Our free Jars of Insecurities templates will help you identify and prioritize insecurities. Since everyone is insecure about different things, our templates, are customizable so you can edit them to suit your unique needs.
Jars of Insecurities, or Insecurity Jars as they are sometimes called, are a fantastic way to help you face specific psychological stress. Insecurity can cause you to miss out on things you love or want because of fears, which are often rooted in social pressure or ways others have been unkind and made fun of you. However, for some people, the pressure comes from within, from feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, and even depression. Jars of Insecurities have been used as a tool in psychology for many years, but in 2020 they rose to popularity thanks to users on TikTok sharing them on the platform to help others. In this article, we will teach you how to use two types of Jars of Insecurities.
What are Jars of Insecurities
Jars of insecurities are typically drawn on paper, representing the things the user feels insecure about. Fill these jars by coloring them so you can see how you feel about various things in your life that cause insecurity. This is a great way to monitor your mood and allows you to pinpoint problem areas, therefore aiding you in addressing the underlying causes of those feelings.
How to Use Jars of Insecurities
The two most common types of jars of insecurities are those that look like jars and those that represent the human body. Using the templates and instructions below, you can create your own jars of insecurities. Simply download the file and print it for easy use. You can come back and print a clean copy if you want to repeat the exercise in the future.
Next, you’ll label and color them to show how you are feeling about various challenges and pressures in your daily life. Below we’ll go over the two types and briefly explain how best to use each. The concept is similar, but the body outline is specific to body insecurity, whereas the jars are also useful for other non-body-based insecurities.
Jars of insecurities template
Rows of Jars
The rows of jars method depict a row of jars. Below each jar, is a label with some common insecurities. You can edit the label to show an issue you feel insecure about if it doesn’t appear.
Different people are insecure about different things. Some are insecure about their bodies and others about their personality. For that reason, our free jar of insecurities templates are customizable . You can edit the labels on the jars to make them more relevant to your specific needs.
You can use as many rows of jars as you need. You can either delete jars or duplicate them to add more. If you duplicate them then drag the new jars around the page.
Once your jars are labeled, use a crayon or colored pencil to fill the jar based on how insecure you feel about the subject.
Example: Many single people worry about putting themselves out there and dating. Label one jar ‘Dating.’ Then add a little color inside if you only feel mild anxiety, or fill it more based on how much this issue bothers you. People who are absolutely terrified of heartbreak, rejection, or failure in the dating department would fill the jar to the top. Then you repeat this process with other problems that make you feel insecure. If you don’t worry about dating, then choose the insecurities that are relevant to you. Most importantly, use as many labels and jars as you need to identify the things that apply to you. Everyone is unique.
A Body
A body-shaped insecurity jar is an outline of the human form. Instead of labeling individual insecurities, you will use this outline to color code how much insecurity you feel about parts of your body. Either use the template with four set colors or choose the blank template and make your own key. The top color (extremely) represents complete insecurity, trying to hide or fix that body area and maybe not even wanting anyone to see it. The next (a lot) is high stress, where you seldom feel good about that area, but you might have days when you don’t care or even feel okay about it. The third (a little) is the color for something that only bothers you sometimes. Fourth (not at all) is a low or no anxiety area where you rarely feel any insecurity, or perhaps you even love that feature and think it’s beautiful or handsome.
How Insecure are You Template
Female Body
Male Body
Use the following templates if you want to change the color key or if you don’t have a color printer.
Female Body
Male Body
Once you have printed out your template and chosen your colors, all you need to do is start at the feet and work your way up. If some areas are more complicated, you can use colors to represent more detail and label these areas like you would a diagram, with a line leading away from the particular area and a name for the spot you are indicating.
Example: Some people love their faces but not their lips, so you could add a slash of a more worrisome color on the face and label it ‘Lips’ to indicate that this small area is the only feature you feel insecure about. You don’t need to be an artist and don’t worry about staying within the lines too carefully unless you want to.
How to Combine Your Jars
Using the body form jar of insecurities and the jar-shaped jars together can also help. For example, you may choose to indicate more complex issues on your body jar, such as an eating disorder, in addition to concerns about weight or lack of ab definition. When you use the body jar to include these issues, it’s a good idea also to create a jar-shaped printout and show how you feel about each of these body-related anxieties.
Benefits of Using Jars of Insecurities
Here is a list of the top 7 ways you can benefit from using jars of insecurities.
- Assess your mood
- Create a physical representation of your insecurity levels
- Print out Jars of Insecurities daily or weekly to keep tabs on how your feelings toward these things fluctuate
- Use the jars as a visual aid to discuss insecurities with your therapist
- Face your insecurities and take positive steps to improve yourself
- Help children and people who have trouble communicating identify their insecurities more easily
- Use insecurity jars as a team-building trust exercise or group therapy activity
Common Types of Insecurities
Insecurity typically comes from comparing yourself to other people. All insecurities are psychological, but we are breaking these down into five easy categories below to help you sort out those complex emotions and create insecurity jars for them. You can print as many pages of insecurity jar templates as you need for your insecurities.
Mental
Mental insecurities are those things directly related to the mound. Learning disorders, mental health issues, and concerns about whether you are smart enough, capable enough, or otherwise adequate fall under this heading.
Physical
Many insecurities are body based. Our incredibly unrealistic beauty standards for both men and women lead to people worrying and feeling insecure about everything from their toenails to their hair.
Emotional
Emotional insecurities involve our relationships, including with ourselves. If you have fears about your partner, or not having one, cheating, friends stabbing you in the back, kids misbehaving, being a lousy parent, coworkers and bosses not valuing you, not valuing yourself, not showing enough emotion, or too much, or anything else related to your feelings then it is emotional insecurity.
Financial
Financial insecurity is often considered a men’s issue because all the financial responsibility is often thrust at men. However, anyone can feel financially insecure. Worries over money, competitiveness with peers who make more, or issues related to what money can or cannot give you are financial insecurities. These have sadly become more common in the last few years due to covid, changes in how people work, the global supply chain, and rising costs.
Fear and Trauma
Fear and trauma-based insecurities are, at their core, another form of emotional insecurity. However, we are giving these their own category here to help you identify and face your insecurities. People with PTSD or other trauma-related feelings of insecurity or inadequacy often consider these emotions outside the so-called normal spectrum. Soldiers, people who have been abused or assaulted, and many others have insecurity based on those specific experiences. You can opt to put these in with emotional insecurities or give them their own space based on what works best for you.
Final Thoughts
Jars of Insecurities are a tool for identifying, prioritizing and coping with your unique issues. Using these templates, you can easily assess what makes you feel most insecure and where you need the most work. However, it is essential to avoid thinking of these as a solution. Instead, use these helpful documents as a step toward better mental health. Discuss your issues with a qualified therapist or even a good friend. Only then can you make a plan and take action to reduce or remove these insecurities from your life.
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