There once was a woman who lived most of her life doubting herself. Second guessing. Being her own worst enemy.
Despite overcoming major life hurdles like cancer, divorce, and depression, she still saw herself as weak. She still second guessed. She still felt like she had to hide in the corner or try to be something she was not.
She ran a marathon to prove something to herself. She had a permanent seat on the roller coaster that took her from overweight to within reach of her goal. She could talk a great game but, in the end, when it came down to the quiet of her mind, all she could focus on was the flaws, the imperfections, the outward evidence that she was not all that she wanted to be.
That she was me. And that ME is tired of carrying around the painful weight caused by focusing on the flaws. That me is ready to shed the pounds, to walk taller, to stand straighter, and to believe. To believe in me. To believe that me–who I am, as I am, is enough.
I am not naive enough to believe that this journey to focusing on the good will easy. I know that I will get frustrated and will find it impossible to look beyond whatever imperfection I see in the mirror. But it is a journey. A truly worthwhile journey.
A journey made even more important by the presence of my six and a half year old daughter Principessa. My bubbly and spirited daughter who seems happy and independent and ready to take on the world. Until one day she cried. She cried because she thought she was not pretty because of her glasses. Or because she thought the children at the pool were laughing at her because she was short. Or because she beats herself up for having forgotten how to make good choices.
We need to believe in ourselves for ourselves and for our children. We need to believe in ourselves because the alternative leads us down a long and eventually lonely road. We need to believe. It is time. It is time to celebrate me. It is time to celebrate you. It is time to Just.Be.Enough.
You give me chills, for real. You being enough is going to end up being so, so much more to so many people.
I’m in awe of you. And so inspired by you. Angela’s right, and I’m so incredibly honored to be on this journey with you helping others to Just.Be.Enough.
You are amazing! This is going to be life changing for so many and I am so thrilled to be a part of this!!
Thank you!
kelly recently posted..VlogTalk- My Summer Reading List
Oh my sweet dear friend – how thrilled I am that you linked this to our Why I started this Blog meme running this week. You are so special, and such a light and a love – thank you for being my friend, my life is enriched for knowing you
What amazing story you have to share! You have had quite a journey!
I love you and I love your vision. Thank you for Just Be Enough
Frelle recently posted..I Won A WordPress Move!
Elena, you are an inspiration. This lovely site of yours? Will be the starting place for many lives that is about to change, thanks to your message of Just Be Enough. I’m so glad I can be here with you from the start.
Alison@Mama Wants This recently posted..I Ask France Rants
Hooray for you! I’m so excited for and inspired by *you!*
Galit Breen recently posted..When Mommy Sings
Yay, you! I have often been interested in what the difference is between people who beieve in themselves, and people who don’t believe in themselves. I think you’re nailing it on the head. Celebrate exactly what you are. What a great message for our children to hear.
Elaine recently posted..Buy That Kid Some Dance Lessons
I love this. Wish I had known about your link up with the “Things I like about Me” post when it happened… as difficult as it would have been, I would have done it. After a year (or more) of struggling to find myself, I feel like I’m finally on the path to finding me… and liking myself again.
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I am so glad that you’ve started this site. We are definitely cut from the same cloth! It’s amazing how having kids, and daughters in particular, can provide a huge wake up call. So glad to be following along with Just Be Enough. xoxo
ChiMomWriter recently posted..Visit Us at Over at C. Mom’s Today
Elena,
This is wonderful and will indeed be life changing help for many people. I am especially touched and convicted by your comments about Principessa, because I did my daughters, especially my youngest a disservice with all my talk of weight for the last several years. sigh. but I can change…and I will.
Awesome! I look forward to sharing the ride with you. I have felt like this, to varying degrees, throughout my life and have also committed to work on it because of my children.
Christine @ Quasi Agitato recently posted..The Short and the Long of It.
I love this…it’s the perfect way to shower each other and ouurselves with LOVE!!!! Yea!!!
Kir recently posted..Monday Musings: The Summer Blog Social and a Winner!!!
How wonderful are you?
So wonderful I don’t have the words for it.
Go, girl.
I’ll be the Oprah behind you.
The blog world needs a website like this! Women everywhere need it! I really enjoyed participating in the Things I Like About Me challenge. It was not as easy to write that list as I thought it might be. Your honesty is refreshing. And more women relate to your sentiments than don’t, I believe. Looking forward to following your blog and growing together!
Jennifer M recently posted..Friendship
Sooo excited for this. Thank you for inviting us to join you on this journey that so many of us need to take.
NotJustAnotherJennifer recently posted..S’s 4th Birthday Party: Cars
My gosh–thank you for being on the journey with us!
thank you… I look forward to finding a way to be me. without guilt.
LatteJunkie recently posted..Misinformation Monday 6
What an important thing to find! Look forward to following you as you find it!
I’m so glad to see this – this needs to be here and I think it’s a huge step forward. That list was embarrasingly hard for me to put together.
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I hope so!! And thank you for all of your support as this idea was in it’s early stages!
This is awesome.
Thank you lovely lady!