Self Concept

Developing My Self-Concept Over the past few years not only have my family and friends witnessed me change as a person, but I as well have come to realize the progress of character that has transpired. I’ve noticed the foundation of my self-concept, “a set of relatively stable perceptions that each of us holds about ourselves” (Adler and Rodman, 61), has developed over time. Throughout High School and my first semester of College I have developed a higher self-esteem, opened my mind to new ideas, and have taken on greater responsibilities. As time progressed, and new circumstances arose I began to create new layers to my ever-changing self-concept. When I was 15 I had very low self-esteem, and although I had many friends, I never felt “good enough”. As described in Understanding Human Communication reflective appraisal, “metaphorically describes how we develop an image of ourselves from the way we think others view us” (Adler and Rodman, 62). As I began feeling intimidated by others, this gave them the power to look down on me, and therefore became depressed and critical of myself. Developing a negative reflected appraisal stripped away my identity and I turned into a person in which others viewed me, and therefore established a low self-esteem. It was not till the middle of my sophomore year that decided it was time to change how I thought about myself. My goal was to write a list of characteristics that I valued about myself, and read it to myself several time a week when I began feeling down. Within a few months I began to notice a change in my attitude and the way I carried myself. With this new outlook of myself I was able to express to others how they should view me, in this new and positive light. Transforming my self-concept allowed me to be more outgoing, approachable, and an enjoyable individual to be around. While attending Horizon Honors High School I have been blessed to meet some of the most amazing people who have changed my life for the

Cited: Adler, Ronald, and George Rodman. Understanding Human Communication. 11th. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print. Jac Vanek: There are no wrong answers.. 2012. BloggerWeb. 4 Mar 2013. <http://divinequotes.blogspot.com/2012/05/jac-vanek-there-are-no-wrong- answers.html>.