That’s it. That’s all. No explanations, no qualifications, no apologies.
How hard is it for you to think “I am enough.” about yourself and fully feel/own it? Is there another voice which comes up (maybe screaming) “WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE??? OF COURSE YOU AREN’T ENOUGH! THINK OF ALL THE STUFF WRONG WITH YOU!” and then goes on to list the multitude of ways you don’t measure up, how you screw up and why you just plain suck?
Maybe the above example is extreme. Maybe for some of you the self-doubt whispers only pop up once in a while. But then again, maybe some of us aren’t aware enough of our thoughts to even notice this kind of harsh lingo in the first place.
I will be the first to admit, the Who-do-you-think-you-are?s are no stranger in this over-analytical noggin. And I’ve had loved ones want to shake me in the past when I’ve dwelled in self-doubt (and still do!). Maybe in reading this, some of you are thinking “Um, isn’t she a coach and teaches people about this kind of stuff? Shouldn’t she be past all this?”
Hey, look! There’s an example of my Who-do-you-think-you-are?s live and in full-effect 😉
But…I’m putting myself out there in sharing this and that I am human, just like you, and don’t always feel I have life by the horns. And that’s also totally OK.
I’ve talked about self-compassion and my mission to increase it in my day-to-day life before, and my “I am enough.” mantra is one of the ways I practice it. The funny thing is that it came to me one night just out of the blue when I was having a moment of questioning. And the second “I am enough.” settled in my mind and heart, the results were amazing; I instantly felt happier and the tension in my body (which I wasn’t aware I was holding) just melted away. I have been using it ever since.
You might not necessarily get the same effect from “I am enough.” and that is alright. When I teach, I talk about trying mantras on like hats to see what fits, because what works for me, might not work for you. But you will know when one does; it will resonate with you, it will feel clear and you will feel a connection to whatever powerful words you end up choosing.
So, if this concept of basically arguing with yourself and telling those pesky thoughts of self-doubt to take a hike via some strong self-compassion resonates with you, give “I am enough.” a go. You might not believe it at first (heck, you’ve probably had a couple of decades of telling yourself the opposite), but practicing this exercise will reap more rewards than you ever thought imaginable! And really, what do you have to lose except some thoughts/believes which ultimately are designed to keep you from living life to the fullest?
xox
(Image found on www.quotesgram.com)