There are over 6 billion people on the earth, which means there are over 6 billion individual self-images, and we are all interacting with each other, based — not only on who we perceive we are — but also how we perceive others, and our perceptions are an extension of our own individual self-images.

Self-esteem, simply put, is how we feel about our “self.” It is a deep-seated feeling of self-worth. Self-image is how we perceive those feelings. Raising self-esteem can only come from within. No one else can do it for you. Others can create an environment for it to take place, but no one can build your self-esteem. Confidence and feelings of self-worth are manifestations of high self-esteem. But just because individuals you know may have low self-esteem today does not mean they are destined to live with it the rest of their lives. They can take action to bring about change. But they must be willing to look inward, to examine their own issues.

Later in this chapter there will be a discussion of the visualization process and how you can use it to enhance your well-being. This use of your brain, of course, is not new. But what is relatively new are the ways in which you can use your brain. It’s been said that, as human beings, we only use 10% of our brain’s potential. I disagree. I believe we use 100% of our brain’s potential, but our understanding of how to use our brain is probably only 10%. We do not need to use more of our brain, but, rather, we need to expand the way in which it is used.

One of the most important ways you negatively affect your self-image, as discussed previously, is by withholding. Keeping issues bottled-up inside yourself lowers your feelings of self-worth. Not being honest because you fear the consequences of your honesty (or you don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings) results in your taking fewer risks thereby increasing your own personal stress. The stress, in turn, reduces the effectiveness of your immune system. Here is a case history of stress reducing the immune system’s effectiveness.