Overcoming Insecurity: 5 Psychological Tips

The belief that one has little value is often based on a distorted perception of things.

Many people suffer from insecurity problems. Feeling that one is not up to the task, that everyone else is capable of making progress but one does not have the ability to do it oneself, etc. Dealing with this kind of self-sabotage is not easy, but it usually does a lot of good, as it facilitates the resolution of various problems arising from it.

In this article we will review some basic tips on how to overcome insecurity through changes that should be introduced through changes that must be introduced in the habits of the day to day.

How insecurities arise

As practically everything in psychology, insecurity has multiple causes, although there are several that are very common. Fundamentally, it is a distorted a distorted view of one's own capabilities, from an extremely pessimistic point of view, which generates a self-fulfilling prophecy effect.It is an extremely pessimistic point of view, which generates a self-fulfilling prophecy effect.

That is, the fact of having very low expectations about what one is capable of doing, means that one does not even have exciting initiatives that are a challenge. Over time, this perception of remaining in a state of stagnation reinforces insecurities and low self-esteem.

The idea that much of this monotony and lack of life milestones achieved is due to the fact that one remains in one's comfort zone. remains in the comfort zone is not sufficiently prominent for the perception of one's own shortcomings to determine the way we think about ourselves.

On the other hand, one of the areas of life in which insecurities are most noticeable are personal relationships. Something as simple as adopting a non-verbal language that denotes insecurity has the effect that others treat us accordingly, so that in every conversation and social interaction the message is captured that indeed, there are reasons to feel insecure. It is a vicious circle that over time comes to generate a dogma, a belief that is not even questioned: we are worth less than others.

How to overcome insecurity on a day-to-day basis

Below you will find several ideas from which you can start to strengthen your self-esteem in a progressive way. Keep in mind that the simple fact of reading will not solve a problem of insecurities, but this is achieved through the introduction of different habits in the day to day, which we will talk about in the following lines.

In any case, it is important to keep in mind that the goal is not to eliminate insecurities, but to overcome them, i.e. to prevent them from interfering in a significant way with one's own well-being, to prevent them from interfering in a significant way with one's own well-being, or from being an obstacle to the development of one's personal potential.In other words, to prevent them from interfering in a significant way with one's well-being, or from becoming obstacles to developing one's full personal potential.

1. Write down your strengths and insecurities

Even the most insecure people are able to recognize certain things that, in comparison to the rest of their repertoire of skills, they are good at. Therefore, a good starting point is to write down a list of personal weaknesses and a list of personal strengths. It is important that these are assessed not by comparing oneself with others, but by comparing those physical and psychological characteristics that belong to oneself.

This step will allow two things. On the one hand, it is a starting point that helps to focus more on the good things that are good for us. helps to focus more on what is good about oneself.On the other hand, if done with a certain periodicity, it helps to have information on how one's insecurities are evolving.

2. Check for tendencies to paranoia

Many people base their insecurities on almost paranoid thoughts, constantly thinking about the supposed intentions of hurting us or making fun of us that others hide behind a semblance of normality. It is therefore a good idea to take five minutes at the end of the day to take a look back and to evaluate if we have fallen into this type of thoughts in an unjustified way..

3. Ask others for space

Changes should not only take place within oneself, but the social environment should also evolve. Ultimately, when one is insecure, others may be more likely to make hurtful assessments out loud, even without direct intent to cause harm, simply because they see that such criticism fits with what the other person thinks about him or herself. Where others keep quiet about certain opinions so as not to spend the day criticizing the person they are talking to, this regulation of what is said diminishes in the face of those with low self-esteem.

Thus, it is good to express directly that certain comments are too much, since they are inappropriate. The good thing about these situations is that the other person, in most cases, will stop trying to maintain a dominant position in the conversation if it is someone who has affection for us, and will immediately see their mistake. On the other hand, this is an exercise in assertiveness which helps to reinforce self-esteem by the simple fact of seeing that this kind of complaints are accepted by the other, denoting that many of the criticisms received on a daily basis are unfounded.

4. Do not compare yourself with strangers

With the rise of social networks, it is extraordinarily easy to give an image of what you are not. One in which only the positive is highlighted, and the negative is ignored. This is something that facilitates the emergence of insecurities, because on certain digital platforms idealization is the norm.

Therefore, every time you are assaulted by a thought based on your own inferiority to others who are primarily known through Facebook, Instagram or the like, remember that this is a mirage. There is no reason to think that this person is perfect or even close to perfect, and there is every reason to think that the image you have of this "other" is very distorted.

5. Practice sports and eat well

The good thing about this pattern is that it is based on the repetition of relatively simple behavior patterns. Seeing physical progress over a few months is very motivating, and helps to improve self-esteem.