The Destructive Power of Underestimating
Think about it for a second, how many “no”s have you encountered in your life? Surely, some hurt more than others. But if you have courage, each one of them was nothing more than an obstacle to overcome on your path to destiny.
Maybe many of the people around you are underestimating you. Usually it’s a very common practice that is done with scarce evidence. Yet, despite knowing this, it’s a behavior that hurts us. It convinces us that maybe we’re not really capable of doing certain things.
In our day to day, we don’t only have to face other people’s judgment, we also have to be aware if we’re underestimating ourselves. And that’s one of the most destructive things we can do.
Humility and underestimating
Many of us have been taught the healthy value of humility. The value of appreciating the importance of simpler things, of being grateful, and not bragging about our successes. But we have to keep in mind that sometimes this educational principle of humility can be taken to extremes that are not so positive.
Some people think that humility is limited to silencing our strengths for the benefit of others. That it’s about giving in, being simple and hiding our “ego” above all else. It’s interesting to see how many people nowadays have hidden their talents or successes due to this iron value, limiting their personal growth by underestimating themselves.
Thinking that you can succeed beyond or more than others can maybe butt heads with the idea that “we’re bragging about ourselves too much.” And if we voice our wishes out loud, we may find that others set limits for us by judging that maybe we’re too proud to aspire to such heights.
But… Why not give it a try? Sometimes people don’t understand that humility also implies knowing our own limits and being aware of where we are, what we have and what we aspire to. And no one, absolutely no one, has the right to set limits for you and trim your wings.
If they won’t listen, don’t talk to them. If they won’t believe in you, focus all of your energy towards believing in yourself. Behaving this way is not arrogant or proud at all, it simply means you’re a whole person with ideas of your own.
The most common types of underestimating
It’s important that you keep in mind these simple aspects in order to understand when you’re underestimating yourself. You’ll probably notice that these are things we’ve all probably done at some point, so keep that in mind.
Prioritize when faced with others’ opinions
It’s a risk. If you value what your family, friend or partner says above your own ideas and feelings, it’s without a doubt a clear sign that you’re underestimating yourself. Don’t always try to please them, be complacent or not contradict them, feel your own values and act accordingly.
Don’t compare yourself to anyone
You are you. What anyone else has done or achieved is outside of your personal sphere. It doesn’t matter and shouldn’t serve as your guide. You should listen and tend to yourself in order to offer yourself the best support and strengthen your self-esteem.
Who do you interact with? What are the people around you like?
Stop and think for a second about how you feel within your social circle. Do they support you? Do they listen to you? Always develop healthy relationships that allow you to be yourself, that offer you a good quality of life and which strengthen your growth as a person.
You are your own priority
Prioritizing yourself above other things in your life isn’t selfish. If you’re not happy, you’ll surely be incapable of offering the best of yourself to other people. Frustration, dissatisfaction… they are dimensions that form our self-esteem, that fill us with negative emotions. They’re aspects that clearly affect all of our relationships.
Value yourself just like you deserve to be valued. Avoid underestimating yourself. Because if you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will either. Allow the light to shine around you, show your strength and talents, climb to the top and touch the stars if that’s what you really want. No one should stop you.