I Feel Inferior To Others: Possible Causes, And What To Do
Self-esteem is very important for the development of people, at all stages. This begins to be established from the early phases of development and is consolidated in adulthood, in which the subject with good self-esteem will be able to face the different adversities that arise.
However, it is relatively common for people to have problems in this regard. “I feel inferior to others” is a frequent thought, a consequence of something having gone wrong during the establishment of self-esteem. In any case, by having noticed it we have already taken the first step in achieving a healthier self-concept. Below we will see what to do in these cases, and some of its possible causes.
As we have seen before, if I feel inferior to others, it is because the process of establishing self-esteem has been disrupted at some point. There are several ways this could have happened, so let’s look at the most common ones.
1. Pessimistic attitude
The pessimistic attitude is like a vine that becomes longer and stronger as time passes and adaptive ways of coping with this dysfunctional thinking are not sought. It is based on a bias that leads us to assume that the achievements we achieve are due to external elements, and the bad things that happen to us are our own fault.
These types of attitudes are transferred from one person to another. If we have grown up in a pessimistic environment, it is likely that when we grow up we will tend to adopt this mentality But it’s never too late to break that negative cycle.
When we exaggerate the negative situations in our lives, We are preparing the ground so that we feel overwhelmed by situations that we could really manage Thinking that all bad things happen to us, or that we always come out unfavorable from any event, puts us in a condition of emotional handicap.
We must avoid this situation at all costs; It is important to understand that the things that happen to us will not always be unpleasant. The bad is temporary, and better times will always come to the extent that we are able to change our exaggerated thinking.
3. Constant comparisons
People who spend too much time comparing themselves to other people They tend to have a higher degree of self-doubt, and therefore feel that they are in the shadow of others. It is common that the result they get from comparisons is that others are better than them.
Comparing ourselves with other people can serve to learn and take certain positive aspects of others, but we should not do it obsessively; Everyone is different and has unique abilities.
4. Envy
Envy is a harmful feeling for anyone, since it encourages anguish to arise and feeds a very competitive and dysfunctional mentality.
You must protect yourself from the possibility of feeling envy. Focus on yourself and the virtues you have, use them to build a bridge to your goals, without the achievements of others clouding your view of your own capabilities. Be the one who influences your environment, and don’t let what happens around you affect you decisively.
5. The need for approval
When we invest a lot of resources in trying to please others, we inevitably we are forgetting ourselves in the process That is to say, the fact of feeling less than others very often involves being subject to criteria and standards that mean nothing to us other than the fact that they are an external imposition. This leads us to assume a role of pure reaction to what happens around us, instead of working and striving for what truly satisfies us and allows us to grow as people.
This situation will result in us never feeling satisfied with what we do, taking into account that we may not always be able to please everyone. The ideal is to maintain your essence, always being polite to others, but never with excessive praise.
How to overcome the feeling of inferiority?
In the next lines we are going to review some ways to overcome the feeling that we are inferior to others
1. Become aware that no one is perfect
The first step is to realize that no person is absolutely good at everything, and that just as you have things that you can improve, everyone does. It is only a personal task, for each person, to take charge of being the best version of oneself.
2. Interpret failure as an opportunity
Change the perception we have of our failures brings us closer to a greater understanding of our capabilities Instead of getting depressed because you failed at something, evaluate why you failed and learn from the mistakes you made. See failures as valuable opportunities to learn and get to know yourself better.
3. Find your virtues
In case you are still not clear about your virtues, you should take the time to search and find them. It is completely impossible that there are no virtues in you, focus on discovering what you enjoy doing and what you are good at.
4. Avoid irrational persistence
This point refers to being able to accept that we are not always going to be the best at the things we like. Instead of feeling frustrated by this fact, start by do things without the irrational need to be the best at them and do them because you enjoy the process.
Keep in mind that the defects of each of us make us different from others, therefore They are an important part of ourselves with which we must learn to live with the rest of our lives in an adaptive way.
The ideal is to recognize and accept our limitations without them keeping us up at night, always trying to improve our weaknesses, but understanding that we are not less than any other person for not being as good at something.
6. Balance virtues and defects
This balance means that instead of allocating all your resources in trying to improve your defects, you are also able to get to work to keep improving in the things that come easily to you In other words, focus more on your potential and not so much on your defects. In this way, you will interpret your possible imperfections as a reference point from which to progress in a personal or professional development project.
7. Quarantine the world of celebrities and influencers
It is very unhealthy (psychologically) to constantly expose yourself to content published on the Internet or in the media that “shows” how celebrities or influencers live
This is because these photos and videos are, basically, part of a marketing apparatus that works to give the general public an idealized image of the people they work for. Thus, it is normal to feel “less”, because it prevents us from seeing the real imperfections of references such as models, actors, footballers…
