Are you enough?

It might have gone unnoticed in the Arm Swag post - but sometimes the things we wear say a little something about who we are.

The beaded bracelet I wore in the photo above was made a few years ago. It says "I Am Enough". I made it as a reminder that me, on my own, with my flaws - I am enough. Are you enough? I wonder if any of us really know what "enough" is. I fear that sometimes we lose track. We confuse it with perfection. Do you see the good qualities within yourself and know that you bring value to the world around you? The good qualities make you enough. The effort to grow and evolve make you enough.

So here it is many months later - still present and still relevant. It's too hot for many accessories these days - and with the constant application and reapplication of sunscreen I keep it simple on the jewelry front. And yet - last week I opened my jewelry drawer to find this bracelet staring me in the face. I felt compelled to put it on. Perhaps subconsciously I needed a reminder.

And then there are these wise words that were shared with me by a mentor and friend when I was in my twenties. Her sentiments inspired the bracelet. She wrote these simple phrases on a business card years ago and it has stayed in my wallet (many wallets actually) since she gave it to me. When it was written I was young and lacked the confidence to know that I was meant to be here on this Earth with all my quirks and flaws - that the quirks and flaws added levity and made me unique. Back then I needed to be reminded that I had value and was worthy of speaking up and being heard.

These words have stuck with me throughout failed relationships, challenging jobs, everyday turmoil, and major life changes. They became my mantra. They were the beacon amidst the fog that kept me on a straight path towards my ultimate goal. The goal is always a place of peace and acceptance. This mentality gave me the courage to share my voice along the way.

Do you hear the message here? Do you feel you are enough? Could you imagine that everything you do has value in the world? Do you take the time to stop and smell the flowers? I can tell you I do it much more often now than I ever did before. That being said - there will never be a day when I don't need small reminders. I am enough. Everything I do has value in the world. And to really live my life to its fullest I must make time to stop and savor the flowers along the way.