Never settle for less! Always go beyond! I’ve heard people say this, or something along these lines all the time. But sometimes, this saying can lead to a negative image of yourself. This same emotion has plagued countless people, time and time again. This emotion I am referencing can be thought of as an inadequate perception of yourself. It can happen in a variety of ways, like a bad test grade, getting laid off of your job, getting yelled at or scolded by a parent or authority figure or many other cases. 

I think it is safe to say that everyone has experienced an emotion similar to the one I previously mentioned. Life can feel pretty impossible during a time where this emotion drowns out anything and everything else. This emotion brings a different thing to the table apart from an emotion like confidence. The emotion of confidence provokes the want to do something, while thinking inadequately of yourself leads to giving up.

The worst part is that anyone can experience this. The early age you start standardized testing in the United States can also be linked to the start of this emotion. From bad grades on a test or quiz to getting held back a year in school. 

I remember it like it was yesterday, four years ago. This memory has haunted me for years and will, presumably, for the rest of my life. I was 11 years old, and I was playing with a ball with some friends in the kitchen. Now, I know playing with a ball in a kitchen can result in a multitude of bad outcomes. But I was 11, and I didn’t really know any better. 

Well, as you probably expected, one thing led to another, and a ball ended up in the ruins of a broken plate. I instantly panicked, and a second later, my parents ran into the kitchen to see what had just happened. I thought for sure that I was going to get scolded instantly, but they shrugged it off and began cleaning the mess. I was genuinely surprised, but the stars eventually aligned, and I found myself being scolded an hour and a half after the incident, as soon as my friends left.

In my case, family situations at home are probably the leading cause of this emotion. From losing a close family member to getting yelled at by my parents, these experiences reinforced a negative image of myself, clouding my original perceptions time and time again, with no signs of retrieving them. 

It feels like it happens every day to me. Everyday something comes up that provokes something in my parents to make them yell at me. To be honest, half the time I don’t even know what I’m getting yelled at for. Whether it be for a bad grade or for an accident that happened at home, every time I get yelled at, this emotion circulates in my brain for hours at a time, sometimes days.

Well, if you have felt any range of this inadequate emotion, in any case, just remember that no matter what happens, the most important thing you can do is try your best. Take some time to relax and avoid things that provoke this emotion.