Insecurity and Fear

Have you ever noticed how you are so good at giving advice to your friends, but when it comes to following your own advice you just freeze? Why is that?

I think that for some strange reason, we put a lot less value on our own words than on the words of others. I know that if I have an idea that might be a bit risky, it will stay in the backseat for a long time. I will never have the confidence to execute it. But the minute someone else says that it sounds good, it will start to look more and more feasible.

This is the same reason why videos of foreigners reacting to Indian movies and food do so well. We might think our food is good, but we aren’t so sure about it. But hearing an American guy’s overacted response to a Gulab Jamun makes us feel proud of our heritage.

There’s insecurity that your views aren’t that great. And then there’s the fear of voicing them or acting upon them.

This starts becoming an issue when it hinders you from making important decisions. You want to start a new diet, but you are waiting for someone to vouch that it would work. You want to leave your job because you find that the work environment is very toxic. But you wait for someone to reassure you that it is fine to do so.

You want to be happy, but you are waiting for someone to tell you that it is OK.