| How do you respond to your
friends versus strangers? How do you act in new situations? Why?
What do you do when you walk into a new place with people you don't
know? What causes us to behave in this way?
Everyone
has a little voice in their head. This voice talks to us and can
help us make decisions. When we are in new situations this voice
can become very loud. Your voice may be asking, "What do people
think of me?" "Where should I sit?" "Am I dressed all right?"
Humans are afraid of many different
things. Some people are afraid of death. Others are afraid of
snakes, or spiders or ghosts. One common fear relates to personal
image.
People spend thousands of dollars
every year to cultivate their personal image. This image defines
them. People begin to develop this image in early adolescence and
by the time they are adults, they are heavily invested in this
image. This image can help us when it portrays confidences,
competence and enthusiasm. In some cases it can also hold people
back from reaching their potential.
Fear of Image is when maintaining the
image becomes more important than learning. A person can be afraid
of losing their image. They become afraid of looking silly or "uncool."
This is Fear of Image. People choose not to take a risk that may
affect their image even though they know it may also lead to new
learning and growth. Fear of Image can hold people back from making
new friends. It can also prevent people from having fun and
enjoying themselves in new situations.
What is your Fear of Image keeping
you from doing?
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