We have all done it. We have all thought it. We are not enough. This messaging is everywhere around us and it can really take a toll on our perception of ourselves and what is going on around us. Since the beginning of our lives, striving for more has been at the centre
of what we do. Let’s really explore this, how often is your first thought in the morning “I didn’t get enough sleep” or “there isn’t enough time” while you’re rushing yourself out the door in the morning. You get dressed for work, walk outside and realize for the first time it’s raining? We get to work and think about all the stuff we have to do that day thinking “I can’t finish this all, there are not enough work hours”. You miss your child’s recital because there “isn’t enough of you to go around”. There is something you need to buy and there “isn’t enough money”. Unfortunately, if this is our style of thinking then we will be unable to see all of what we do have and do accomplish. How often do we say “I gave it my all”? in our world we often overlook smaller successes or efforts in the moments and are always seeking more in the future.
So, what do we do about it? One thing we can do to shift our perception of ourselves and various situations to be self-validating. To change “not enough” into “enough”. I mean being aware of our own thoughts, emotions, and behaviours and view then from the perspective of being non-judgemental and grateful for what you have accomplished. When we are self-aware we determine whether we truly feel we did our best. And if we did, we can say it is enough and we accept it for what it is. Sometimes, well actually most times, we have more on our plates than we can manage. At the end of the day, when your tired, there are some dishes left in the sink from dinner, maybe you didn’t fold the laundry yet, and there is that one more email you could have replied to, it is in this moment we can say “I accomplished a lot today, and it is ok to pick this back up tomorrow”. When this becomes our new self-talk, it can have remarkable effects on our thinking patterns, our mood and our overall well-being. We decide in each moment that we are enough.