Happy New Year 2014! Am I Enough?

It's been months since I last posted, and here we are in a brand new year.  How do I sum up 2013?  Much of it was difficult & frustrating, but at the same time, I learned a lot, made some wonderful new friends, had some memorable times, and discovered that sometimes when life seems overwhelming, support comes from the most unexpected places and helps me overcome the guilt I feel for not being "enough,"  or not doing "enough."  It's not always successful, but it sure has made a huge difference in my life after the past couple of years.

Practically at every turn as I venture into the world of art journaling, I see the phrase "I am enough," which tells me I'm not alone in my feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness.  To see it in so many places, by so many women, feels comforting but at the same time disturbing that so many of us seem to have had these feelings bred into us.  Why?  Why do so many of us grow up feeling like we aren't good enough?  Why do we constantly have to be reminded or told that we are?  I guess we all have our own stories of how it came to be, and we have our own methods of dealing with it.

My way of dealing with these feelings is to dig deep, to excavate my soul, find the things that made me this way and then learn to overcome them to the best of my ability.  I don't do these things all the time, but I choose NOT to leave the feelings to fester; otherwise it'll just infect my whole being and I'll be left empty at the core.  I don't like feeling empty. It's a lonely feeling.

Art journaling and similar activities help get the questions answered and fill the void. It's also a lot of  fun.  Who doesn't like fun?  The sisterhood is a big part of it.  The feeling of being a part of something and knowing that other women, and even some men "get" the things you're working on, with no pressure, no expectations, no judging of what you share - just encouragement and support.  This inspires motivation & inspiration, massive reduction in fear of failure, freedom to create your butt off, and most of all  it goes a long way to making me believe...really believe....that I AM enough.

SO....here I am, at the beginning of a new year, ready to get on with it.  There's a lot I'll be involved in, and a lot to share. ..starting with my next post.

Thanks for stopping by.  There'll be photos next time!

Deb