I sometimes have these long periods of time where I feel insignificant.
I start reading too much meaning into things, and those meanings fuel my feelings of low self-worth.
Like, if I tell someone to stop doing something and they keep doing it, my brain tells me it must be because they don’t respect me and my opinion doesn’t matter.
If I write something and almost nobody comments, I’ll feel like it’s because I’m not memorable or important enough.
If I message someone and they take a long time to reply, it makes me feel like they’re not interested in talking to me because I don’t matter as a person.
Normally, I don’t get those feelings, and I’m able to think positively, like “they’re probably just busy”, or “there’s probably not many people online right now”
But other times, the feeling gets stronger and stronger until it almost crushes me.
How can I train myself to not feel so insignificant and small?
I know I’m not the greatest in the world, but I would like to be able to believe people when they do compliment me. And I would like to be able to believe in myself a little more.
We are all small and insignificant. But that does not matter. It can be a meager consolation. When you are worth nothing, your suffering is also worth less, making it more tolerable. What is a people’s life?
That does not have to say that you have to feel depressed. Make sure that you make people happy within your own environment. And that you have something productive to do during the day. Even though it is collecting stamps.
That’s the problem, though. I feel like it’s more important that others are happy, even if I give up my own happiness in the process, because I don’t matter anyways.
Ooh, then you take a little more distance. You do not always have to show that you are doing well. But I can easily speak because I have a good environment …
I get the same way about sending texts. I was going to get my brother a big birthday present and he couldn’t be bothered answering my text once so I got him a much smaller present .
You seem like a very kind-hearted person to place others’ happiness above your own. Not a lot of people are willing to go so far for others like that. I hope your awesomeness in that respect can be of some comfort to you. Maybe you can work on treating yourself as well as you treat other people? Like the Golden Rule in reverse. xD
I’m starting to feel that way too. And then I feel bad because it’s more or less my own fault, and when I try to change my behaviour, it doesn’t work, so I’m left with the feeling that nothing I do matters
Buy a book on assertiveness. You’re one of those people who says yes when you really mean no. If you have a therapist then say you want to beef up your assertiveness.
That is exactly how I feel. And when other people are not happy I feel I have failed them. I take responsibility for it and it eats me alive. I’m going through this right now and I’m so sad. I’m trying so hard to think of things the right way but my brain keeps going back to it’s my fault somehow. I’ve been crying for days and I don’t want to be on this planet anymore. And I feel insignificant like it wouldn’t matter if I wasn’t here anyway because what good am I.
I’m sorry to hear you’re going through that hugs
I’d remind you that you’re very significant to me, and that I’d miss you if you disappeared, but if you have the same mindset as me you probably wouldn’t believe it.
It sucks that is has to be this way. Logically, I know I matter to some people, and I’m sure you know you do too, but the irrational side of my brain doesn’t believe it. I just want to smack myself in the head and scream “believe it! Believe in yourself!”
The planck length is about 10^-35 meters. The estimated size of the universe (beyond the observable universe) is about 10^27 meters. In scale, you are much closer to the size of the entire universe than you are to the planck length.
In a sense, your brain is more complex than a galaxy. There are more than 1000 times as many synapses between neurons in your brain as there are stars in our galaxy.
Your body is filled with living organisms working together to keep you alive. There are animals living on your body that are so small you can’t even see them. Each cell in your body has bacteria-type DNA in it, from millions of years ago when they somehow fused with a bacteria-type organism or absorbed the bacteria-type DNA. Each human cell in your body is two fundamentally different organisms who are dependent upon each other and make you who you are.
You’re not insignificant and small. It sounds like you just need better friends and a little more confidence.
you sorta sound like me in a way…i posted a message about 1/2-1 week ago. somebody told me i was hard on myself…but i dunno. Maymbe you see it the way i do, im just trying to be “human” in general. Im not sure if i can relate, but one thing i learned before…and i try to do it. Dont take things too personal also, you do what you can and i think u wanna do “more” in some way. This is where we decide that its best not to say “anything”. In some kinda way, you were never wrong.
And I’m sorry you are going through this too. You are not insignificant. I look forward to a post from you. I know it will be filled with love and grace and a wisdom beyond your short years. I adore you and hope that you can see half of what I see in you. Hugs.
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Maybe you can work on treating yourself as well as you treat other people? Like the Golden Rule in reverse. xD