What’s the truth?

Are you good enough? 

This week a really successful leader said to me that she can’t ever be enough or do enough. 

Is that okay? Is that thinking right? Is that why we are heading towards a burnout crisis? A stress crisis? 

Do you relate to that comment from her? 

Can we talk honestly about the reality of the current situation in education, and actually the world, were so many of us feel that we are not good enough or we can’t do enough. That as ourselves, intrinsically, we are not enough, we feel second-best or lesser or just unworthy or even worthless.

Does this conversation make you feel uncomfortable? 

I burnt out after 30 years in a job I loved partly because I never felt I could do enough, that I wasn’t good enough even when apparently, I was successful, I subconsciously believed I had to prove my value by working harder, doing more, being seen more, answering more emails, things like that.

What if we sat for a moment today and told ourselves that we are enough? What would happen? If I told you that you have value because you are beautifully created, you are very special and individual, with different strengths, different talents and gifts to every single other person.

Can you believe that? What would it take to persuade you? 

My journey to discover this has been very bumpy. I can now tell you that I have value just because I’m me, even if I make mistakes or sometimes fail and let people down. I still have value because I am me. I don’t need to do something to prove this to anybody.

What does this mean, to actually understand that we have value? For me, it means that I can stand up straight and strong, believing that I have a purpose. It means if people say words to me that are either unkind or I don’t agree with, I don’t need to accept them and agree with them, I can let them go. It means I can make decisions for myself, doing things that I value and that align with my beliefs, rather than what everyone else wants me to do or thinks I should do! It means I take back control of my time and my choices. It means I forgive myself for the mistakes I’ve made in the past and instead I look forward and move on. It means I say sorry when I make a mistake, but I don’t dwell on it and let it eat me up.

Believe me, I am a working progress. I trip up but I get back up again. 

Today’s world is full of comparison and criticism, anger and impatience. We go through life too fast and forget what is important. 

What is important for you? 

Perhaps today is the first day to start asking yourself what matters to you? Who do you want to be? What are your priorities?

All because you have value simply because you are created as you! A beautiful masterpiece.