This is How I Am Overcoming 5 Common Insecurities
An exercise of vulnerability
You feel ashamed of your insecurities. Instead of facing them, you try to hide them, and as a result, they annoyingly linger in the back of your mind.
This puts handcuffs on you in many ways.
That is exactly why I want to talk to you about common insecurities I have faced, and how I have overcome them (or am currently working on overcoming them).
My goal is that by the end of this, you will feel more comfortable with your insecurities and will be ready to take them on, too.
Let’s get started!
1. The Feeling of Mediocrity
The feeling of mediocrity is very common among those who play sports or compete on any playing field.
You’re constantly comparing yourself to the best.
This started for me while playing sports as a kid. I was never the worst at any sport, but I was never the best either.
I always felt mediocre.
The same feeling came over me when I approached businesses as a young entrepreneur.
As you compare yourself to the best, this feeling lurks. It is very hard to prevent this when you are on social media often.
To combat this feeling, I started comparing myself to who I was yesterday instead of others. (This involves adjusting your social media feed and mindset)
By focusing on progress and celebrating small wins along the way, you will minimize the feeling of mediocrity.
2. Self-Image Insecurities
I don’t think I have ever met someone who didn’t have body insecurities at one point in their lives.
It’s hard not to when you go through puberty and see everyone “randomly” changing.
You get acne, have less muscle than others, are shorter, lankier, and so on.
The part that I felt the most insecure about was acne.
It turned out that I was not supposed to be consuming dairy products.
So, for years, I got acne on my face and especially on my back. I became very insecure about this.
It was uncomfortable, in my opinion, unattractive, and inconvenient. I had to wear a black shirt for years in case a pimple would pop.
Now, I wear a black shirt because I eat a lot of soup that splashes on me.
This insecurity went away once I started focusing on my health.
While doctors kept giving me pills and creams that actually made things worse, a naturopath corrected my diet, reducing my acne from the source.
Knowing I had control was all I needed to overcome this insecurity.
3. Struggling to Feel Loved
Love is very powerful. For some people, it can be hard to accept.
For years, I always questioned whether those who loved me actually loved me (a nightmare for relationships, as you can imagine).
This likely stems from issues as a kid. Because I didn’t address it or acknowledge it, it became worse as I went through relationships.
Once I realized this was an issue with myself and not others, I was able to take it on.
Notice a trend?
Awareness and understanding are key in combating insecurities.
This may require seeing a therapist, but a lot of meditation and journaling can help too.
4. Never Being Enough
Do you ever feel like no matter what you do, it is never enough?
This is something I still struggle with. I believe it comes from taking many losses or “failures” over the last few years.
To overcome this, I’m approaching it very much in the same way as the first point. By paying attention to how far you have come, you improve.
Your progress will show you that you are enough.
Take a proper look at how far you have come and what has actually happened. You have grown, learned many lessons, and are better than you have ever been.
5. Financial Instability
One of the downsides of being an entrepreneur is that the come-up is very hard and very uncertain.
As an entrepreneur, I struggled with financial instability many times. Today, I am still recovering from the losses I took during the 2020-21 lockdowns.
For you, it might be a different story.
Perhaps you have a low-paying job and struggle to pay your bills. This makes you insecure, especially when you see friends going on trips and buying their first house.
One fix is to focus on what you do have.
By practicing gratitude, you will be able to find happiness regardless of your circumstances.
Sometimes that isn’t enough, though.
I use that energy to fuel myself to work harder or to learn more (this may not work for everyone).
I focus on reading more and taking courses to develop my skills. From that, I can take on more work or charge more for the work I do.
Either way, it eventually results in money coming in. Again, progress helps fight this insecurity.
It takes time, but it works.
If this insecurity still lingers after that, then shift the focus to gratitude again.
Conclusion
Insecurities can take over your life if you try to ignore them instead of taking control.
I have found the easiest way to start the process of eliminating them is by writing.
By shining light on what I don’t understand, I bring awareness to its effects.
From there, I can talk to someone I trust, meditate, or see a therapist.
If you are comfortable with it, share some insecurities in the comments that you are battling and what you are doing to take them on.
Thanks for reading