It’s fall in the northern hemisphere, and spring in the south—both of these seasons bring a lot of BUSY energy with them.
A buzz in the air that can subtly feel like “do, do, do, do!”
We all have a good amount of “I’m not worthy” trying to run us ragged. That belief is tucked deep down in our being, but on the surface, there’s a lot of striving — usually to get it right, or more precisely, to get it perfect.
Perfection is just the costume your unworthiness wears. And this season can really catch us running this story…
I often pass on a little pointer to my students: I’ve been inviting them to keep a mantra each day that says, “Good enough!”
More specifically:
“Good enough for this white (or Black, Asian, Aboriginal, etc.) girl (or boy or ___) who kinda thinks she/he is all that.”
When the “I’m not worthy” belief when unchecked can hook us into a kind of mad insanity. There are stories about how our actions cause others strife — otherwise known as guilt. And there are heavier ones about how our very being is harmful to others — otherwise known as shame.
Guilt and shame both stem from that deep subconscious belief that we’re “not worthy,” and the surface activity of our lives becomes filled with striving to finally measure up to some idea of perfection.
Striving is profoundly stressful and uncomfortable, yet it’s not always obvious. It’s subtle — a quiet, constant drive that fuels us 24/7. The consistency of that energy makes us a little numb to how uncomfortable it actually is.
It’s only when that energy cranks into overdrive — when we suddenly find ourselves acting out an obsessive-compulsive need to get it perfect — that we finally wake up to how heavy, painful, and exhausting it’s been all along. Like, who are you to need everything to be so perfect? Why do you think you need to all that?”
So, here is your invitation. Whisper this pointer, “good enough,” to yourself. See if you can drop into that deep relaxation. See if you can recognize the fact that you are, in fact, good enough, and that most of what you’re doing already is actually good enough. (And who do you think you are that you are striving for such perfection anyway?)
I invite you to be “good enough for a white girl who is pretending to kinda be all that.” (Or whatever noun applies to you.)
Striving does not help you become extraordinary.
Striving is profoundly stressful and uncomfortable, yet it is not always obvious to us. It is a subtle energy source that drives us 24/7, and the constancy of this energy makes us numb to how uncomfortable it truly is. It’s only when that energy cranks into overgear and we suddenly feel an all-out panic that we wake up to how exhausting it is.
This relentless drive is fueled by one thing — the belief of “not worthy.” Without that belief, instead of striving, we would be motivated by something softer and much more fulfilling: inspiration. We could simply flow from inspiration to inspiration, if only that old “not worthy” story wasn’t running the show.
Even the most grounded, skilled, and integrated people are only going to “nail it” about 20% of the time. That means 80% of the time, they are simply good enough. This is not bad news — this is wonderful news. It means you do not have to be extraordinary all the time. You can rest in the fact that being good enough most of the time gives you the energy and natural impulse to be extraordinary when it truly matters.
When you stop striving to be perfect, you allow your natural rhythm of excellence to show itself. You discover that extraordinary is not something you chase; it is something that naturally arises when you are relaxed and present.
The irony is that when you try to be more than you are, you actually become less. Striving takes over your natural flow, and everything becomes a little chaotic and heavy. But when you allow yourself to be good enough, your system softens. You open up, and from that space, your genuine extraordinariness begins to unfold naturally.
And let’s be honest — being extraordinary all the time would be exhausting, not only for you but for everyone around you. That kind of constant performance is not sustainable, and it often leads to overinflation and imbalance.
We have seen this in many spiritual and wellness communities — leaders and teachers who, even when proclaiming themselves “egoless” or “divine,” end up casting a long shadow of harm and confusion.
So, 20% extraordinary is more than enough. It is the natural balance of being human. That means 80% good enough really is good enough.
Here is your gentle reminder once more: whisper this pointer, “good enough,” to yourself. See if you can relax into that truth. Notice how, when you stop striving, a quiet peace begins to emerge — one that allows inspiration to move freely again.
Perhaps we could even make a T-shirt or a sticker to remind ourselves:
“Good enough for this Asian guy who kinda thinks he is all that.”
“Good enough for this mom who’s done with pretending.”
“Good enough for this human who’s learning to rest.”
Because in the end, that’s the club worth joining. The one where we all finally remember — we are already good enough.
Want some other reminders that you’re already good enough?
You might like these:
– Kiran