The 12 character traits common to people who don’t have self-confidence
We all have insecurities, but most of them are minor. However, some suffer more, resulting in a profound lack of self-confidence. They are loaded with heavy emotional baggage that affects every aspect of their lives but tend to repress their doubts and past traumas, without ever facing them…
But these then manifest themselves in other forms. According to the media Hack Spiritso here are the 12 types of behaviors that insecure people share, usually without even realizing it.
They doubt their ability to take responsibility
People who suffer from insecurity tend to doubt their own abilities even if, objectively, they are entirely capable of being up to the task. Something inside them tells them they can’t handle this type of responsibility.
Out of fear, they never manage to reach certain levels and certain stages in their professional and personal lives.
They feel incapable of taking the lead or guiding others
When it comes to sharing their knowledge and guiding people around them, people with hidden insecurities usually doubt themselves. It’s not that they are unsure of their expertise or know-how, but rather that they don’t feel confident enough to support it or take ownership of it.
They may therefore hesitate to have the last word on a project, advice or piece of knowledge.
They refrain from presenting their ideas and opinions
This character trait, which is linked to the previous two, is very visible in people who hide their insecurities. These people don’t give much feedback and tend to downplay their own ideas and points of view.
They simply have difficulty asserting themselves in the world and in social spaces, as if they constantly need to be approved and not offend others.
They are ashamed to ask for help or assistance
People marked by insecurity find it very difficult to ask for help. They already have a part of themselves that feels failing or not good enough, and admitting that they need support, advice, or assistance, even in the most basic ways, is very difficult for them.
In their eyes, this would only reinforce others’ perceptions of them as inferior, ignorant, or useless.
They have an innate fear of being observed, judged or unloved
Insecure people are terrified of making even the slightest misstep. They believe that people pay close attention to them and are constantly looking to see if they are doing things right.
In their work, their lifestyle, their beliefs and their daily lives, they have the feeling of having to conform to a certain standard or a certain ideal. This feeling can resemble paranoia, which is almost always rooted in a deep inner insecurity, whether conscious or not.
They fear disapproval and criticism, even if it is constructive
This fear is linked to the previous point. Even constructive criticism is very distressing for a person who has insecurity problems. Confirmation that there is something about her or what she does that could be improved is perceived in the worst possible way.
This then leads to problems both professionally and personally, because insecure people often tend to lose their temper (internally or externally) when they receive criticism.
They are constantly seeking validation
Everyone likes to be told that they have done something effective or worthwhile. But not everyone is dependent on validation from others. A person with deep-seated inner insecurity feels that they are not good enough or that they must always try to improve.
This is why, even if she is not aware of it, she always seeks to prove that she is worthy and deserving.
They let others devalue and use them
People who are insecure or have low self-esteem often let others walk all over them, both in the workplace and in their private lives.
They accept being in the background, playing a supporting role, being devalued and underestimated, whatever the context.
They have a hard time saying no when asked to do something.
This is called people-pleasing. People who have a hard time saying no are often those who grew up feeling like they had to earn their parents’ approval. As children, they didn’t feel worthy of love for themselves, but felt like they had to earn it by accomplishing things.
They therefore find it very difficult to say no to anyone and find it almost intolerable that someone is unhappy with them or wants something from them that they cannot give.
They criticize others all the time, but rarely to their face
People experiencing insecurity often find faults in themselves but also in others. But rather than directly telling someone that they are upset, or that they have a problem with them, they complain to other people.
In addition to the resentment this creates, it aggravates the insecurity of people who are insecure. They actually have the impression of not being tall enough or sufficiently tall to be able to oppose someone and speak to them face to face.
They complain and engage in passive aggressive behavior
Insecurity can lead to quite hostile behavior among those who suffer from it. People who deeply lack self-confidence may not realize it.
Lack of confidence can manifest itself in the way they point fingers at others and alternate between a passive and aggressive approach to life.
They are jealous but don’t take active steps to try to fix it
Whether justified or not, people who experience insecurity often feel jealous. In their personal or professional lives, they would like to have or experience something that they do not have.
However, this lack and resentment that they may experience do not encourage them to take action to remedy their dissatisfaction. Instead, they tend to focus on their victim status, particularly because their lack of self-confidence makes them believe that they are incapable of changing things.