determination or consistency

The individual needs to know that developing a positive self-concept is not a one-day magic or a one-short miracle. Self-concept is a life-long issue and one that transverses the cradle to the grave. It is instalmental in nature and like a pyramid it is a step-by-step development. This is where the factor of determination and consistency comes into play. To evolve a positive self-concept takes tact, hard work and a lot of grit; you must have a stick-to-it ness. Your must be consistent and determined.

Consistency and determination help you to focus and stay glued to your idea of self, which you have formed no matter the constraints or problems you are facing. This means that the ability to consistently reinforce positive aspects of your self-concept and the determination to reject, correct and erase the negative areas of your self-concept decides whether you will have a positive or negative concept. The two factors also work negatively. You can be consistent in reinforcing the negative sphere of your self-concept while being determined to suppress the positive areas of your self. No matter what you do however, in the end you need to understand the fact that the image you get finally is your own creation. You will also reap the effects of the image.

experiences

We are in this world to experience and go through situations and incidents that will make us mature and grow. These experiences can be good and pleasurable or they can be bad and harrowing. The kind of experience that we have will surely affect the development of our self-concept. When we go through bad experience it can mature us or it can destroy us. If we go through the experience believing that there is the need for the bad experiences, since one cannot get the sweet juice of an orange without squeezing it; then we come out to such experience chastened, matured and with a high positive self concept. If we take the bad experiences however as punishment or unnecessary, we develop a sense of guilt and this affects our self-concept.

However, if we look at the bad experiences as something that is externally sourced or as something, which we are not responsible for, then we may allow such experiences to destroy our being and change us totally. We may decide on vengeance, become hardened or tune into an unfeeling and non-compassionate individual. In cases like the above, self-concept becomes affected negatively. We then suppress the self we had before the experience and take up a ‘self that is not our own. The new self may be bad and this will further destroy our positive self-concept.

positive self concept and self-actualization

checklist for developing a positive self-concept

You can develop a positive self-concept by carrying out the following steps effectively. Though there are other steps in addition to the one listed below, but these twenty are basic and mastery of them gives a fulfilling life and helps develop a positive and outstanding self. A positive and outstanding self makes it possible for the individual to partake and appreciate interpersonal communication; it also helps the individual to develop good interpersonal skills. A good development of interpersonal skills leads to the cultivation of good communication skills by the individual. This means that if the individual cultivates a good and enriching self-concept, he becomes a better communicator who is able to reach himself, connect with others and develop his potentials thereby developing his community and society.