Improving Your Self-Image: I
Four Steps
Earl Nightingale, a famous radio motivator, once had lunch with Maxwell Moltz, the author of Psychocybernetics, and said to him, "Max, I know that we are bounded, even limited in our accomplishments by our own self-image. But is there any way to improve or expand our self-image, our self-concept?"
Maxwell Moltz replied, "Of course." And he outlined a four-point plan that he used to improve self-image. I was amazed that this plan came from a scientist and not from a clergyman. Listen to these steps.
Step 1. Forgive everyone.
Get rid of all those resentments that you have carried around all these years. Just forgive everyone, and watch all that weight fall from your psychological shoulders. You not only feel lighter, you actually feel happy with yourself. You feel you are much bigger than these little hurts. Hence, your image of yourself goes up, increases.
Tony de Mello tells the story of two monks, an older and a younger one, going on a journey. When they came to a small river they saw a beautiful woman sitting on the bank of the river. When the older monk asked the lady what her problem was, she replied, "I want to get to the other side of the river but I cannot swim." The older monk said, "I'll solve that." He put the woman on his shoulders and carried her across the river.
When the monks continued their journey, the younger one complained bitterly. "Do you realize the occasion of sin that you have placed yourself in by carrying that woman across the river?" And later he continued, "Can you imagine the scandal this will create in the monastery, when they hear?" After about an hour of this diatribe the older monk paused in his journey, looked directly at the younger monk, and said, "Son, I left that woman at the bank of the river an hour ago. You are still carrying her with you."
Need time to improve your self-image? Become your own boss!
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