Sometimes, I feel like the biggest idiot on the planet.

Like “How-could-anyone-be-this-clueless?!” kind of an idiot.

This year alone, I’ve had moments that left me spiraling—overthinking my worth and questioning my decisions—until I learned a truth that completely changed how I see myself.

Here’s what really happened 👇

My “Oopsy” Moments

A couple of months ago, I bought a boom stand for my mic and thought installing it on my desk would be an easy-peasy task … because how hard could a screw mount be?!

Apparently, very hard.  

After fiddling with the mechanism for over twenty minutes, I still couldn’t get it done and had to ask my dad for help.

He fixed it in five seconds.

Turns out, I’d been holding the mount upside down! 🤦‍♀️

Embarrassment hit me harder than the screw mount.

How could I be this stupid? Gosh, am I really such an idiot?

Another such {slightly more significant} incident happened when I was setting up the payment systems for my business Kathansh.

After weeks of research, I decided PayPal was the best choice for international transactions.

I read the terms, followed the instructions, and triple-checked everything.

Or so I thought.

I sent out the first invoice feeling proud and professional… until my client finished the payment and the funds got stuck in escrow for 90 days!! 😩

FYI, PayPal holds your money as a safety precaution if you’re a new business. But back then, I had no clue of this measurement and since I was just starting out, I really needed access to that money.

I was furious with myself: Uggh, Srishti, are you kidding me? How did you not catch this? How could you be this stupid?!

Eventually, I did get the money, but the self-criticism followed me around for weeks.

And these are just two of the MANY more dreadful ones I’ve experienced when I’ve like a total idiot. Seems silly? Yes, but the self-loathing & self-judging is REAL}

The Turning Point

These feelings of self-humiliation went on until I brought it up to my business + mindset coach, Anagha Bhatt {who’s also a dear friend!) and she shared a perspective switch that REALLY turned the tables for me.

She said: “Srishti, do you think you are stupid or do you feel stupid?”

That question got me thinking.

Did I actually believe I was stupid?

Me—who got good grades in school, graduated college with flying colors, and built a thriving business doing what I love most?

{I may be boasting a lil, but why not 😝}

Surely, I wasn’t stupid.

I just felt stupid in that one moment when I failed to do something that I believed was easy or made a mistake I thought was preventable.

Then Anagha told me a story about Einstein that completely changed my perspective.

(You might’ve heard it before, but it’s too good not to share in case you haven’t.)

Einstein and the Cat Door

This doesn’t mean Einstein was stupid or that the carpenter was smarter than him.

It simply shows that even the most brilliant minds can act a little…well, dumb sometimes.

Why? Because Einstein was distracted.

His mind was so wrapped up in his research that he wasn’t thinking clearly about the cats.

And guess what? That’s exactly what happened to me.

When I struggled with the mic stand, I wasn’t fully present—my brain was processing the podcast I was listening to. When I researched payment platforms, I was also knee-deep in creating my offers.

Realizing this made me feel so much better.

The Power Of Self-Talk & How I’m Changing Things Now:

In that session, Anagha also pointed out how damaging my self-talk really was.

By saying, “I am stupid,” I was establishing it as my truth and turning that statement into a limiting belief about my identity.  

Here is how I’m changing my self-talk now 👇

If I do something silly or fail at something, I no longer say, “Ugh, Srishti, you are so stupid.”

Instead, I tell myself, “Srishti, you’re just feeling stupid right now but you’re actually not. So get over it.”

You may consider it a VERY tiny change but it makes a huge difference in how I feel about myself.

Separating my identity of who I am from how I’m feeling in one moment has been the ultimate game-changer for me and now, I believe this is the key to almost all your feelings.

So, here’s the lesson for you:

The next time you find yourself in a “how could I be so dumb?” spiral…

Just pause and ask yourself, “Am I really stupid, or do I just feel stupid right now?”

Then remind yourself: 👉your oopsy moments don’t define who you are.

They’re just proof you’re learning, growing, and doing the damn thing.

Because here’s the truth: every genius has their cat-door moment.

The silly mistakes don’t matter at all.

What does matter is how you rise, reflect, and keep moving forward with all the passion and purpose that makes you, YOU. ✨

With all my heart,

Srishti

P.S. Have you ever had a “cat-door moment” where you felt totally clueless but later laughed about it? I’d love to hear your story! Hit reply and share it with me please—I promise not to judge. 🧡