Describe a time when you tried to bring about a change in your self-concept and were not successful in doing so. .
When I was a teenager, I would always worry about what others thought of me and I used to believe everything they said about me was true. I eventually learned to ignore the things that were being said, but after hearing those things for several years, I started to believe what they were saying was true. Later in my teen years, I tried changing the way I thought about myself. I tried convincing myself that all the names and things I was being called was just my peers picking on and bullying me. I knew deep down that none of it was true, but I couldn't make myself believe that I wasn't stupid or ugly and I gave up trying to change the way I thought about myself. I moved on.
Summarize the guidelines for improving self-concept in our textbook and explain how each might apply to a change in self-concept. .
There are four guidelines for improving one's self concept.
1. The first concept is the most difficult and the most important. We must make a firm commitment to our personal growth. It isn't as easy as it may sound. It is more than just saying we want to change and be more open with others. We have to put forth the time and effort. It is a continuous effort and will not happen overnight. We must also realize that there are going to be ups and downs in the process of trying to change, but we can't let the bumps in the road get us down. It is also difficult to change one's self concept because we resist change and if we realize that from the start, we will be better prepared to handle the changes we are trying to make.
2. Gain and use knowledge to support personal growth. We must learn how our self concept became what it is and understand why it is the way it is. We should think about other's views on race, gender, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic classes to decide whether we want to accept these views as part of our own perspective or view them differently than others view them.
