What do you see as your biggest personal challenges in life?

So, I am a part of the Natural Helpers program at my school. I really love it and I am proud of it. Today, I received a leadership application from a student.

Point of Explanation: In this program there are about 30 participants and then 8 student leaders who basically run the retreat along with the two sponsors. Students must apply and be selected for leadership and it's incredibly important for the retreat to go well.

One of the questions on the leadership application is "What do you see as your biggest personal challenges in life?" And this particular student answered--

"Overcoming the feeling that I am inadequate."

I just had to take a long pause after reading it, for about the thirtieth time since I received the application. It is such a wise sentiment, and something that I truly share with many of my students--the feeling that I am not good enough. It colors a great deal of my life--how I feel on a daily basis, my friends, my family...so many things are potentially changed because of my feelings of inadequacy.

I was just so struck by the profound truth that this simple statement illustrated. I feel inadequate on a normal basis, and some (if not all) of my students feel the same way. Maybe I should spend more time trying to address that feeling of inadequacy in my loved ones and students and less time trying to yell at them, degrade them and tell them what they are doing wrong.

In conclusion, today is a weird day.