How to Avoid Developing an Inferiority Complex

Edited by Iqbal Osman, Carolyn Barratt, Flickety, Eric and 8 others

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Feeling inferior to others stems from multiple factors that gradually build themselves into a person's whole character. The results of verbal, physical, and emotional abuse can have long-lasting, psychologically damaging effects on a person, making them believe they are less deserving of acceptance by others. It takes much self realization, confidence in the self, and acceptance of the things one cannot change to break away from any form of inferiority complex. The positive side is that it is possible to avoid developing an inferiority complex, no matter the challenges life has thrown you, and in this article, you'll learn how to build up your resilience.
EditSteps

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Look carefully for any hidden agendas. Most frequently people who like intimidating others often do so to further their own ends. Keeping someone uninformed or less knowledgeable often helps strengthen the perpetrator's sense of well-being at your expense. For example, someone who makes you feel inferior at work may perhaps have their eye on an upcoming promotion by strengthening their own position. They try to achieve this by making you feel inadequate and unsuitable for moving up the career ladder. Look beyond the here and now and try seeing the bigger picture. Awareness of such circumstances may well prepare you to avoid falling prey to the trap of believing that you're not capable.

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Be aware of criticism that involves circumstances that you cannot change. This may involve criticizing you for your genetic makeup, such as disabilities, sexual orientation, skin color, race, ethnic background, or any other aspect over which a person has no control. This type of verbal abuse very often leaves a person feeling emotionally scarred with serious self esteem issues. This kind of criticism feeds inadequacies and adds to the inferiority complex; given that it is virtually impossible for someone to change their looks, race or sexual orientation etc., victim often suffers great harm since nothing or no solution to this form of mockery can be sought. When subjected to this form of ruthless encounters, focus on your uniqueness and draw on your own beliefs and values.

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Create an invisible wall around you in order to protect the sanctity of your being. Strengthen your beliefs and strive to move positively in a forward and more successful direction. Do not allow yourself to be caught in self doubt and conflicting ideals which others try forcing onto you. In simple terms, learn to ignore negative and damaging comments made against you. At the back of your mind, adopt the notion that people are entitled to their own opinions but equally you too have the right to filter or discard negatively targeted opinions.

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Be open to constructive criticism. This is generally good for self improvement and indirectly helps you to become a more fruitful and stable person. Building on and improving your weaknesses is the best way to avoid feeling inferior. Focusing on managing your weaknesses helps prevent negative or emotionally draining accusations and comments from being made or from dragging you down. Weigh the situation objectively and decide for yourself the outcomes of such criticism.

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Work closely with people who make you feel good about yourself. People who offerencouragement and embrace you as essentially human are precious and rare. Enjoy their wisdom and nourish yourself from their example, while striving to become stronger and more reliant on yourself in the process. Greater independence leads to more self confidence. A healthy self confidence in turn allows you less dependence or reliance on others for determining your self worth.

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Love yourself enough, but not to the point of arrogance. Reward yourself, showing appreciation and respect for your own uniqueness and potential positives you have accomplished and hope to accomplish. Self sacrificial behavior can be good to a point but not where it causes you to be exhausted, frustrated, or taken advantage of.

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Maintain a neutral stance by staying focused and keeping calm. Know your own limitations and work well with your strengths. Steer clear of any person or situation that will drag you down emotionally and create doubt in your own capabilities as an individual.

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Refrain from or avoid bitterness and anger. These negative emotions are energy draining and set you back, depleting your self esteem, wasting precious energy. If your anger is rational and justified by hostile circumstances, focus it as energy. Decide you can be better than your abuser, more self controlled, more positive. Put the energy into real achievements that prove your abuser is or was wrong. Re-track your thoughts when angry and bitter, focusing on another starting point with the aim of succeeding and moving forward. Remember your self-worth and worry less. You can also turn it into humor. Remember the great words of Christopher Titus. "I want to hear your pain. I really do. I just want to hear it in joke form."

EditVideo EditTips Start now in an attempt to improve. Procrastinating in the hope that your self esteem will change does no good for improving and breaking away from the inferiority complex. Motivate yourself by reading self help literature or books. Believe and continue to believe in the power of self healing within you. Learn to put distance between you and the person who makes you feel bad. Never agree with your abuser who might want to make you feel more worthless about yourself. Instead, analyze it before you accept it. Analyze before you start taking any action to protect yourself or start bursting into tears. Believe there's a right and wrong thing to do and read more religious or inspirational books to calm your mind down. Believe that what comes around goes around and that don't make yourself feel wrong just because others wrong you. Feeling inferior stems from a poor self confidence that makes one more prone and sensitive to negative suggestions and ridicule. EditWarnings

Bitterness reinforces your negative traits, leaving you stuck in a rut, with little or no way forward. Your energy gets consumed, leaving you wasted and as a result you may end up taking a few steps backward rather than forward.