Enough Is Enough
I’m not pretty enough.
I’m not thin enough.
I’m not smart enough.
I’m not successful enough.
I’m not loved enough.
I’m not fit enough.
I’m not strong enough.
These are just some of the thoughts that used to go through my head on a regular basis.
The constant hum in the background of my brain was one of lack. I didn’t have enough and I didn’t feel like I was enough.
This hasn’t completely disappeared, but by shedding a light on those “not enough” thoughts it’s now possible to flip the script to be one that serves me well instead of staying stuck in my pity party.
How you might ask? Let me share with you my path to enough-ness!
I’m a big believer in the idea that thoughts become things.
If you think of yourself as fat, ugly, and worthless, how would you treat yourself?
On the other hand, if you think of yourself as healthy, beautiful, and loving, how would you treat yourself?
In my experience, my perspective of my body has a HUGE impact on how I treat it.
When I’m feeling down and hating myself, I want to eat Oreos and watch Netflix all day in my pajamas.
When I’m feeling good about all the awesome things my body can do for me (and does for me every day!) I feel more compelled to work out and eat green things.
The point here isn’t actually about being or feeling as though we are enough or that we have enough.
Enough-ness is a by-product of gratitude.
The fastest way to turn off the broken record of “I’m not enough” is to exercise gratitude.
What are you thankful for? What about your body are you grateful for?
When I catch myself looking in the mirror and thinking
“Man I wish my stomach didn’t move without my permission, the jiggle is real” or
“I wonder how much cardio I’d have to do to get a thigh gap…” (yes, these are real thoughts that have happened. And yes, they are ridiculous)
I pause, and remind myself to shift my perspective. Then I flip the dialogue in my head to one of gratitude.
“I wish my stomach didn’t jiggle” turns into “I’m happy I’m able to run and jump, even if my stomach jiggles while I do it”.
“I wish I had a thigh gap” turns into “I’m happy I have strong legs that hold me up and get me where I need to go every day without pain”.
Two very different conversations.
It takes two things to be able to maintain this positive outlook each day.
- Awareness of when you’re sliding into your self-pity party, and
- Practice, lots of it.
Sounds easy right? I know I make this all sound like rainbows and butterflies, but the challenge of choosing to change your self-talk is real work.
It’s more than just “think happy thoughts” or “shake it off and look on the bright side”.
While practice is fairly straight-forward (keep doing the ‘thing’ you’re working on repeatedly), awareness is something you have to build.
You can’t practice transforming your inner discussions with yourself if you always miss your cue.
So to help you build that awareness, here’s your challenge, should you choose to accept it (and if you do, it’ll change your life).
For 7 days in a row, each morning or evening, write down three things you’re grateful for.
They can be big or small, a thing, a person, an experience – anything! And, you’re not allowed to repeat the same thing twice.
At the end of the 7 days go back and reflect on all of the things you’re grateful for. Make note of how you feel after doing this and see if this translates into how the rest of your day goes.
It’s a constant and conscious effort to see the power we have in our lives, to tap into how amazing our bodies and abilities truly are, and some days are easier than others.
But when you begin to reframe your perspective on your own physical well-being, you’ll find your strength. I promise.
Try it out and see if all of a sudden you’ve found enough-ness in your life.
