- Resting has become rebellious. Saying, "I’m not doing anything this weekend" can trigger guilt.
- Most of us have an inner critic, that voice that says, "You could be doing more." It’s loud, relentless, and often shaped by past expectations
BY Shazeena Naushad
It starts innocently. A scroll through social media. A glance at someone else’s shiny life updates. Promotions, proposals, personal brands, six-figure salaries, vacations in Bali. It’s all there, on your screen, before you even finish your morning coffee. And just like that, the doubt creeps in.
Am I doing enough? Am I being enough?
This question, though whispered quietly in the corners of our minds, is loud enough to shape our days, our decisions, and sometimes even our identities. In a world that celebrates constant achievement, feeling “enough” feels more like a luxury than a truth.
The Culture of “More”
From a young age, we are conditioned to strive. Get good grades. Get into a good school. Get a good job. Get married. Buy a house. Have kids. Save up. Repeat. Ambition, on its own, isn’t a villain. But when we live in a culture that glamorizes hustle, worships productivity, and quantifies value in likes, grades, and paychecks, ambition mutates into anxiety. We become addicted to improvement. Each milestone, instead of bringing peace, simply resets the bar. More. Higher. Better. Now.
The Invisible Measuring Stick
So many of us carry around an invisible measuring stick, one that we never consciously chose. It tells us how we should look, love, work, and live. If we fall short of it, we question our worth. If we exceed it, the stick simply extends. Ask yourself: who built your measuring stick? Was it your parents? Your school? The media? Society at large? And more importantly, what would your life feel like without it?
The Myth of Arriving
We often think we’ll feel “enough” when we arrive. When we lose the weight. Get the raise. Find the partner. Fix the habit. Gain the recognition. But that sense of arrival is often fleeting. The goalpost moves. The applause fades. The high wears off. And we’re left chasing again. This isn’t to say we shouldn’t strive. Growth is beautiful. But if our self-worth is chained to accomplishments, we’ll always be waiting to feel okay. And that wait might last a lifetime.
When Slowing Down Feels Like Failure
Resting has become rebellious. Saying, “I’m not doing anything this weekend” can trigger guilt. Turning off notifications can feel like you’re falling behind. There is a collective fear of missing out, not just on events, but on life itself. But the truth is, constantly doing more doesn’t always lead to feeling more fulfilled. Sometimes, it leads to burnout, bitterness, and breakdowns. Feeling enough means allowing slowness. It means accepting seasons of stillness. It means realizing that your value is not a result of how many things you tick off a to-do list.
The Inner Critic vs. The Inner Child
Most of us have an inner critic, that voice that says, “You could be doing more.” It’s loud, relentless, and often shaped by past expectations. But we also have an inner child, a part of us that just wants to be loved, seen, accepted. Not for what we’ve done. But simply for existing. Feeling enough is about turning down the critic and turning toward the child.
Asking: What do I need right now? What feels nourishing? What would I say to a friend in my position?
Rewriting the Definition of “Enough”
What if being enough isn’t about proving, producing, or perfecting? What if it’s about being present, being kind, being real?
What if “enough” looks like:
Saying no when your body needs rest.
Showing up for someone even when you don’t have the right words.
Laughing at yourself when things go sideways.
Letting go of a goal that no longer fits the person you’ve become.
Accepting love even when you feel messy or uncertain.
Enoughness isn’t earned. It’s remembered.
You Are Not a Project
You are not a self-improvement project. You are a person. And people are allowed to be incomplete, emotional, contradictory, and soft. The idea that we have to “fix” ourselves before we can be worthy of peace, love, or rest is deeply flawed. You are not broken. You are growing. And growth doesn’t always look like more. Sometimes, it looks like saying, “I am okay, right here, as I am.”
Practical Ways to Cultivate a Sense of “Enough”
If you’re tired of measuring yourself by the world’s impossible standards, here are a few gentle practices that help:
Limit Your Scroll: Social media is a highlight reel. Don’t compare your backstage to someone else’s curated moment.
Journal Honestly: Write down moments you felt proud, at peace, or truly alive. These are your real markers of success.
Practice Saying “I Am Enough” Daily: It feels cheesy, but your brain needs to hear it. Often.
Do Things Just Because: Paint badly. Dance alone. Watch a show you love without multitasking. Not everything has to be productive.
Celebrate Small Wins: You got out of bed? That’s a win. You made someone smile? Huge. Progress isn’t always loud.
Unfollow People Who Trigger Toxic Comparison: Protect your peace like it’s a priceless jewel. Because it is.
Final Thoughts
We live in a world that profits off our insecurities. That thrives when we feel like we’re not enough. That convinces us to keep chasing, buying, proving. But you have the power to step off the hamster wheel. You can choose to believe that your worth is inherent. That your softness is strength. That your presence is a gift. You are not a number, not a checklist, not a goal waiting to be achieved. You are a person. And you, just as you are, are deeply, irrevocably, enough.
