1. SELF ESTEEM –
ACCEPTANCE OR
FORGIVENESS?
BeeYourself…The source for self esteem information and news
June 28, 2011
2. Personal
Beliefs and
Media
Influences
• We live in a society where, from pretty much the time
you are born, life is about looking good and fitting in.
Think about it…you feel the way you feel in a large part
because of what you believe, and your beliefs come
from may sources.Think about the advertising you
have been subjected to – beautiful models wearing the
hottest clothes…weight loss commercials, drug
commercials, from an early age, you are programmed
to believe that you don’t have enough, don’t look good
enough, don’t make enough money, don’t have the
perfect house, friends, car, clothes, body…the list goes
on and on. It’s as though you are wrong about
everything, and promotes a belief that you are not
enough, or not good enough.
3. Everyone is
buying
this…
• Think about it – commercials want you to buy their
products. So they make you feel that you’re a nobody if
you don’t use their product.We watch these
commercials, then we think we don’t measure up
because we are not as happy, glamorous, rich, thin or
having as much fun as we are “supposed” to!
• What about those fashion magazines?They are filled
with ads and articles for diets, health products, clothes,
skin products and more.Their goal is to make you
believe that if you buy all their stuff, you will be
beautiful and happy, just like all their fancy models.
4. Perfect? • In our society we are programmed from a very young
age that we are supposed to be “perfect.” And this kind
of programming sets us up for failure – no wonder we
have low self-esteem!
• This affects the teen market dramatically – advertising
of diets and models depicted in teen and fashion
magazines contribute significantly to the number of
teens with eating disorders and self esteem problems.
5. Big Brother
Watching…
• Marketing companies are brilliant – they know what we
watch, when we watch it, what we normally buy, where
we buy it, how much we buy and more.With repetitive
advertising they pass all our conscious filters and
program that information right in. Here are some of
the beliefs you might have from advertising companies
programming you…
6. Buy this
and you will
be….
• People have LOTS of Fun when they drink beer.
Wrinkles make you look old and ugly, and wrinkle
cream will make you feel happy and beautiful. Having a
credit card means you are rich and can spend
frivolously.
7. Truth in
advertising
– HA!
• Are these really true? Probably not…but it’s exactly
what these companies want you to believe.They want
you to buy their products and they are trying to create
a “need.” Once you succumb to that need, you buy
their products – and admit that you , indeed, believe in
what they are advertising.
8. Reality –I
don’t think
so…
• Then of course we have the reality shows like “What
Not toWear” and “10YearsYounger” making us feel
like we are not accepted and loved unless we look
young and are wearing nice, fancy clothes. Do we really
need wrinkle cream? Or are we just comparing
ourselves with air-brushed photos of beautiful models.
Have you ever seen those models without their
makeup? Not so pretty!
• Careful what you believe.Watch this clip next clip!
9. Credit
Cards mean
you have
money –
really?
• Does that American Express card mean you can spend
lots of money and have a lavish lifestyle? Probably
not…unless you already do…but they sure want you to
spend lots of money on their card so they can take their
cut…
11. Beauty does
NOT come
from a
product
• When we are bombarded with so many hits on our self
esteem, how do we love and accept ourselves for who
we are?We are consistently assaulted by advertising
from multiple sources insinuating that we can only be
perfect, happy and beautiful if we have their products.
How can we overcome this?
• YOU ARETHE BESTYOU!THERE IS NO ONE LIKE
YOU!
12. Limit Social
and
Commercial
Media
• First of all, limit your intake of media, and be aware of
the intent of the advertiser. Many times they want you
to feel a pain, or feel badly about yourself so you will
“need” their product.
13. No one is
Perfect!
• Accept that you are ok as you are – the people you see
onTV and in magazines are not perfect, either.They
are just portrayed that way to see you something.
• Forgive yourself for what you think are your
faults…everyone has problems and issues – that’s a
normal part of life. Give yourself permission to make
mistakes, to feel the way you feel and to not be perfect
(perfection is only a myth…)
14. Forgiveness
– you can
only be
YOU!
• Forgive society and media for the beliefs and lies that
they have pressed on you – because you are the way
you are does not make you wrong. Find what works for
you, find what makes you feel good…that’s what is
right for you.
15. Focus on
your
POSITIVES
• Measure your value in terms that are meaningful to
you – not necessarily meaningful to society.You may
be overweight, but feel good about yourself because
you volunteer…or you may not fit society’s idea of
successful, but feel good about yourself because you
are kind and loving to your family.
16. You are
AMAZING!
• Think about the reasons why other people like you,
love you and appreciate you. See if you can appreciate
yourself for those reasons as well.Try to identify with
the person that others see in you as they look at you
through the eyes of love, and give yourself permission
to love yourself.
• We are hardest on ourselves.Watch this next clip – to
see how others may really see us…
