The concept of ‘enough’ has been dogging me for months – I seem to be confronted with it at every turn. If you have read the book, “Daring Greatly” by Brene Brown, you will know that this is a theme that she explores intensely, and in many domains. Since I have been reflecting on this idea of ‘being enough, having enough, giving enough’, I have come to genuinely believe that it provides a window into how we see the world and our place in it.
Most of us can agree that our way of viewing the world has been shaped by many factors – our history, our societal or cultural experiences, etc. For a person whose life experiences has caused them to feel as if even their best efforts aren’t adequate, the desire to protect those areas of their life over which they believe they have real control is strong and perhaps overwhelming. Limiting where they focus their attention feels safer. During this past election cycle, I wondered how much of this is behind what our politicians are doing when it comes to ‘seeing the other side’ or considering that their point of view is only a piece of the picture. I am trying to feel compassion for those who ‘lead’ us and curious about the strong forces that must be at play that cause them to be so inflexible.
While clinging to a narrow view may move us to believe that we are safer, more secure, more ‘right’, does it really get us to ‘happy’ or ‘at peace’? What would happen if instead of staying small, we worked to consider that “the way things are” is simply the way we see things at this moment? Increasing awareness of how we ‘tend to see things’ take practice, and a belief that in doing so, we will be in a better position to get the lasting results we desire. Even asking yourself the question, “Why do I see it this way?” can provide an opening for conversations that previously were thought to be out of reach. This work of becoming a better observer of the way we observe things is a life long journey, but one that can provide us with a greater foundation for designing our life. It may even move you in the direction of seeing that who you are and what you offer, is more than enough.
