Key Takeaways
A person’s self-concept is the ideas and beliefs that shape how they see themselves. It can involve their appearance, abilities, relationships, and more.
A healthy or positive self-concept means you can acknowledge your flaws without letting them define you. It’s about learning to see yourself in a generally positive light.
It’s possible to strengthen your self-concept, and therapy can help.
Your self-concept consists of the ideas and beliefs you hold to be true about yourself. It’s a way of answering the question, “Who am I?”, and it includes physical and psychological traits, skills, characteristics, roles, qualities, talents, and more.
Self-concept [1] includes observable traits that you can consciously identify. For example, part of your self-concept may be that you have brown hair, two siblings, and like to run marathons. But other aspects of self-concept are less concrete. Aspects like your role in your family, your career history, or physical health can also impact how you see yourself.
Exploring the external and internal forces that influence your self-concept can help you embrace your identity and strengthen your mental health [2]. In the following guide, we’re sharing four important things to know about self-concept and a few tips on how to improve it.
1. It’s more than just a list of traits
From our appearance and personality type to our beliefs and interests, we all have unique characteristics that make up our identity. But self-concept isn’t just a list of traits. It’s a way for us to understand ourselves and our relationship to the world around us.
Your self-concept includes what you believe to be true about yourself right now. But it also includes what you see as possible for yourself in the future. These beliefs are often influenced [3] by our academic or career performance, gender, religion, racial identity, family system, and more.
2. It’s not the same as self-esteem (but it’s close)
Scholars have provided a few different definitions of self-concept. But perhaps one of the most well-known comes from American psychologist Carl Rogers [4].
Rogers believed that self-concept consisted of three parts:
Self-esteem: How we evaluate ourselves (appearance, abilities, achievements, and more)
Self-image: The mental picture of how we see ourselves in the present
The ideal self: A version of ourselves we hope to achieve in the future
3. It won’t always stay the same
Self-concept isn’t static and unchanging. It starts developing in childhood [5] and will evolve over the course of your life.
Your self-concept may be influenced by:
The environment of where you live [6] and the places you visit
Your relationships with caregivers, friends, loved ones, neighbors, and others
The culture you’re a part of [7] and how it views self-concept
The media you consume [8] (TV shows, movies, books, podcasts, social media, and more)
4. It doesn’t mean ignoring your shortcomings
Having a healthy self-concept doesn’t mean being conceited or overlooking your shortcomings. After all, no one is perfect, and it’s OK to acknowledge your flaws. What matters most is seeing yourself clearly and cultivating an overall positive view of yourself.
A health self-concept might sound like:
“I tend to get flustered when I’m under pressure. But I know I have the skills to manage my stress level and get things done.”
“I love being creative. I might not be Picasso, but that’s OK. I enjoy painting because it gives me an outlet for my emotions.”
“One of the things I’m most proud of is that I’m a good friend. I always try to show up for the people I care about, even if it’s just in small ways.”
“In the past, I let my mistakes define me. These days, I do my best to learn from them so that I can improve.”
How to develop a positive self-concept
If you want to develop a positive self-concept, these tips can help you get started:
Quiet your inner critic. Imagine having a negative belief about yourself, like, “I’m a terrible public speaker.” In response, see if you can reframe it in a more positive light. You can say something like, “I’m not the best public speaker, but I’m a lot better than I used to be.” Curbing self-criticism can help strengthen your self-concept.
Inventory your strengths. If you tend to focus on your struggles instead of your strengths, you’re not alone. It’s easy to overlook our positive qualities when we’re facing challenges. The next time you’re feeling down on yourself, set a timer for five minutes and write down as many of your strengths as you can. You can list physical attributes, but try to include traits, skills, and talents too.
Rethink your digital role models. If you find yourself comparing yourself to others, remember that what people share publicly or online is often a highlight reel. It doesn’t paint the full picture of the everyday hardships most people face. If the social media you’re consuming tends to make you feel bad about yourself, audit your feed. Unfollow unsupportive or unrealistic creators, and look for more supportive, encouraging content to engage with.
Ask for help. If you want to work on your self-concept, help is available. Person-centered therapy [9] can be especially impactful for people who are grappling with their sense of self. This type of therapy creates a strong therapeutic alliance built on unconditional positive regard. It can provide a safe space to explore your identity, examine negative beliefs, and honor your authentic self.
Clinician's take
A common misconception is believing that a healthy self-concept means feeling confident all the time. In reality, it looks more like knowing your worth even on the days you feel unsure.
Find care with Rula
Self-concept is the set of ideas and beliefs that shape how you see yourself. It starts forming in childhood and can be influenced by your environment, relationships, experiences, and more as life goes on. Having a healthy self-concept doesn’t mean ignoring your shortcomings. Rather, it’s about embracing all aspects of your identity and seeing yourself in a generally positive light. Therapy can help you explore your identity, cultivate self-compassion, and strengthen your self-concept.
At Rula, we’re here to help you feel better. Rula makes it easy to find a licensed therapist or psychiatric provider who takes your insurance. That way, you don’t have to choose between great care and a price you can afford.
Rula patients pay about $15 per session with insurance, and 93% say they feel better after getting care through Rula. We have 21,000+ providers, and appointments are available as soon as tomorrow. We’re here to help you take the next step — wherever you are in your mental health journey.
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Rula's editorial team is on a mission to make science-backed mental health insights accessible and practical for every person seeking to better understand or improve mental wellness.
Members of Rula’s clinical leadership team and other expert providers contribute to all published content, offering guidance on themes and insights based on their firsthand experience in the field. Every piece of content is thoroughly reviewed by a clinician before publishing.
