Col wrote:

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Edited out because it wasn't contributing anything to the board. My apologies

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Stop apologizing, okay. Any post, big or small, has significance; whether we realize it or not. I hope you reconsider your options the next time around.

As far as inferiority complexes go, well, let's put it this way: It takes time to develop a better understanding of oneself that's all. Take my story for example: I call it the dysfunctional follies.  My father and I had a lot of issues growing up, some more pressing than others. I guess you can say we never really got along. He had a tendency of putting himself and his ambitions first, which struck a sour chord with most of his family. It was his first line of defense against the power struggles from within. He felt inferior in so many ways and his lifestyle reflected those sentiments. It was because of this tumultuous upbringing that we never saw eye to eye. After he died, a part of myself died with him. In one way I felt relieved, but in other ways disappointed: I was never able to reconcile our past even though I tried. So today I try to do the next right thing: I give back. It's always been my life's ambition to make up for time lost, and now I have the means to make that happen. That's why I give back so much: It helps fill that void which went missing for so long. Fast forward four years later and what you see today is a totally different vibe. And I have all of you to thank for that; God too.

This brings me back to your original topic: Inferiority complexes. Let's face it, though: All of us desire something better for ourselves; even those with lesser degrees of authority cry out for more attention. It's a fact of life we can't ignore. Some people take things to the extreme, while for others, well, they can skate by with nothing more than the shirt on their back. Those overly committed types will always be striving for attention, or superiority, but for others like myself, well, I more content with being the 'plain Joe' my family has come accustomed too.  As a famous philosopher once said: "The striving for superiority makes sure that one person, and only one person, puts all his/her efforts in developing a need -a need to fulfill his/her desires nothing more. Thus, the striving for superiority causes inferiority. It helps them overcome the sense of helplessness and powerlessness they feel from within." So, how do we overcome these flaws? Simple, really: Keep the focus on ourselves rather than worrying about what others may think. Let self- awareness guide you, not blind you, and then utilize your strengths not your weaknesses. It has always worked for me.

Another thing, I try to utilize the program of recovery as a way of gaining strength -especially against the selfish desires that caused me to drink in the first place. Now that's what I call superior thinking.  I guess it is a blessing then, feeling a bit inferior I mean, in a way it can help to move forward in life. I no longer allow my inner struggles define who I've become. No more exaggerating my way to the top, just one simple philosophy to live by: Keep life simple. It always works for me. Onward.