Alex's Answer

Hi there, and welcome to Ask Alex,

 

Thanks for reaching out to us here. It sounds like you are feeling anxious about how well you are doing in school or in your studies. We are sorry to hear that you are struggling with feelings of not being good enough, despite the work and effort you are putting in.

 

There could be lots of reasons that you are not feeling satisfied. What do you think it would be like for you to think about what you would like to achieve and why you would like to achieve this? For example, have you thought about why you’d like to secure good marks? Do you have plans to try and go to college? Or do you set goals or limits on your achievements? Setting goals or having limits to work towards, helps us to feel satisfied when we come close to and/or achieve these goals.

 

In your question, you only mention securing good marks and studying. What is the rest of your life like? How are things with your family and friends? Are you feeling connected with others; do you have people that you feel you can be yourself around?

 

In life, we get satisfaction from different areas: our personal life, work/study, and social life. As we grow up, it can be hard to figure out what we like and who we are and what helps us feel satisfied, so it is understandable that you might be struggling with what works for you. It is important that you talk about this with someone you feel you can trust. Do you have anyone in your life, an adult you feel comfortable talking to? What would it be like to talk to this person about how you have been feeling?

 

Another option for you, could be to talk to us here at Childline. The Childline Team are always available to listen and talk about this or whatever else is going on for you. You can call Childline for free on 1800 66 66 66 or chat online at childline.ie. The service is open 24/7, so you never have to go through anything on your own.

 

Look after yourself, we would love to hear from you again soon.

Alex