Whether you realize it or not, and whether you intend to or not, every action you take builds your reputation in the world. It is your form of personal branding, creating the words, characteristics, and traits the world will come to associate with you.

Every time you communicate with someone, interact with them, or display any behaviors in public, you are creating your own label. You are developing your own personal label. The awareness that you are constantly creating your personal image is an excellent tool for self improvement.

You cannot avoid making impressions on others. Unless you lock yourself in the house and never talk to anyone, you are going to have certain attributes that are associated with you. The important thing is to realize this and pay attention to it. Once you realize that you are being evaluated by others you will find it easier to tailor that image, if you so desire.

Your Public Image

This is how you present yourself, or market yourself, to others. The beauty about your public image is that you can choose how you wish to be viewed by others, and then act accordingly. The way you behave in public will affect not only what people think of you, but also how they interact with you.

The best bet is usually honesty. Do not try to be something you are not. It will only come across as phony and insincere. Presenting a false persona to the world will only generate a negative image for you. You may be perceived as shallow, phony, untrustworthy.

Allow your natural attributes to shine through. This will engender trust, and you will be viewed as genuine and sincere.

How you deal with adversity has a tremendous affect on your public image. You can meet challenges with great dignity and courage, or shy away from them in fear. When you are faced with a difficult situation, you have an excellent opportunity to make a favorable impact on your outer self image.

Your Private Image

Your private image is how you view yourself. Think about how you would describe yourself if you were selling yourself to someone else. What descriptors do you use? Are these words you want to be associated with? Do you feel good about who you are, or are there things you would like to change?

Determine what you need to do to create a self image you can be happy with. You may need to make changes in some of your attitudes or behaviors before you have a self image you are comfortable with it.

Finding Out What Others See

Before you can make changes that will bring your self image to a place that gives you satisfaction, you must find out how you are viewed by others. This can be difficult - not everyone is willing to speak honestly about how they view another person. At least not with the person in question.

Go to friends and family and ask for their honest feedback. Take a notebook and write down what they have to say. You will never know what your true public image is without doing your research, and you will not be able to change it to reflect the values you want without knowing where you are starting from.

Remember that perceptions are reality. If people see you differently than you see yourself, they are not wrong. They genuinely have those feelings about your personality, and it is up to you to learn from these perceptions. Try to determine what actions created that image, assess how you feel about being associated with that image, and if necessary, come up with a plan to change it.

Self image can be a funny thing. You may feel like you are confident while someone else calls it arrogance. You may think you are shy, yet another person thinks you are anti-social. You may think you are funny, but someone else finds your humor sarcastic.

Keep these things in mind as you travel through life, and always be aware of the external image you portray to others. Make sure you are true to yourself, in order to ensure your own happiness, but strive to associate your actions with those positive adjectives you want to be known by.

Lifestyle Mentor, Personal Coach, Author, Educator, and Entrepreneur, David B. Bohl is the creator of Slow Down FAST. To learn more about this step-by-step strategy for Living YOUR Life YOUR way, and to sign up for his 9 FREE Tips for Finding Happiness in a Fast-Paced World, free teleseminars, free Special Report, free bi-monthly ezine and more, go to: http://www.SlowDownFAST.com