Essence Blog

My fear of looking stupid.

aging fear growth perfectionism Feb 22, 2024

Since I was a little girl, I’ve been afraid of looking stupid.

It started in 3rd grade with the popular math game “Around the World.” Processing math quickly when put on the spot sent me into a panic. I made a huge math error, and the entire class laughed and called me stupid. It was a day no one would remember in that class except me and my nervous system.

And while it’s the first time I can remember feeling that way, it certainly wasn’t the last. Especially when you consider I was an a...