Is Friendship Affected by Low Confidence?

Do you know that negative self esteem and low confidence can affect your life? Here is a confession from an Italian lady.

"I grew up in an Italian family. Our meals were centered on bread and pasta. Even though people always kidded me and said I was born with a fork in my mouth, I don't really think I ate all that much. My downfall was sweets. The food I ate was loaded with calories and sugar. To make matters worse, I inherited my dad's genes, so I was stuck with a large frame and the tendency to gain weight easily. My mom's side of the family was thin. I wasn't lucky enough to inherit her genes but my sister was.

I had a very painful childhood because of my extra weight. When I started elementary school, there were even more problems. For one thing our school required uniforms but I couldn't find them in my size. I was constantly being made fun of and laughed at. I became extremely shy and had low confidence. I always sat by myself at school and had no friends.

I realized I was different from all the other kids. My mom and dad always told me I was beautiful but I didn't believe a word of it. I basically spent my entire childhood going through the motions of a regular life even though it was far from normal. When I became a teenager, I found it very hard to make friends so I kept to myself.

I stayed home and read books or listened to music. I focused on my studies hoping if I was intelligent enough I would be accepted by others. That didn't work. If I ever did go to a school function, I went alone and was never asked to dance. I became used to being ignored. I developed low confidence and self esteem that shaped my life for the next thirty years."

Low confidence and self esteem is devastating for children. If it is not tackled head-on, then it lingers into adulthood. You will have a hard time forming friendships and romantic relationships. Simple activities of daily life like taking care of a home and family become difficult. It is hard to live a happy life when you have low confidence and self esteem.

Before you can turn low confidence and self esteem around, you need to find the underlying cause of it. That may require professional help. Talking about your problem with someone who is totally objective can help you put things into perspective so that you can free yourself from the bondage caused by low confidence and self esteem.

It does take bravery and determination to face your fears and seek help for your problems. Although the work may be long and difficult, once you have overcome your low confidence and self esteem, your life becomes much richer with friends and you’ll be glad you tackled your problems rather than letting them control you.