Your Personal Image: How Do You Show Up?

Whether you’re out walking the dog, sitting in a coffee shop, or at a business meeting, when you leave the house, you project an image into the world. Some people craft their personal image very naturally, but I think most people need a little bit of support. Whatever the case may be, it’s important to be intentional about it, and not just because of how you want to be seen by others. Your personal image impacts how you see yourself, too. In our latest episode of Nourify & Beautify, we talked about this in some depth. In this blog post, we’re going to expand on some of the topics we talked about in the episode, so if you’d like to hear more about defining your personal image, check out the episode here: Episode 004: Defining Your Personal Image with Linda Yates

 

What Is A Personal Image? Why Define It?

According to Linda, your image precedes you and follows you. Your image can incorporate everything from the clothes and makeup you wear to the way you carry yourself, and everything from what you eat to the routines you employ can have a big impact on your personal image.

I can already hear someone out there saying, “But what’s the big deal? I want to be judged based on my personality, character, and behavior, not just my appearance.” Oh, if only it were that simple. According to Linda, your image speaks when you are not speaking. It is an important facet of communication with the people around us, and intentionally defining your image is a critical part of being a self-aware person.

Is caring about your image shallow? Linda would say no. Your image does so much more than just communicate to others – it affects how you see yourself as well. Linda uses the example of the sun: We sit outside (with our SPF on, of course) under the sun’s rays, and it warms us. Then we, in turn, reflect that light and warmth outwards. When you do things to define and improve your image, it improves how you see yourself, which improves how others perceive you. It’s a great way to build your confidence, self-assuredness, and even your relationships. 

 

What is the “Embodied Condition”?

I want you to think of your absolute favorite accessory right now. It could be a necklace, a pair of earrings, or even a favorite sweater or scarf. Imagine picking it up, putting it on, and looking at yourself in the mirror. What happens the moment you put on that accessory? Do you stand up a little taller or even smile? Does it make you feel more like yourself?

This is an example of the way we both impact and respond to our environment. You add the accessory to your personal “environment”, and it changes your experience. And yes, you may get reactions from others that end up influencing whether you like a certain accessory and, of course, compliments make you feel good too, but the embodied condition is more about your personal sense experience and how you perceive yourself, because that self-perception can have noticeable, measurable impacts.

According to the Enclothed Cognition Study (2012), clothing can carry certain meanings for us, and when we physically wear those clothes, it can deeply influence our psychological processes. In the study, participants were asked to do a task wearing a lab coat, and performed better on certain types of tasks than if they weren’t wearing the coat (or if they were told to wear a different coat). It’s amazing how changing something that simple can impact performance.

 

Image, Health, and Beauty

If your embodied condition is how your psychological processes are affected by your immediate environment, how can we harness that to create an environment that helps us feel better and share the image we choose with the world?

Of course, it will take some self-reflection. It can be tough to set aside time to look at where you may be lacking in your current routines. Maybe you’ve noticed that your skin is breaking out more frequently, or you’re feeling a bit more stiff than usual. Or suppose you look in the mirror and notice that the style of eye makeup you’re doing just isn’t “you” anymore. Be honest with yourself about what you’re getting (or not getting) out of your current routine. You might find that it’s time to start something new and break out of your comfort zone.

This can include a makeup routine, but it doesn’t need to. More and more, the worlds of beauty and health are starting to meld together. People are aware that products that aren’t good for their health aren’t going to actually make them feel more beautiful in the long term. Supporting your health will improve the way you see yourself and can have an impact on your appearance as well.

 

3 Tips for Changing Your Image

1. Mind your ‘ums’. This is a simple one that you can start today. Record yourself speaking or ask for someone’s feedback. Do you tend to say “um” or “like” as a verbal crutch? Doing something like this can portray that you don’t know what you’re talking about, even if you do. Instead of these crutch words, employ a thoughtful pause before you speak and be deliberate with your word choice.

 

2. Lean into the power of color. No, you don’t need to dress like a rainbow clown, but color can have an impact on how we look and feel. When you’re choosing a blush color, for instance, first determine whether you have warm or cool undertones by looking at your veins on the inside of your wrist. If the veins appear blue-green, you are warm-toned. If they appear blue-purple, you are cool-toned. And if you’re somewhere in between, congrats, most colors will work for you. 

 

3. Choose your words wisely. We’ve heard it all before when it comes to self-talk, but there’s a reason it’s important to speak to yourself in a positive way. Our self-talk impacts our self-perception deeply, and it’s something we can start to change right now. If you’ve never tried affirmations before, then I’d like you to take this opportunity to say one, or if you’re out in public, just think it. One of my favorites is, “I am worthy.” Speak it, believe it, and mean it. Then notice how you feel. Do you feel better? Upset? What emotions come up for you? Try other affirmations, and do them consistently. If saying them out loud is uncomfortable at first, you can always write them on a sticky note on your mirror!

 

The Importance of Image

Image is what you communicate to the world just by existing in it. Whether you like it or not, you are always communicating something, and developing an awareness of your image is an opportunity to help bring to life the kind of world you want to be in. This can start with a powerful self-care routine, and for more information about the importance of self-care and actionable tips for implementing a new routine, we hope you’ll tune into the podcast next week, hint hint!