Enough seems to be an ongoing topic of conversation around me. I have heard, “I am not enough,” too much recently and it has gotten me thinking and googling. I found this definition of enough at the Merriam-Webster site:

Definition of enough: occurring in such quantity, quality, or scope as to fully meet demands, needs, or expectations

To fully meet demands, needs or expectations – that sounds right – the only thing it doesn’t take into consideration is who’s demands, needs or expectations. So many of us are in a place we feel we are not enough. My question is: Whose definition are we trying to live up to? Where do these thoughts come from? When is enough enough? It is not like we have a magical list that we can complete and then we will feel we are enough.

Here is the deal:

My internal voice wants to scream STOP IT! Just stop it!

But I know it is not that easy. If it was, we would have stopped, yet it takes time and work. It won’t just magically happen. Believe me, I have tried to ignore it, that soooo doesn’t work, and I gave it everything I had.

“I am good enough”

Here are some strategies I have picked up along the way:

1. Stop comparing yourself to others. We all have struggles and don’t believe what you see on Facebook. The compare game will suck the life out of you.
2. Ask yourself: “Where in my life have I felt this way?” Take some time and explore the question, see if you can find other times and maybe that is where you need to do a bit of work. This one comes from my mentor Dov Baron.
3. When the “I am not enough” comes up, ask yourself what is this about specifically at that moment. What is that voice in your head –the hag in the attic– telling you? Stop and look at it – even make a list. The hag will try to convince you it is all true and will find any kind of proof to show you, so you need to counter all that with the truth.
4. Get a journal. Every day write one to three amazing things about you. Sounds simple yet, it has amazing results.
5. Talk about it. Brene Brown tells us the shame gremlins cannot live if we talk about what is going on. This is great advice – we are not alone in this life.
6. When the hag in the attic shows up – the voice that says you’re not enough – let the stronger louder voice (yours) drown it out. You start saying I AM ENOUGH whenever you hear it!

We are done with letting this feeling screw with us. It is time to take a stand, do some work and come out even more amazing and fabulous! Repeat after me I AM ENOUGH; I AM ENOUGH; I AM ENOUGH.