To be annoyed by the quote ‘You Are Enough!’

[ChockaChick]

…’Cos maybe you’re not. Maybe the other candidates for the job are more qualified and experienced than you are. Maybe you’ve got a bit complacent and some clients are about to make a justified complaint about you. Maybe you just don’t have sufficient talent g for a lead role in a West End show. Sorry.

@Coronawireless

So the positive thinking sort of auto-grooms people into being their best self.

No, i think it grooms you in to accepting yourself as you are. A by product of that can be more confidence, more resilience and more conventional success but i think ACCEPTANCE not being ones best self (whatever that is) is really key for people with a critical inner voice

I don’t think I’m all that great in many respects. I don’t think I have low self-esteem but am just being realistic.

@ChockaChick

I don’t think I’m all that great in many respects. I don’t think I have low self-esteem but am just being realistic.

But you don't have to. You are enough doesn't mean 'you are great! You're the best! it means, it's OK to accept yourself despite your limitations.

I was told a really interesting thing by a counsellor the other day. She said the Self esteem movement had created poor mental health because it encouraged people to think of themselves as The Best and Better Than Everyone Else. There's a move towards the Self Compassion movement in MH, which is where the You are Enough quote comes in. That encourages you to think: I don't have to be the best, I can and do fail sometimes but that's OK. I'm still OK as a person and deserve to treat myself fairly not harshly.