the way we see ourselves is not how others see us. We know our own deepest, darkest secrets and all of our own shortcomings, failures and regrets in life. We know our own hopes and dreams, and the accomplishments that we’ve made. We know our most intimate thoughts and all of the experiences we’ve had in life.

All of those things affect the way we see ourselves. Every negative thought we associate with our own internal and external image adds another ripple to our mirror. And of course self-aggrandizement can also add ripples to our mirror and distort the way we see ourselves. The more ripples in our mirror, the further from reality our self image becomes. 

It may not be possible to ever see yourself the way others see you, and that’s okay. That really shouldn’t even be your goal in life. But it is important that your self image is rooted in reality. 

So how does one achieve that?

First, get to know yourself. I mean, truly get to know yourself. Be honest about your shortcomings and your strengths. Accept the things about yourself that you cannot change, and be realistic about the expectations you place on yourself.

Secondly, be open to and seek out feedback. One sure way to know whether your self image is distorted is to ask the people who know you well what their image of you is. If it’s way off, then you know you need to reassess the way you see yourself.

Finally, consider the things that are happening in your life. Are you accomplishing major things that you aren’t giving yourself credit for? Are you fucking up everything in sight, but not holding yourself accountable? Sometimes what’s going on around you is a reflection of who you are in life.

Once you’ve assessed what your image is externally, you can begin to make any necessary changes internally. Our self image is an important key to our happiness and to our success. Having a healthy self image means having one that is reality based and not severely distorted by external forces. If you suspect the way you view yourself might not be rooted in reality, make assess the problem and change the mirror.


Have you ever had to adjust your own self image? Find me on Instagram or Facebook and let me know.

Also, visit my website to check out the courses and training programs I offer and to listen to my podcast, Master Your Mission, for daily motivation and inspiration to pursue your dreams.

 

Close

33% Complete

Get on the List

Get free tips and exclusive offers - right in your inbox - to help you start and grow the online business of your dreams!