QC Prompt #135.... Inadequate.

Sometimes in this journey of life, there comes a time when you feel so overwhelmed and inadequate. You feel like you are not worthy or not enough. This is a feeling that we all have felt if we're going to be sincere. No one is immune from this feeling but good news is that it is not inborn. Yes, no one is born with that feeling rather it comes as a thought due to one form of short-coming, failure or disappointment.

Take a young boy who is born to poor parents with about three younger ones and daily he is reminded that he is to cater to the needs of the family especially his younger ones. That little boy would at a point of his struggling to make ends meet, question himself and might begin to feel like he is not enough. This feeling can lead to low self-esteem in the life of that little boy.

Other factors that could make one feel not enough could be caused by unhealthy comparison or by not being able to accept oneself just the way you are.

Personally, I have been in that situation. I have once felt that way and it was caused by unhealthy comparison. I would compare myself to that person who took first in my class for that term and then I would drive myself hard to make sure that I surpass that person but after all my hard work and efforts and I still did not take first position in class, then that feeling would come upon me. I put myself through that unhealthy feeling time and time again until my understanding opened.

I overcame that feeling of not enough by first of all appreciating what I had. I did not come out with first position but I was not at the bottom of the class either. I learnt to practice gratitude for the things I had and what my parents could afford to give me. I learnt to stop unhealthy comparisons and that saves me from that feeling.

Another thing that helped me was positive affirmations. I made it a point of duty to confess positive things to myself daily. I still practice this till date and I have added meditation to it. Meditating on good things helps to curb the feeling of not enough.

The third tip that I'll be sharing that helped me and is still helping me is to treat myself with kindness. I understand that I am limited in what I can do and also that I can't do it all. I know that sometimes I might be driven by perfectionism but then no one is perfect.

Having this fact at the back of my mind helps me to stop in my tracks whenever that feeling of not enough wants to creep in. I gladly recommend these helpful tips to anyone going through that phase where they feel that they're not enough. Hear this, you are enough. You are amazing just the way you are.

Thank you for reading.

Image is mine.