This quote absolutely resonates with me and is the key to what I have been working on. The whole idea that I AM ENOUGH just as I am. Right now, in this very moment, as I am typing this post…I AM ENOUGH!

Now, I realize that this is something that has become fairly mainstream as far as people saying this is what has held them back and some people might think that it is just another gimmick from all those self-help people trying to get you to buy their next book. BUT, I can say if this is one of your gremlins (the thought that is on constant playback no matter what you are doing), it can make you feel chaotic, awkward, fearful, embarrassed, unsure of yourself, nervous, stupid, unlovable, etc.

I lived way too many years believing I simply wasn’t enough. All those feelings I just listed above…I knew them all too well and let them steer my ship on the daily. I would love to tell you that I have conquered every last one of those emotions but then, I would be lying to you. I still get all of those feelings but I have finally learned that I can feel those emotions without labeling myself as not being enough. You see, emotions for me were something I had to hide because I was taught that emotions showed weakness and we just were not weak people. Crying – well it shouldn’t be in baseball according to some – but it also wasn’t welcomed in my home growing up. So, I did what any people pleasing, baby of the family would do, and I just stuffed all those emotions way, way down into the pit of despair.

It wasn’t until last year, when I was faced with some challenges with my own little girl that I realized I had a lot of work to do with my own inner child. This was a whole new journey for me in the personal development and growth arena for sure! Up to this point in my life I had spent years in therapy, coaching, doing my own explorations through self-help books, etc but in all those things I had never really sat down to address the gremlin that I wasn’t enough.

Instead, I kept looking for what was going to fill me up and make me feel like I was finally enough. What I learned, was I was trying to prove myself to everyone on the outside and it was only making me doubt myself even more. If I didn’t get the response I wanted from people on the outside (family, friends, colleagues, strangers), then I went on to the next thing in hopes of that being what would make them tell me I was enough. I was in search of that perfect combination of life’s events and accomplishments for people to finally look at me and for me to know I was enough.

Well guess what, I realize now that what I was waiting on couldn’t come from anyone on the outside. It had to come from me! It had to come from a place of forgiveness of myself and others from my childhood, it had to come from a place of genuine appreciation for all I have been able to accomplish, it had to come from that inner little girl who was finally able to allow herself to feel vulnerable, to feel all of those emotions, and to know that they are just moments in time, NOT defining moments in time. My inner little girl rose up and reclaimed who she was always meant to be – a strong, badass warrior queen!