NEGATIVE TRAIT THESAURUS

INSECURE



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HELPFUL TIP:

Characters with this flaw will be extra sensitive to certain emotions, so think about how events in your story might specifically trigger these feelings to generate compelling tension and conflict. Another idea is to give a supporting character a positive attribute that is an opposite of this flaw, which will get under the skin of both characters and cause friction in their relationship.
DEFINITION:
Lacking confidence and surety

SIMILAR FLAWS:
Diffident, unconfident, unsure

POSSIBLE CAUSES:
Growing up with overly critical parents or guardians
Being surrounded by people who excel in areas where one is lacking
Believing that one is not accepted or liked by others
Abuse, neglect, or abandonment
A tragic, life-altering event
Guilt
Failure
A fear of rejection
Having an unrealistically perfect ideal of oneself
Having a dysfunctional relationship with one or both parents

ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS AND ATTITUDES:
Exhibiting nervous behaviors when interacting with others
Keeping to oneself
Feeling like one has no gifts, skills, or talents
Being overly critical of one's body image
Avoiding uncomfortable situations (refusing to swim to avoid wearing a bathing suit, etc.)
Overcompensating for insecurities by focusing on other areas
Comparing oneself to others and feeling inferior
Sticking close to the people one feels comfortable with
Having unrealistic personal expectations (believing that one should excel at everything, etc.)
Obsessing over one's negatives and ignoring the positives
Blaming oneself when bad things happen
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ASSOCIATED THOUGHTS:
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ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS:
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POSITIVE ASPECTS:
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NEGATIVE ASPECTS:
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EXAMPLES FROM LITERATURE:
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OVERCOMING THIS TRAIT AS A MAJOR FLAW:
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TRAITS IN SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT:
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