You Are Enough
You Are Enough
We live in a whirlwind of a society that is constantly telling, reminding, and reaffirming us that we are just not enough. Whether that “not enough" storyline be: not smart enough, not wealthy enough, not skinny enough, not educated enough, not skilled enough, not pretty enough… the list just goes on. We live in a world that perpetuates scarcity and the hamster wheel spiral of not enough-ness.
ENOUGH!?!? At some point, what if we just sit with, affirm, and commit to flipping the switch - embracing being enough or ok just as you are. This task no question, is no easy feat, as our culture, jobs, peer groups, social media presence, etc. are fueling not being enough. However, in recent years, one restorative anecdote to the perpetual not enough thought train is gratitude.
Gratitude is the warm and heartfelt feeling you get when you experience appreciation, thankfulness, and the recognition of joy. Gratitude researcher Robert Emmons defines gratitude as being two-fold. He states, “First, gratitude is an affirmation of goodness. Gratitude is affirming that there are good things in the world, gifts, and benefits that we have received. Secondly, to experience gratitude is to recognize that the sources of goodness are outside ourselves. Gratitude is acknowledging that other people, higher spiritual powers even, give us many gifts, big and small, to help us achieve the goodness in our lives.”
To expand upon Robert Emmons definitions, what if when the “not enough” vortex arrives, we just become aware that it has pulled into the station. Next, what if we gently guide the wheel towards gratitude as an alternative menu item and then expand our awareness within then outside ourselves. What if we envision a dimmer switch slowly turning down the intensity of not enough narratives and slowly brightening our abilities to experience and express gratitude and thankfulness. To touch upon Emmons’ point that gratitude is the recognition of goodness, what if we lean into those who know, believe, and affirm we are enough. What if we express to our loved ones that they are enough. What if, just maybe in time, we begin to believe that we truly are enough.
In closing, Brene Brown reminds us that, “Practicing gratitude is how we acknowledge that there’s enough and that we truly are enough.”
Laura Widger is a NY State Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 15 years of experience in the field of emotional wellness and mental health. She owns and operates Inner Peace and Strength - Mental and Emotional Health, and specializes in trauma healing with children and adults. She lives in Cattaraugus County with her husband, children, and German short haired dog. Laura personally and professionally strives to promote internal self leadership and the discovery of true genuineness and balance within.