Thi is so sad to read.
It was scary to just look at the title and a tag "nonfiction".

We are all too hard on ourselves!!!

Self-conscious about a lack of intelligence?! Oh, please!
I don't care about any other thing you say to yourself, but this one... if anything you are highly intelligent!
Yes, I'm qualified to say so - it's my vocation 😎

Plus, you're not a bad writer, either. You wrote some words on your keyboard, and they made me, a person on another continent, feel the exact emotions you wanted me to feel.

Give me a break, girl!
You're too smart to think you're not smart enough.