How much time do you spend maintaining you image for others? How much are you run be your concerns about looking good (being right, in control, liked by your boss, ego driven success seeker etc.)? How much do you depend on others for validation of self? How much of your day is spent in approval seeking? Does living your life trying to meet the expectations of others ever work? Does what others think of you really matter in the big scheme of life? Image maintenance for many is nearly a full time job with very little down time. Think of the energy you use to maintain your image.

You and I live in a very judgmental world and there is no way we can make the grade in everyone’s eyes. We are all taught to be concerned about what others think of us. Grades in school are about societal approval. Most families have many expectations (many of which are unspoken) of their members. Work situations are often loaded with image expectations. (I remember a bank I provided EAP services in which one employee said to a new one at this bank we tie our ties this way.) That proper wearing of the tie was about image maintenance. Society has many image maintenance ideas just look at the ads on TV. The right shoes, clothes, jobs, car, etc. are part of what expectations we are to live up to be acceptable in the eyes of others. Is this a way to live a life?

I want to suggest to you that most of these concerns about image do not matter and to spend much time worrying or doing what you think will look good is wasted energy.

Here are 15 of the simplest solutions to set your image straight:

Stop worrying about what others think because it doesn't really matter
What you think of yourself matters much more
Be genuine and be yourself because that is all you can be
Focus your life on realizing your dreams not meeting the expectations of others
Build supportive relationships with the people that matter and your image won’t be important
In work do your best but try to avoid being motivated by fear in any form
Give up the need to be in control or right, or the most impressive
Yes people can use their image to create more success but do so in alignment with your values
Make life about being happy, loving and peaceful and you will have plenty of people who appreciate you
Find respect by living by your word and acting with integrity
Create your own style and be free to invent yourself
If people think you are a little odd they give you more leeway in your behavior
Live with purpose daily and everything drops away that doesn’t matter
Be loving, kind and compassionate and you will get all that back
Seek to be more in touch with your spirit and nothing else will seem that important

Sit back, be real and live life freely, joyously and authentically and there will be no need to maintain you image.