Scene Setting: A Father’s Doubt
Adult Inse sat in his small, cluttered living room, staring blankly at the screen as his son, Mikey, played with a toy car on the floor. The weight of his thoughts pressed down on him, an unrelenting pressure that gnawed at his sense of worth.
“You’re failing him,” the voice of insecurity whispered. “He deserves better. A father with a degree. A father who doesn’t work at a factory. A father who can give him every opportunity in life. Face it, you wasted your life, and now you’re dooming his.”
Inse sighed, rubbing his temples. He had spent all day scrolling through social media, looking at stories of “perfect parents”, moms and dads who had their kids enrolled in the best schools, doing extracurricular activities, speaking three languages, and winning science fairs. Compared to them, what was he? A man who barely scraped by, offering nothing but cheap toys and TV dinners.
Just as he was sinking further into his self-doubt, the door swung open, and in walked Adult Curity, his older sister, glowing with her usual poise.
“Inse, you look like someone who’s about to sink into a black hole of self-pity,” she said, setting her bag down.
“Nice to see you, too,” he muttered.
Curity sat across from him, folding her hands in her lap. “Let me guess, parenting guilt?”
He let out a humorless chuckle. “I see all these perfect parents online, and I can’t help but feel like I’m failing Mikey. I don’t have money for fancy private schools. I never even finished high school myself. What kind of future can I give him?”
Curity nodded knowingly. “Ah. The ‘I must be the perfect parent’ trap.”
Inse frowned. “Isn’t that what a good parent is? Someone who gives their kid the best of everything?”
She shook her head. “Not necessarily. And that voice in your head, the one telling you that you’ve failed before you’ve even tried, that’s the voice of insecurity talking. But today, I want you to do something different. I want you to use that voice for amusement and inspiration.”
2nd Transformation: Use the Voice of Insecurity for Amusement and Inspiration
Inse raised an eyebrow. “Amusement? My inner voice isn’t exactly cracking jokes.”
Curity grinned. “Maybe not, but let’s try something. What is your inner voice telling you right now?”
He sighed. “That I should be ashamed because I don’t make enough money to send Mikey to a top-tier school.”
“Alright. Now imagine that voice belongs to some over-the-top, ridiculous character, say, a cartoon villain.”
Inse smirked. “Like… a snooty British professor who looks down on ‘commoners’?”
“Perfect!” Curity clapped. “Now, let’s hear what he says in that voice.”
Inse sat up, cleared his throat, and spoke in a posh, exaggerated accent. “Oh, dear Inse! You poor, uneducated soul! How dare you think you can raise a child without a PhD and a six-figure salary?”
Curity burst out laughing, and to his own surprise, Inse chuckled, too. The words that had felt so heavy minutes ago now sounded absurd.
“You see?” Curity said. “When you turn insecurity into a joke, it loses its power over you. But we’re not stopping there. Now, let’s turn it into inspiration.”
Inse tilted his head. “How?”
“Instead of letting insecurity convince you that you’ve already failed, use it to push you forward. If you’re worried about Mikey’s education, what can you do?”
Inse thought for a moment. “I guess I could spend more time reading with him. Maybe teach him things in fun ways, like watching science shows together. And…I could even try to finish my GED.”
Curity snapped her fingers. “There it is! That’s using the voice of insecurity for inspiration. Instead of letting it paralyze you, you’re using it to move forward.”
A Shift in Perspective
As the evening continued, Inse sat down with Mikey and read a book with him, something he hadn’t done in a while. To his surprise, Mikey was engaged, asking questions and giggling at the funny parts.
For the first time in a long while, Inse felt something other than guilt. He felt capable.
Later, as Curity got up to leave, she placed a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t need to be a perfect parent, Inse. You just need to be present and keep trying. That’s what matters most.”
As she walked out the door, Inse glanced down at his son, who was now fast asleep, curled up with his book. Maybe Curity was right. Maybe the best thing he could do wasn’t to chase perfection, but to show up, laugh at his doubts, and keep moving forward, one day at a time.
Key Takeaways
- Your inner voice of insecurity isn’t always right, sometimes it’s downright ridiculous. Treat it as an exaggerated character for amusement to take away its power.
- Use your insecurity as fuel for action. Instead of letting it paralyze you, find small, realistic steps you can take to improve your situation.
- Parenting isn’t about perfection, it’s about presence. Your child needs love, guidance, and effort more than they need expensive schools or material luxuries.
The journey of overcoming insecurity isn’t about eliminating doubt, it’s about learning to laugh at it and use it to propel you forward.
And maybe, just maybe, that’s enough.
