There was a man who went to a therapist because he worried others saw him as inferior. After some time, the counselor gave up on therapy and decided to send him for intensive testing. When the testing was complete, the counselor called him into the office. She said, "Sir I have some good news, and I have some bad news. The good news is that you no longer need to worry about being seen as inferior. The bad news is the testing has indicated that you are indeed inferior."
Laughter might be your immediate reaction to this story, but for many it hits too close to home to be funny. Many people spend their lives dealing with the limitations caused by subtle feelings of not measuring up. They feel they can't handle life and its ups and downs, that someone else is better than they are, that they don't have the talent, education, background, etc. to be successful. Well, I'm here to tell you that an inferiority complex can be the best thing that can happen to you!
First, what is an inferiority complex anyway? It's a series of feelings centered around one central idea: a lack of belief in ourselves. In other words, we don’t trust that we can handle life. We’re afraid we're not adequate in some or all areas.
How do we get an inferiority complex? Most psychologists say that we become tainted early in life. When parents try to correct behavior, they do not always realize they are actually attacking a child's sense of self. In other words, they don't separate the behavior from what and who the child is — a child of God. These kinds of actions — whether from a parent or someone else — can make an impression on a young mind that somehow they do not measure up, that there is something wrong with them.
Laughter might be your immediate reaction to this story, but for many it hits too close to home to be funny. Many people spend their lives dealing with the limitations caused by subtle feelings of not measuring up. They feel they can't handle life and its ups and downs, that someone else is better than they are, that they don't have the talent, education, background, etc. to be successful. Well, I'm here to tell you that an inferiority complex can be the best thing that can happen to you!
First, what is an inferiority complex anyway? It's a series of feelings centered around one central idea: a lack of belief in ourselves. In other words, we don’t trust that we can handle life. We’re afraid we're not adequate in some or all areas.
How do we get an inferiority complex? Most psychologists say that we become tainted early in life. When parents try to correct behavior, they do not always realize they are actually attacking a child's sense of self. In other words, they don't separate the behavior from what and who the child is — a child of God. These kinds of actions — whether from a parent or someone else — can make an impression on a young mind that somehow they do not measure up, that there is something wrong with them.
It's not that uncommon that we use the same criteria to judge ourselves that our parents did. We carry a big "I don't measure up" around with us. The most important thing for us to remember is that these feelings of inferiority are a figment of our imaginations — a ghost of the past that we are somehow holding in our consciousness.
The innate spiritual awareness you and I have of being a child of God with unlimited resources creates a conflict in our consciousness with these feelings of inferiority. This conflict, this contrast, is a powerful tool offered by Spirit. It forces us to face the fact that these are choices we are making and how they are dwarfing our lives.
The innate spiritual awareness you and I have of being a child of God with unlimited resources creates a conflict in our consciousness with these feelings of inferiority. This conflict, this contrast, is a powerful tool offered by Spirit. It forces us to face the fact that these are choices we are making and how they are dwarfing our lives.
Feelings of inferiority and how they can dwarf our lives reminds me of the art form associated with the Bonsai tree. A Bonsai tree is not small by nature. It's grown from regular stock and seeds and carefully groomed to mimic the shape and style of mature, full-sized trees. A conscious choice is made by the gardener to keep it small, and much energy is invested in this decision.
Our states of mind are grown from regular "stock and seeds," just like the Bonsai. As the gardeners of our life, our attitudes toward ourselves determine whether we grow to our full potential or choose to live in a state of inferiority.
Our states of mind are grown from regular "stock and seeds," just like the Bonsai. As the gardeners of our life, our attitudes toward ourselves determine whether we grow to our full potential or choose to live in a state of inferiority.
"God don't make no junk." What an appropriate colloquialism! We were indeed made in the image and likeness of an unlimited possibility — God. How could we possibly be inferior except by choice? Letting our negative feelings — boredom, fear, anger — determine our actions will stunt our personal growth.
We are rarely afraid of what is happening in our life. We are more afraid that we can't handle it. Giving in to this fear reinforces feelings of inadequacy.
Refusing to listen to the ghost of the past as it rehearses our "failures" is the first step toward dispelling these unhealthy states of mind. Instead, we should look for the gift in our so-called mistakes by recognizing what didn't work for us.
So, as I said, an inferiority complex can be the best thing to ever happen to us! Why do I say this?
We are rarely afraid of what is happening in our life. We are more afraid that we can't handle it. Giving in to this fear reinforces feelings of inadequacy.
Refusing to listen to the ghost of the past as it rehearses our "failures" is the first step toward dispelling these unhealthy states of mind. Instead, we should look for the gift in our so-called mistakes by recognizing what didn't work for us.
So, as I said, an inferiority complex can be the best thing to ever happen to us! Why do I say this?
- It presents us with an opportunity for contrast, which is necessary to establish a clear vision of what we want to express in our lives.
- It offers us the wisdom gleaned from our active efforts to believe in ourselves.
- It is a powerful motivator for change.
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