Hi Zita. Fear of failure and fear of being judged negatively by others are symptoms of low self esteem. You said you don’t know where these feelings of inferiority come from. These fears that you describe can be paralyzing. Thats why you are staying in your comfort zone. I think professional help is needed to get unstuck. A therapist or counselor who is an expert in self esteem issues can help you develop CBT or self compassion skills that will help you change these negative thoughts about yourself. Best of luck.

Hi. When dealing with anxiety, it is important to raise your serotonin level. The two most powerful natural ways to do this are 1) At least 5 days a week of moderate to intense aerobic exercise. Things like swimming, biking, running, ect. Getting your heart rate up and breaking a good sweat for at least 45 minutes. 2) Getting plenty of sunlight. Sunlight also releases serotonin in the brain. I had developed developed generalized anxiety and OCD in my late teens. Then at age 20 I started jogging outdoors and found I was a pretty good runner. Running outdoors instead of on a treadmill, gave me the added benefit of getting lots of sunshine. Soon my anxiety was gone and I’m still running at age 61. The last thing is that when you have anxiety, you should limit your caffeine intake. Too much caffeine makes anxiety much worse. Best of luck and hope this helps!

Hi Lexy. I was in your boat many years ago so I know what you are feeling. I had always had low self confidence/self esteem and when I graduated from college, I wasn’t ready for the adult world and all the responsibilities that come with it. I had a lot of fear and anxiety. My parents said I could move back home and my dad said I could work for him. As tempting as this was, I knew this wasn’t a long term solution. I made a decision on the spur of the moment to join the military and it was the best decision I ever made. I developed self confidence, a direction in life, and I found out that I could stand on my own two feet. I’m not saying this is the answer for you, but sometimes it takes getting away from our parents in order to grow. The uncertainty of the future can be terrifying but developing independence and self confidence helps us cope with change and uncertainty. I hope things get better and best of luck.