You’re Imperfect, You’re Enough.

I hope you all had a nice weekend. Last Monday I lost a friend of 30 years.  He took his own life and when these things happen, after the initial shock moves through we are often left the question Why? Our path is a windy one. Full of unexpected twists and turns and at times it can feel so overwhelming that perhaps we have each had those thoughts of how much easier it would be if…… 

For myself when I feel that way I look for the lessons and often with just a little bit of time and perspective I find them. I begin to see that what seems like a deviation from my path is actually part of it. What seems to be IN the way, often IS the way. 

Years ago I saw a photo a friend of mine had taken of the palm of her hand with the words I’m Imperfect, I’m Enough written on it. I never forgot what that looked like and when I say those words to myself I can still see the photo in my mind.

The mind is extremely powerful in the stories we tell and more often we talk ourselves into the belief that we are supposed to be perfect, that we don’t have enough, can’t do enough and are just not enough. I have been thinking about what I would say to him if I had had the chance. It’s three words. You are Enough.

So, that is what we practiced on the mat. I asked students to truly believe that whatever they had available on the mat was enough, whatever they were offering to others was enough and to be sure that they offer themselves enough too; to be kind with their words, their stories. That they were in fact ENOUGH.

What we practice we get better at. That goes for physical endeavors as well as mental beliefs. The stories we write for ourselves become the truth we live by. We can remember that what seem like a deviation off the path is often just a windy part of it, what is IN the way, often is THE WAY and most importantly, we are all imperfect and we are all ENOUGH.