It's Up to You

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There are always going to be times when we feel less confident and unsure of ourselves. Moments in time that we simply feel we don't measure up to others. According to research, a natural and healthy reaction to the feeling of inferiority is compensation. And with compensation comes efforts to overcome the feelings of inferiority. 

Dr. Alfred Adler, the Austrian born medical doctor, psychoanalyst, and founder of the first school of individual psychology devoted his career to unpacking what causes feelings of inferiority and he even coined the term 'Inferiority Complex'. 

In more extreme cases, some people experience intense personal feelings of inadequacy that can often lead to the lifelong belief that one is deficient or broken. It is sad to imagine the impact that this has on their life and their relationships. 

As you think about your own life, both personally and professionally, it is important to understand what is within your own locus of internal control and what is not within your locus of control. At the end of the day, we are the ones who are ultimately in control of the thoughts and feelings we have about ourselves. Nobody is forcing us to feel the way we do about ourselves. 

This is a gentle reminder to always remember that. If you catch yourself comparing yourself to others or not feeling as though you measure up, remember that you are in the driver's seat. 

When I came across the Winston Churchill quote above, it reminded me that we are all in control of our thoughts and inner dialogue. And as he says:

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." 

Drawing more self-awareness to what is within our control and what isn't can help us reframe when necessary. It might not be possible to  forever eliminate feelings of inferiority, but it's certainly possible to decrease how often we allow ourselves to feel this way.

And it's completely up to us whether or not we let people make us feel inferior or not. 

Thanks for reading.