"IMAGE" versus "SELF-IMAGE"

Elizabeth Taylor, remembered as an actress, a beautiful woman and a "screen-star" was heard to say when she was asked what it felt like being known as an ICON:

"I am NOT an icon.  I am an actress.  

An icon is a religious painting 

or figure used as an aid to devotion in Eastern churches."

Yet it's when Elizabeth Taylor writes intimately about herself, and there are a number of books, it becomes obvious that this woman had a greater depth of understanding of women's feelings and needs, than she was given credit for.   Too many saw her as just being a beautiful woman without much other substance; but I would like to quote her as follows:

"One of the dangers of growing up in Hollywood * is that people tend to confuse "image" with "self-image".  How you look and what you feel about yourself are often not the same.  Image refers to our appearance.  Self-image deals with who we really are.

We all know heavy people whose emotional lives are in good order who have an excellent sense of self-worth.  And Hollywood is filled with thin beautiful women who are unhappy and unfulfilled, with little sense of self-esteem."

She then goes on:   "Feelings of self-worth will naturally be affected in part by outside opinion - by friends, family and other loved ones.  Still, in the end, self-image is forged in the core of our own personality.  Every woman knows how mood can affect the way she thinks she looks.  And every woman who is honest enough will admit that self-image and self-esteem are inextricably intertwined.  Please note - I didn't say "image" but "self-image".  Looks alone are not the determining factor."

(Editor:  and I would say anywhere - not only Hollywood!)

This is an excerpt from the Prologue of "Elizabeth Takes Off on Weight Gain, Weight Loss, Self-Image and Self-Esteem" by Elizabeth Taylor, written in 1987.    It is as pertinent today as it was when it was written.

This is not a book on "Diets" per se, but more importantly aspects of feelings and emotions of a person who is seen to be heavier or larger than she is expected to be.   I found her words very compelling at times.