GOOD ENOUGH

Feb 14 from “Strengthening My Recovery” daily reader

“ACA recovery is challenging, but the rewards are immense. We must put forth effort and feel the uncomfortable feelings that might come. At the same time, the goal is self-love and knowing that we are good enough just the way we are. This is an ACA paradox.” BRB p. 438

“For years, our critical inner parent continued to remind us that we were not good enough. It was a replay of what we were taught about ourselves as children. We didn’t realize it, but that critical part of us was also saying we would never have enough to satisfy our needy Inner Child. At some point we may have asked ourselves, “What is enough?”

With the help of the ACA program, we began to see that we were making inroads into the healing process that would quiet our critical inner parent. In doing so, we knew we could begin to meet our Inner Child’s needs.

As life continues to move forward, bit by bit, we let go of the “enough” of our childhood and learn to accept who we are – that we have so very much to offer, we recognize that our Higher Power helps us fulfill our needs, and occasionally our wants.

On this day I remember that I am and have always been more than good enough.” 

My experience:

Over my lifetime, I wish I would have known I was good enough.  If I felt as if I was good enough I surely would have taken many different paths.  But I felt like I wasn’t so I didn’t.  I pushed myself, more and more to show the outside world that I was good enough, but deep down I felt as though I wasn’t.  This feeling of inadequacy and trying to be good enough brought me a lot of outwardly success, but I was always afraid of being found out a fraud.  So I tried to downplay these successes by saying yeah but wait to you see me get to the next level, get the better car, get the better house, etc.  I needed validation from everyone around me.  This was exhausting.  My ACA program is teaching me that I am enough.  It is still a struggle.  As the challenges of life continue it is easy to say to myself, “See you are not enough.”  However I am beginning to look at those challenges just as they are, a challenge.  I decide if it is my challenge to tackle and/or if the challenge is worth tackling.  Is has nothing to do with if I am good enough and everything to do with me deciding and making choices to attempt to overcome or to not attempt to overcome the challenge before me.  With that mindset, it is a relief to know I am enough and that those people or things outside of me do not dictate to me if I am enough.  WHEW!!!