Why I am here - Jonah

Everyone has heard that cliché about a pond and some fish of various sizes within. That metaphor, although overused, rings true with many who feel like they are, to use another cliché, just a drop in the ocean. Access to the internet, social media and the ease of modern-day travel make the world seem bigger than ever. It is easy to fall into traps of comparison and low self-esteem when you’re constantly measured by grades and scales and job interviews. The impossible goal of measuring up to every expectation can be not only daunting but quite frustrating. It’s something every person has been through.

When I was a junior in high school, I decided to run for school president. I was a driven and social high school student and put together a full campaign. My campaign involved posters I designed myself, I handed out water bottles with the labels replaced with ones that said, “Vote for Jonah” and suckers with a similar tag attached to the stick. I had friends and family help prepare all the materials and recruited peers from different social groups to help me distribute them. I was confident and excited. My competition had barely done anything to campaign but on the day of the speeches, he decided to remix the then very popular song “Let it Snow” from the movie Frozen. After months of hard work and getting to know as many students as I could, I lost to a guy singing a catchy song from a popular movie.

I felt a strong temptation to compare myself to the winner. Was I lesser than him? Did he have something I didn’t? As I began my senior year, I had to make a shift in my perspective. I accepted myself for who I was and decided not to measure my worth based on a vote. That’s not to say I didn’t care what people thought of me. Of course, I did, but what was much more important was to look at everything I had. A strong body, mind, family and group of friends was more than I could ask for. Looking at what I had rather than what I lacked helped curb those feelings of inadequacy.

Since this moment as a naïve high schooler, I’ve had plenty of other opportunities to feel inadequate. I’m grateful for these moments because they’ve not only built up my own character but helped me to empathize with others who are feeling that way. Being a part of the Adequacy Project has been a great opportunity to show that empathy. I believe the best cure to inadequacy is to be surrounded by positive, understanding influences. That is our mission.