Article June 15, 1998 Issue

Do you measure up?

By Janis E. Hunt Johnson

While Growing up, I often thought I just wasn't good enough. Constantly comparing myself to others, I never measured up. No matter how much I accomplished, I found fault in every aspect of my life. Not only that, I was quick to identify faults in everyone else.

In adulthood I struggled with this paradox—I didn't like myself much, yet at the same time I often judged others as beneath me. As I became more and more unhappy with my outlook on life, I tried psychotherapy, positive thinking, and plain old willpower. While sometimes helpful, each approach missed the mark to some degree. I continued my quest for a radical cure, but I didn't think any such method existed.

As a last resort, I turned to God. I felt foolish. Here I was not good enough again, a weakling, unable to figure it out all by myself. Still, I was determined to uncover an answer, so I pressed on.

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