Words by Misha Fabian
Insecurities suck. There’s no mincing words with this one. They could turn beautiful days into the absolute worst ones at the turn of a dime. It always starts with the smallest things- seeing someone else seemingly doing better and you suddenly start to zero in on the things you don’t like about yourself. It starts eating you up little by little and before you know it, you’re a ball of anxiety and “why am I not good enough” thoughts. However, derive some comfort in this thought: you are not alone. Everyone has their own sets of insecurities that they deal with on a daily basis and while, admittedly, it is a struggle, it is not impossible. Here are some ways to deal with insecurities:
Acknowledge what you have- and build on those.
One of my favorite quotes is “The presence of someone else’s beauty does not indicate the absence of your own.” It has become applicable in so many aspects of my life because beauty could take any form, be it talent, intelligence, physical attractiveness, or even confidence- there seem to be people who are overflowing with all of these while I find it difficult to muster enough courage to even summon one. There are days when I feel like I would never be able to get where I want to go. However, the quote reminds me that instead of comparing myself to others, I should instead celebrate the good points about myself and work on those.
Treat yourself.
We often underestimate the power of a warm bath, our favorite food, or taking a moment out to breathe. We all need a little pick-me-up every so often in order to feel better and in turn, feel better about ourselves. So next time, don’t hesitate to get that scoop of ice cream or that slice of pizza- you deserve it after all.
Love yourself.
I’ve also come to realize that no matter how much confidence you can build up, insecurities will always be there. To help myself and combat my insecurities, I’ve begun listing down the things I can be grateful for. I’ve also been looking at myself in the mirror and saying one thing I love about myself. If on that particular day, I can’t find that one thing, I look for something I’d like to be able to love and I repeat it constantly. As constant as the insecurity is, so should the love for yourself double. Insecurities are usually reflective of how we see ourselves so the best weapon against them is always self-love. The great Eleanor Roosevelt once said that “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent”– not even yourself. Of course, this is always easier said than done. But hey, no one ever said loving yourself was going to be easy. It takes constant practice and work, but I promise the results are worth it.
How do you combat insecurities? Let us know in the comments!
