Not speaking up when you are supposed to, even if you have a valid point to offer, isn’t just introversion or shyness. Many things are not given attention under the garb of someone being introvert or shy, but these things indicate that the person has low self-esteem, affecting his future and life altogether. Introversion is not low self-esteem, introverted people tend to like solitude, but they speak up when deemed essential. Low self-esteem has nothing to do with the personality type, and an extrovert may also suffer from this problem.
Let’s Talk About Some Signs Of Low Self-Esteem
1. Feeling Unproductive Towards A Discussion
If you feel like your points in a discussion are not valid and have nothing to offer to the conversation, you have very low self-esteem and are sabotaging yourself because of it.
2. Feeling Guilty
Guilt is a feeling that never leaves you alone. Being a part of the world means that something may always go wrong around you, but if you blame all of it on yourself and feel guilty even if it has nothing to do with you, then it’s a strong indicator of your low self-esteem.
3. Feeling Like A Roadblock
You always feel like you’re in the way of someone or something, be it a project or a discussion or just being with someone. You still feel like you’re blocking the process and adding to the mess. This could be your low self-esteem manifesting itself.
4. Self Criticizing
You criticize yourself way too much. You criticize every action, every decision, and even every word you say. You put way too much pressure on yourself, and the people around you have nothing to do with it.
5. Failing
You have this pessimistic approach about everything you plan to start, thinking that you will fail at it. You are sure that you’re not going to do it right even if you invest all your efforts. This is your low self-esteem holding you back.
6. Threats
You see opportunities and responsibilities as threats. You are not happy if an opportunity comes your way but are scared of the commitment and change it brings with it, so much so that you knowingly miss the chance.
7. Downplaying
Others may be happy about your achievements and success, but you are not. You may give it to luck or odds being in your favor when you achieve something and downplay your skills and talent.
8. Burden
You always feel like a burden that has been forced upon people. You feel like your friends are tolerating you, and you’re just baggage for your family. You feel like you have nothing to offer to people, and they are just carrying your mess.
9. Urge To Prove
You over-explain yourself to people because you have this constant need to prove yourself. You think it’s necessary to point out the things that are already visible to the people around you.
10. Safety
You are scared of change, and that’s why you seek safety rather than growth. You push away everything that endangers your current state and ends up being stagnant.
11. Never Speaking Up
Not adding points to a critical discussion is normal for you. But you don’t even speak up when it’s about you; you never point out the rationalizing against you and things that make you uncomfortable.
12. Stupidity
You think that your aspirations and goals are stupid. You feel like it’s something unachievable and only meant for daydreaming but approaching it is mere stupidity and idiocy.
13. Undermining
You always get trapped in the worries of your flaws and imperfections. You focus on the areas where you lack and undermine your strength and real talent, eventually subduing and hiding them.
14. Comparing
You compare yourself to almost everyone and always see yourself lacking some of their traits. You always look down upon yourself and feel like you’re the most unworthy person out there. This is simply your low self-esteem doing the talking here.
15. Compliments
You don’t know how to handle compliments. You reflect when someone pays you a genuine compliment instead of accepting the compliment. You think that people are just being friendly and are lying about the praise.
