Even the people who seem most confident in their own skin can face overwhelming symptoms of insecurity. No matter your positivity, there may still be moments in which you feel inadequate or that you aren’t good enough for something or someone. This uncertainty can cause feelings of anxiety, making you underestimate your own abilities and worth in terms of your goals, relationships, and other situations.

If you’re dealing with feelings of insecurity in your relationships, career, or sense of self, there are steps you can take to overcome your insecurity and feel more confident in all areas of your life.

Prioritize your own needs.

In the case of an emergency situation on a plane, the metaphor of putting on your own oxygen mask before trying to help others is often referenced in regard to self-care, and your efforts to overcome insecurity hinge upon this principle. Caring for your own unique needs will look different for every individual. Someone suffering from allergies, for example, might decide to seek out resources like Aspire Allergy to get relief once and for all and build a better life and greater confidence in the process. Making an effort to prioritize yourself is crucial to overcoming feelings of insecurity or inadequacy.

Make small, gradual changes.

If you’re trying to reach big goals or otherwise make changes in your life, you’ll set yourself up for failure and feelings of insecurity by reaching for these heights in one fell swoop. Conversely, making smaller adjustments that add up to a long-term difference will ensure that you not only reach your goal but will do so with greater self-esteem and confidence.

For example, you might dream of feeling better in your own skin. Rather than trying to transform your appearance overnight, you might schedule a consultation for personal training, nutrition, or EMsculpt Neo programs. That initial appointment can compound over time as you add additional trips to the medical center, office, or gym, or add other services to your routine and reduce your feelings of insecurity over time.

Focus on the good.

No matter where you are in life or what it is you wish would be better, you inevitably have positive things to be grateful for. In the simplest sense, this might be that you’re thankful for good health, friends, family, or your pet. No matter the chaos you’re facing, or how inadequate you feel, you’ll find that there is still some positive element in your life or some kind of silver lining to the negative aspects you might experience. By focusing your attention on these positive notes, you’ll be better able to see the good in yourself as well.

Upgrade your environment.

One of the great benefits of life is that you have control over almost any situation, to some degree. If you’re dealing with insecurity, you should spend some time studying the people and situations you surround yourself with. If your friends and family are notoriously negative, their energies may be drawing you down with them. Or, if you’re dealing with a space that’s cluttered, unsafe, or otherwise influencing these feelings of inadequacy, you won’t be able to overcome them entirely while in that same environment.

Of course, these improvements are more easily said than done amidst certain circumstances. However, there are almost certainly some small changes you can make to begin creating a better environment for your own self-confidence.

Everyone deals with feelings of inadequacy and insecurity to some degree but, if you find that these negative emotions are more serious than an occasional hit to your self-esteem, be sure to contact a mental health professional for proper treatment, if needed.