Enough is Enough

Here we are, number 52. The final photo and blog post from me for this project. It has been an interesting journey. I have discovered many things about myself and about a lot of you as well. I am humbled by the kind words I have received. Thanks to all of you who have supported and encouraged me on this journey. This last image is special to me. To create it, I had to enlist the help of two people who I love very much, in a city that I love very much. Doing something I love very much. I find it compelling that I end this project with a post about an issue I have written about a few times before. It may be the same issue but I think my conclusion about it is a bit different. I hope you like it.

I had the immense honor of sitting in Circle with some courageous women a few weeks ago on the shores of Lake Huron. At one point we spoke about ourselves and one of my Circle Sisters; whom I love and admire for her creativity, intelligence, beauty, and fun loving personality, spoke about her feelings of inadequacy. Her honesty struck a chord with me. I am lucky to know a lot of amazing women. Women who are strong, funny, gorgeous beacons of light, who contribute so much to their families and their community. Yet when I talk to them, I hear words coming out of their mouths that I have said to myself. 

"I wish I could do more."

"But (insert name here) is so much better at it than I am."

"I'm not creative."

"You're only saying that because you love me."

"I wish I was different."

"Oh, I hate it when I (insert marvelous trait of theirs)."

What it boils down to is that we don't believe we are good enough. We don't honor our abilities the way we honor the ability of others. We question our worth. 

Ever since that lovely Friday morning, I have been contemplating this. Asking myself why? Why do we find it so hard to  see the awesome in us? Why do we believe ourselves to be less than, insufficient, inadequate? 

Then I realized, there are many reasons for this. We each have our own story, our own path. Maybe the why doesn't even matter. 

Maybe what matters is that we need to really listen when people tell us how much they love us. We need to believe them when they tell us how great they think we are. And in turn, we need to speak out to others about how great we think they are. Share the love, in honesty and with care. 

I know that looking outside for validation is not the way we come to truly love ourselves. That has to be something that comes from inside. But what I'm saying here is that letting down your guard a little, taking a compliment to heart, allowing yourself to really hear what your friends and family love about you; all of this can be catalysts to shedding our harsh views of ourselves. Try seeing yourself through the eyes of someone who believes in you. Admit that you are loved. That you are indeed special and cherished. Take it in and feel it. Don't throw any of it away.

Keep it. 

Believe it. 

Honor it. 

So the next time my husband looks me in the eyes, touches his hand to my cheek and tells me I'm beautiful, or talented, or funny; instead of denying it or dismissing it, I will hold it. Like the precious treasure that it is. That I am.

I am loved. 

I am special.

I am cherished. 

I am the only me that ever will be. 

I am more than enough. 

And so are you.