Self-concept is the understanding and the estimation of ourselves. The cognitive dimension of our self-concept is composed of self-image (the perception of ourselves) and self-appraisal (the evaluation of ourselves).
We develop our self-concept as skiers through introspection, social comparison, or through self-perception. It is shaped by a set of beliefs about ourselves that we tend to recognize as true. Experiences, behaviors, and personal characteristics lead us to a significant awareness of our strengths and weaknesses.
We form our self-concept as skiers based on our own interpretation of past experiences in the mountain environment, as well as our personal attributions regarding ourselves and others. When using social comparison, we evaluate ourselves in relation to other skiers, who may be of lower or higher level. In the first case, we implement it with the purpose of raising our self-esteem.
Each one of us have faced situations in which we had put our self-concept to the test by experiencing helplessness in front of our own skiing. Faced with challenging situations, in general, we tend to evaluate ourselves negatively, which is an anticipatory judgment of possible failure, at the same time experiencing the associated pessimism.
Self-concept influences us in learning, facilitating or hindering it. Limiting thoughts promote the tendency to self-devaluation, as when we say to ourselves “if I can’t do it the best I can, it’s not worth trying”. With this type of judgment, not only we turn down opportunities to try new initiatives in advance; it also leads us to consider that the effort does not bring any positive results.
Self-acceptance
Self-acceptance is understood as the abandonment of the attitude of confrontation with ourselves. The modification of this condition will allow us the free determination of the needs in our own skiing. The practice of self-acceptance is considered the basis for developing our self-esteem.
Self-acceptance is the ability to admit our own way of skiing, accepting defects and recognizing our potential. By consenting the way we ski, we have a positive view of our own behavior. In this manner we determine the changes desired for our own well-being, freeing ourselves from the psychological and social barriers that encourage the rejection of our individual characteristics.
To accept ourselves as skiers is to remove the demands and criticisms in order to esteem ourselves unconditionally. It is to stop comparing with other skiers because everyone has his own version. Not accepting us as we ski promotes shame for not considering ourselves as ‘appropriate’ or ‘suitable’ skiers, despising ourselves through destructive internal dialogue and, thus acting, the negative aspects of one’s own skiing will not disappear.
Every skier exhibits own faults and flaws, but knowing how to accept them free us. In doing so, we transform and prepare ourselves for a change by becoming aware that our own choices favor evolutions. Imperfections are part of our personality, they make us unique and unrepeatable skiers as they constitute our own identity, and recognizing them means we can correct them.
