Just in case you happened to be feeling a little low, as though you’re falling short and not doing enough, you aren’t alone. 94% of people worldwide experience pervasive fearful and self-doubting thoughts regularly and last week that was me too.
You’ll likely beat yourself up, try to move faster to get more done and prove to yourself you’re doing your best.
The mindful tip I used for me and will share with you this week is to pause at the arising of any such thoughts and feelings, place a hand on your heart and remember this…
‘Enough-ness’ has absolutely nothing to do with accomplishing more things, nothing to do with achieving your goals or reaching some place in time you promised yourself you’d be. Holding yourself to ransom until you’ve done ALL the things on the ‘to-do’ list will never make you ‘good enough’.
It was a long time before these words actually meant something to me. When we are caught in a fast pace and demands are high, the inner critic just screams “that’s not true! Surely? I need to reach this place, earn enough money, do more to get there, then I will be enough”.
I have learned and continue to learn, (because I can always fall back into the trap if I’m not aware) that rather ‘enough-ness’ can be felt in a moment of stillness, in which you can appreciate something right here – your breathing perhaps? Sounds maybe? It might be the sky, nature, the support beneath you, your cup of tea, the smile, the relief of tears, something tender and precious to you.
It is not what you are striving for that matters, being a better parent, friend, or worker. We forget that the simplicity of our presence here in whatever form, living, breathing, listening and loving is so much more than enough. This is what the world needs. It’s what our children need however old they are now, it’s what our friends, family, neighbours and even colleagues need.
To live and learn to be gentler with ourselves moment by moment is how we re learn the value of ‘enough’.
Have a good week ahead.
Warmly, Fiona
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