Influence: The Inner Self

This year we’ve been writing about developing useful skills to influence others. But what about your inner “self”? You also influence yourself every day, and how you do that is fundamental to your success.

Your inner self, the core of your identity, is the foundation of your presence, image and brand. It’s shaped by many things, including culture, family, society and the environment.?It’s part of your subconscious.?Connected to your emotions and cognitive processes, it affects your behavior, decision-making and sense of well-being.?

So why pay attention to this? Because your inner self affects everything else. If you have problems with your inner self, they can sabotage your efforts to improve in other areas.

Consider these two ideas for positively influencing your inner self.?

Your Inner Voice - The tone of your inner voice will reflect your emotions, behaviors and health.?A negative inner voice can lead to depression, anxiety and excessive rumination.?Positive self-talk has the opposite effect.?So you want to increase your awareness of your inner voice. Learn to “catch, cancel and correct” (as I recently learned in a virtual mindset bootcamp with Amy Porterfield).?

Mindfulness Techniques - Meditation and other mindfulness activities can help you connect with your inner self, decrease depression and anxiety, raise self-esteem and confidence, and improve your relationships. There are dozens of techniques to choose from; all take practice, but they’ll help you shape a positive inner voice.??

Of course, the inner and outer self are connected and influence each other. How we present ourselves and how we feel about all that has a huge impact on our inner self and its influence on how we behave in the world. It’s a never-ending circle of influence and effect.

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Kelly Duggan is an executive presence consultant and personal brand strategist. Her certified company is an award-winning member of the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI). www.kellyduggan.com / https://linktr.ee/kdiconsulting