How To Feel Good Enough

Tell me, have you ever caught yourself feeling any of these things?

- Angry about someone else’s success.

- Embarrassed or ashamed about not succeeding or achieving more.

- Stressed, unhappy or constantly thinking about where you lack.

- Feeling less worthy and shying away from opportunities.

- Hating the world that gives others advantages over you.

If you have, you are not alone. It is no secret that we tend to be our own worst critic. We pick and tear down every little mistake and flaw until we ultimately manifest the failure we fear.

So, where does this feeling of 'I'm not good enough' come from? How can we break the negative thought cycle and live with peace of mind?

Let's break down where these thoughts are coming from and how we can gain some clarity moving forward.

1. Stop playing the comparison game.

Number one rule in the comparison game is everyone is a loser in the end. When you compare yourself to others you will almost always end up doing one of two things, pulling yourself down or pulling the other person down. Be encouraged and inspired but do not measure your personal journey against someone else's. Trust me, it's a dead end. It is easy to do and even harder to stop. The key is to catch yourself when you start to compare and choose to think differently. Instead of looking at someone and wishing you had this or that try giving them a compliment or mentally saying "Good for them!" Remind yourself that you are a unique individual. You cannot live some else's life and no one can live yours.

2. Instead of striving take life in stride.

When you feel you aren't good enough it could be because you are trying to live someone else's version of success instead of your own. You are striving instead of taking life in stride.

Let's look at the life of someone who is striving:

- Feeling like they never have enough time to do the things that they want or need to do.

- Feeling exhausted but never feeling accomplished.

- Working towards an idea and never feeling satisfied.

- Feeling stressed and unable to cope with day to day tasks.

Now let's look at the life of someone who is taking life in stride:

- Takes time to set priorities and knows how to say no.

- Is flexible when things don't go their way.

- Working towards solid outcomes and values.

- Know their worth lays more in character and growth than career, looks, or material things.

When you feel that pressure of not measuring up ask yourself, "Am I striving or taking life in stride?"

3. Protect your mind from viruses.

I want you to pretend for a moment that your mind is like a computer. When you set up your computer you likely put up protective software to filter out any unwanted viruses or sites. This keeps the computer running smooth and allows you to do the things you need to do without slowing down. I want you to take that same concept and apply it to your mind. What filters do you have in place for your mind? When a hurtful or negative thought enters do you kick it out or run with it until it slows you down in life? Set up a fire wall! Recognize when you are are thinking from a place of fear and shift your focus elsewhere. Sometimes making a physical shift can make this easier. Get up and take a walk if you are sitting. Take a break and sit if you are moving. All it takes is a little something to shift your train of thought.

4. Press pause and take inventory of your life.

Sometimes the reason we feel we are lacking is because we have forgotten about all that we do have. Think about how far you have come. Reflect on the things you have accomplished. Set aside time to be thankful and rest. We only begin to feel we are or do not have enough when we forget to pause and take inventory of our lives. Taking inventory can mean doing things like meditating, journaling, or simply telling someone else what you are thankful for. You are doing better than you think.

5. Learn your core values.

Lastly, if you are feeling a lack of self worth it may be because you don't know who you are. Everyone has core values. Everyone has those things that are important to them in life. Values guide your decisions and point you in the right direction when you are feeling lost. When you know what is important to you, you begin to focus more on those things instead of the things that slow you down. My top three core values are faith, family and peace. Everything I do ultimately leads back to those three things. It is easier to stay on target when you know what you are shooting for. If you want help finding your core values visit my previous blog "Discover Your Core Values."

I hope this helps you as much as it has helped me. If you feel you are stuck or can't move forward because of negative thoughts or insecurities I'd like to offer you a free discovery call. Peace of mind comes when we are intentional and take action steps toward it. I want to help you take the first step. Click the link below for more info!