Q: I think everyone else is more intelligent and has more qualities than I do. I feel inferior, unable to accomplish anything important. Why do other people not feel this way?

A: We all have a mental image of who we are, what we look like, at what are we good or bad. We form our image for ourselves throughout time, starting in our childhood. The term self-image is used to refer to the mental image a person creates for him or herself. A large part of our self-image is based on our relationships with other people and our life experiences. Our self-image contributes to our self-esteem.

Self-esteem depends on to what extent we feel valued, loved, and accepted by others and to what extent do we love, value and accept ourselves. People who have a healthy self-esteem feel good with themselves, value themselves and are proud of their talents, capacities, and achievements. Persons with a low self-esteem feel that no one could possibly like them, no one would accept them, or that they are good for nothing.

At certain points in our lives we all have self-esteem problems, mainly during adolescence, when we are discovering who we are and what is our place in the world. It is important to remember that, just as the image we have of ourselves changes throughout time, self-esteem is not something fixed or unchangeable for life. So, if you feel your self-esteem is not as high as it should be, you can improve it. We all have the same capacities. The difference lies in the development of those capacities. We also need to realize that we are unique, created by a perfect being, in his own image and likeness. Therefore, we are called to be perfect in love, in humility and in service.

Intelligence does not consist of recording many  Math, physics, chemistry or anatomy exercises. It is, rather, having the right capacity to make the right decisions along your life. And for that you have the total support of the Holy Spirit. Just ask for his guidance.