Enough

There have been seasons in my life when I have deeply connected with the opening lyrics of Lauren Daigle’s song “You Say.” She sings:

“I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I’m not enough. Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up.”

Sound familiar?

Maybe you have felt it in your personal life, at work, in your relationships—or all three. That nagging sense that you are not measuring up. That somehow, you are falling short, even when you are giving it your all.

If you have ever felt this way, you are not alone. In fact, so many of us do. And often, that feeling does not come out of nowhere, it is rooted in old experiences, societal pressure, or the heavy weight of perfectionism.

Let us unpack a few common reasons why you might be feeling this way—and how to begin breaking free from it.

1. The Pressure to Be Perfect

Sometimes, we set impossibly high standards for ourselves. When those expectations are not met, we feel like failures—even if we have achieved something meaningful. You might catch yourself thinking:

“If I could just do more, be more, achieve more…then I’d be enough.”

But that mindset keeps you trapped in an exhausting cycle: always striving, never arriving.

2. Falling into the Comparison Trap

Social media makes it far too easy to compare your life to someone else’s highlight reel. That perfect vacation, flawless home, the ideal career path all looks so put-together. So many people in my area wear designer clothes, drive fancy new vehicles, and have incredible homes. Here I am in a rented apartment, driving a 12-year-old car and wearing Kirkland jeans.

But here is the truth: comparison robs us of contentment. Most people only show the best moments. You are comparing your real life to their carefully edited version. That is not a fair fight. As the saying goes, if you are green with envy, you are ripe for problems.

3. Old Messages That Still Echo

Many of us carry subtle, unspoken lessons from childhood: that love had to be earned by being obedient, successful, or “good.” Those early messages might have sounded like:

“You’re only lovable if you behave.”
“Approval comes with performance.”

Over time, these beliefs morph into internal scripts we keep replaying—even when they no longer serve us.

4. Listening to the Wrong Voice

Our inner critic can be so brutal. And if you have been listening to that voice long enough, you might have started believing its lies. But here is something to remember:

Just because a thought is loud does not mean it is true.

It is time to start questioning the stories you are telling yourself.

5. You are Growing—and That is Okay

Here is the twist: the desire to grow and improve can make us feel like we are never quite “there.” But evolving does not mean you are not enough now.

You can want to become a better version of yourself while still being worthy, lovable, and whole today.

So, What Can You Do?

If any of this resonated with you, here are a few practices you may find valuable as they have helped me shift my perspective:

• 💬 Talk to yourself like a friend. Be kinder in your self-talk. Have grace on yourself.

• 🗂 Create a “truth file.” Keep compliments, affirmations, and wins. Read them often.

• 🧠 Get support. A therapist, coach or accountability partner can help unpack the deeper “why” behind your self-doubt.

• ✍️ Ask yourself: Who told me I was not enough? Were they right?

• 🎉 Celebrate progress. Even small steps count.

• 🧘 Establish a self-care routine. Rest and reflection are not luxuries, they are necessities. Self-care is not selfish!

• 📝 Try gratitude journaling and mindful meditation. They help ground your worth in the present, not performance.

Final Thoughts

You are enough—not because of what you do, but because of who you are. When I get out of my own head and strive to be the best version of myself as I can, without comparing myself to someone else, I am so much happier.

Yes, growth is beautiful. Goals matter. But your value does not rise or fall with your productivity or perfection. You are not here to be flawless. You are here to be real, to grow, to love, to learn—and to honor your own story.

And guess what?

It is your story. So, write it. You are an original and no one else on this planet can be a better YOU than YOU.

Take care of yourself and each other!