When we put ourselves out there it’s hard not to start questioning ourselves based on how people respond to us

It is 8:20AM.

I am trying to contain the panic that’s threatening to rise, while at the same time trying to ward off self-pitying thoughts.

Sometimes it’s easy to look out at what everyone else has and feel like even less by comparison.

I was doing that a moment ago. I was looking at other websites that are enjoying success and feeling like I’m wasting my time with mine.

I was allowing myself to think thoughts like: ” you don’t have any talent”, “you completely lack intelligence”, “you’re an idiot”, “no one is interested in anything you have to say”, “you have nothing to say that is of value”, “you’re stupid”, “you’re a loser”, “you’re dull and vapid and completely uninteresting”.

Nice things to be telling yourself right? It’s not as if there aren’t enough people out there who belittle my efforts every day. Why am I hopping on board and joining them in putting myself down? I guess it’s the way we are as human beings. When we put ourselves out there it’s hard not to start questioning ourselves based on how people respond to us. It’s like the rejection letters I collected back when I was trying to become a published author. After the 50th or so rejection letter I began to think that maybe I wasn’t as talented a writer as I thought; and by the 100th rejection letter I was convinced I had nothing to offer as a writer.

Rejection will make you doubt yourself, and the more you’re rejected the more convinced you become that you’re worthless. On the other hand being accepted and liked, loved and admired by people makes you think more highly of yourself; but is it a good idea one way or another to estimate your worth according to how people feel about you? You end up with a severely and detrimentally deflated ego or a severely over-inflated ego, neither of which is a good thing.

Image: Self-Image via art.com