Everyone goes through emotional turbulence at some point in their life. As your childhood naivety gets tarnished by realism, numerous doubts begin to form. Several insecurities start originating regarding yourself and the world around you. Whether it develops into a mistrust of yourself or your surroundings may be subjected to individual differences. But self-esteem and the consequent behavioral problems are a universal phenomenon. So, how do you overcome the result of such trauma? In this article, we will discuss the path to healing from insecurity. Using journal prompts for insecurity is one method that can help significantly along your journey.
Will Using Journal Prompts for Insecurity Actually Work?
Most of the insecurities we live with are rooted in our childhood experiences. They originate when parts of us that are essential to our identity do not receive the love and care we need.
Remember: there is nothing wrong with you. It is merely a part of being human. But even if you were not accepted and cherished by those around you, that does not mean you do not deserve it.
By going into a deep reflective meditation-like state of the past, we can hope to consciously take control of ourselves instead of simply operating on autopilot. Journaling can help us do that by:
- Giving us a safe space for emotional expression
- Helping us identify triggering events
- Assisting in analyzing our internal monologue
- Embody a relative detachment to previously bottled-up emotions
- Changing the words we choose to tell ourselves
When our internal dialogue changes, our feelings, and attitude also go through a transformation. In simple words, yes, journal prompts for insecurity can help alleviate doubt and anxiety regarding ourselves.
What Is the Root of Insecurity?
In simple words, insecurities are merely a result of childhood events and our responses to them. Just like how we could not control what happened to us, our brains were not mature enough to tell us that whatever happened was not our fault.
Therefore, it created stories to rationalize people’s attitudes toward us. So, if someone was jealous and exerted that in cruel ways, we convinced ourselves that we were not worthy of their love and attention.
The fear manifested in different ways. So, whether it was fear of failure, rejection, self-doubt, mistrust, or anxiety, the root cause was the same: insecurity. However, the good part is this: it is curable. You can work on self-improvement and shifting your internal narrative.
How can you do that? Well, through a series of steps discussed throughout this blog post.
How Do You Fix Emotional Insecurity?
Our observable attitude is merely a reflection of whatever goes on in our minds. In the ABC model by Albert Ellis, he emphasized the three components that explain our behavior:
- Activating Event – something that happens to us.
- Belief – the story our mind tells us regarding why it happened.
- Consequence – how we act based on the internal monologue resulting from our beliefs.
If our behavior shows signs of emotional immaturity, then it’s necessary to go through an emotional detox. That may include a contemplative reflection on what has happened, how it affected you, and what steps you can take for a better future.
Self-developmental activities such as reading and journal prompts for insecurity might give you the headstart you need to dive deeper into your psyche. While it may not be an easy journey, it sure will be one that will change your life for the better!
20 Great Journal Prompts for Insecurity
Although you can continue existing with insecurities, you will not be able to enjoy your life. They will always create doubts centered around you and other people. And if you are operating from a place of mistrust, life will cease to be fulfilling.
So, now that we know the root causes of insecurities, let’s get to its elimination. Here are the top 20 journal prompts for insecurity. These will allow you space for self-reflection and contemplation.
Once you have mastered unlearning unhealthy coping mechanisms and acquired soothing ones, you will go further down the road to self-actualization. Using your weaknesses as potential strengths and opening yourself to your inner child will allow you to embrace the acceptance you seek.
- When do I feel the most insecure?
- What are the specific thoughts and beliefs that fuel my insecurity?
- What negative experiences from my past might be contributing to my insecurity now?
- What positive experiences have I had that contradict my insecurities?
- What would my life be like if I were free from insecurity?
- What are some specific steps I can take to build my self-confidence?
- What are my strengths and how can I use them to combat insecurity?
- How can I reframe negative self-talk into more positive and self-affirming messages?
- In what areas of my life do I need to set boundaries to protect my self-esteem?
- What do I need to let go of in order to move past my insecurities?
- How do my insecurities affect my relationships with others?
- What can I learn from other people who seem confident and secure?
- When do I compare myself to others, and how does this impact my sense of self-worth?
- How can I develop a healthier relationship with social media and other sources of comparison?
- What small steps can I take each day to practice self-love and self-acceptance?
- How can I cultivate a support system of people who uplift and encourage me?
- What role do my values and beliefs play in my self-image?
- What new experiences or challenges could I take on to build my confidence and challenge my insecurities?
- How can I forgive myself for past mistakes and move forward with self-compassion?
- What positive affirmations can I repeat to myself when I start to feel insecure?
We’re all humans, and we deserve all the love and kindness we can get. As long as we have empathic people like you willing to better themselves, the world will never be a bad place.
For more journaling tips to improve self-confidence, check out the following YouTube video:
Book Suggestions to Help Overcome Insecurity
We already know the importance of reading in expanding the horizons of your mental and cognitive abilities. Through conscious awareness of our beliefs and how they affect us, we can hope to modify our unconscious thoughts.
The article Emotional Intelligence: Recognizing and Regulating Emotions by Amy Reeves, states:
“Emotional intelligence can be developed. The process begins with self-awareness, enhanced through self-care behaviors, such as exercise and journaling. Reading popular self-help literature also can improve self-awareness.”
Therefore, if you’re looking for book recommendations to follow after your routine journal prompts for insecurity, here is a list you can start with:
Jealousy – by Sofia Price
Insecurities can manifest in many forms, including self-comparison, a sense of worthlessness, and self-doubt, which may lead to jealousy. If that is something that you struggle with, this book will be perfect for you.
Delving into the causes of this ‘green-eyed monster’ as Price calls it, it ends with practical steps to form healthy and nurturing relationships with those around you. Not only that, but the book is also wonderful at healing the wounds that trigger such resentment in the first place.
Everything Isn’t Terrible by Kathleen Smith
“Made me a stronger empath and I took control of my responses to life”, raved an Amazon reviewer about Smith’s insightful book, and we are not surprised. Comprising of short, riveting, and insightful chapters, the book targets another manifestation of insecurity: anxiety.
If you’re looking for something with theoretical and practical exercises on tackling insecurity, this book will be the one for you. Conquering anxiety is not only possible, it is necessary to live your life without being miserable all the time.
Confidence by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic
Did you know that high confidence makes you less likable, less employable, and less successful in the long haul? Yes, you heard that right. In this book personality expert, Dr. Thomas debunks every myth you might have heard about what it means to be confident.
The book emphasizes the negative relationship between confidence and competitiveness. Instead of chasing an unrealistic ideal, the book directs the reader’s attention to self-awareness and learning the best course of action when dealing with people.
So, now that we know which books to read for greater emotional intelligence regarding insecurity, let’s move on to another essential component: a sense of community and trust.
Online Groups That Help with Insecurity
While understanding the root causes of insecurity, working on triggers, and countering unhelpful thoughts through radical acceptance may work, sometimes it may not be enough. Doing this work may lead to loneliness.
What you need then is support from people who either feel or have felt like you. A sense of belonging becomes necessary.
Remember: you’re not alone in your journey. And if you’re looking for friends and mentors who can guide you in the right direction, you can find them on:
Wisdo
A research-proven Social Health platform, Wisdo believes to heal from insecurities one must “learn from people who have been there.” With over 1 million users of ages 18 to 80, it has a wide diversity of users you can interact with.
Moreover, you can also join conversations based on a theme. So, whether it is loneliness, self-esteem, jealousy, or relationship advice, Wisdo has everything you’re looking for.
Since goal setting is essential for self-improvement, you can even set targets for what to achieve. These could include stress relief, more self-compassion, and positive self-talk.
Support Groups Central
If you’re looking for an online platform where you can interact with users based on shared interests, Support Groups Central will be an appropriate fit. Although most groups are generally free-of-cost, some may demand a small donation. You even have the option to stay alerted through social media and email alerts.
Moreover, Support Groups Central collaborates with other mental health awareness organizations, such as the National Alliance of Mental Health (NAMI). This gives it a wide variety of users you may share your problems with and even ask for advice.
All you have to do is, sort through the diverse selection of topics to find what you are looking for. They have quite an impressive collection of themes, including stress and anxiety, weight management, and intellectual/developmental disability.
Facebook is the simplest and easiest out of all online support groups you can potentially join. And chances are, you don’t have to register since you likely already have an account.
You can search through the groups based on the themes you’d like to join. You can even filter through the various groups and join ones based on region. That might be helpful if you also want to switch to actual in-person meetings as the group progresses. Although you might need to read the rules and regulations of the group to learn if this is something they will consider.
The only downside of using Facebook for emotional support is that despite the convenience, you might have a difficult time looking for a group that suits your needs. However, that is a struggle you can have on any of the platforms you resort to for healing from insecurities.
Final Thoughts
So, now we know that journal prompts for insecurity can help you heal your inner child. Yes, the mere act of written emotional expression can give you greater awareness and shift the internal narrative to a story that brings you joy.
Remember: you are not alone. But you might feel lonely on your road to healing. The goal here is not to demonize people based on where they are in their journeys.
And there you have it! Pat yourself on the back you’ve come far. The world will never be a terrible place to live in as long as we have people like you willing to stabilize the darkness within them.
So, get your journal and pen and begin writing. The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.
