Dear insecurities,
First of all, let me start off by saying I have a love/hate relationship with you. Love because you have made me stronger in some ways, hate because you never seem to leave me alone. Now, let's get into the specifics.
Body image insecurities; the most common and most damaging. Because of you, not only just me but millions of other people can't look in the mirror and be satisfied with what they see. We begin to pick apart every little thing that is "wrong" with our bodies when really there is nothing even wrong to begin with. I see others with bodies that I want and then begin the same cycle all over again, thinking, "Why can't I look like that?" Although you do torture me day in and day out, I know that it is only this voice in my head saying there is something wrong with the way I look, not the others around me. Everybody is beautiful, I just wish more people knew this.
Insecurities about my own personality have not only made me change who I am to fit in but also so I would like myself just a little bit better. We generalize people into groups: outgoing, shy, smart, athletic, etc. We then put these groups into larger populations, such as putting outgoing people in a popular group. Everybody wants to feel wanted and loved, so why not change our personalities to try to fit into the social norm, right? Because of you, personality insecurities, I hid what I am passionate about and what I truly think about things just so people wouldn't think I am weird or they'd stop being my friend. I learned from this, though and realized that the truest friends are the ones who like you for you.
Lastly, there is the insecurity of my own abilities. Because of you, I have often given up on things I love because I believed that I wasn't good enough or that somebody would always be better than me. You are always in my head saying, "You will not make it, others will get ahead of you. What's the point of trying, you won't achieve it anyways." But because of you, I have only begun to work even harder to shut up these feelings of inferiority. I will not even let the thought of giving up because I'm "not good enough" enter my head, because with hard work and determination, I know that anything is possible.
So, thank you dear insecurities for making me realize who I truly am. Without you, I would not be unique, determined, and confident.
Sincerely,
All of your victims.
