If you’re someone who strives to be your best consistently, then I imagine you can relate to feeling like you’re falling short at times – maybe even often. I have always set the bar high for myself. It is just who I am. Most healthcare professionals I’ve worked with operate in the same manner. Setting high expectations, delivering beyond ‘standard of care’, and regularly putting their needs far down the to-do list.
There is always something important that demands attention. It is rare for high performers to take time to stop and recognize that who they are and all they are doing is enough. Doing so does not mean we sit back, put our feet up, and hand the heavy lifting off to others. It simply means stopping and taking stock of all we have accomplished recently – and over time – and the difference we are making in the world through our efforts.
It has been a very long time since I last did this. I probably would have sailed on through the rest of the day without doing so had I not received an advance copy of an article I wrote for Coping Magazine. The layout looks beautiful. The article flows and contains a nice balance of inspiration, information, and practical strategies to help cancer survivors to make sustainable behavior changes that can improve their wellbeing and quality of life. I am proud of the article and excited to reach those who can benefit from my expertise and my passion for supporting cancer survivors and caregivers.
Though I still have time-sensitive items on my list before the weekend begins, I stopped to read through and sign off on the article. As I reached the end, I was filled with great satisfaction and a sense that, at this moment, I am enough. I work hard to be able to do the kind of work I love – bringing coaching skills into healthcare. It’s not always easy – I’m a disruptor from outside bringing innovative approaches to improve patient adherence and the wellbeing of healthcare professionals. Consistently, there is more I want to accomplish each day, week, and year. Sometimes I make great strides. Other times, I am exhausted by what it takes to be an agent of change. But, today, I am enough. Who I am, what I do, the difference I make in the world is enough.
I invite you to stop for a minute and acknowledge this for yourself. When we see we are enough, it can reduce some of the stress and pressure that can impede performance producing the opposite of the results we’re seeking. You are enough. You are.
