Stop Shoulding on Yourself

You may remember my blog entry about the two witnesses... Well recently, on two different occasions in totally different ways, I have seen someone question if they are enough. Since it has happened twice in just a few days, it caught my attention and I have started wondering... Am I Enough?

As I have reflected on this I have questioned and thought, If I were to die suddenly:

Am I ENOUGH of a teacher for my Sunday school class? Do I give my preparation ENOUGH of my time and energy to do the topic any justice?
Am I ENOUGH of a daughter? Do I appreciate my mom ENOUGH? Do I show my appreciation ENOUGH?
Am I ENOUGH of a mother? Do I give my kids ENOUGH love? Do I let them know ENOUGH how much I love them or do I take it for granted that they already know?
Am I ENOUGH of a wife? Do I take my husband's love for granted? Am I deserving ENOUGH of all the things he does for me and our family?
Am I ENOUGH of a visiting teacher? Do I give it ENOUGH effort or do I do just ENOUGH to count it?
Am I ENOUGH of a friend? Do I take advantage of people without giving back more than what I get from the relationship?
Am I ENOUGH of an example of what my beliefs are? Do people see ENOUGH of the light of Christ in me to know without a doubt where I stand?
Am I Charitable ENOUGH? Do I give from the heart ENOUGH or do I hold back out of selfishness or fear?
The list could go on and on and on....

We need to be doing enough of the right things to be moving in the right direction and if we do, the Savior will make up the difference.
Some people do enough, but not of the right things OR for the right reasons. For example, if we are doing our visiting teaching, but only for the credit, then we are doing enough, but not of the right thing.
Some people do the right things, but they don't do them enough. Example...if we read our scriptures now and then, but not consistently, we are doing the right thing, just not enough.
We each have to find a balance of what is right and what is enough. It's not a magic formula that applies to everyone. One person's list of the right things may be different than someone else's and your right things may be different at different times of your life. One person's ENOUGH will certainly be different than everyone else's.

I see women I admire doing things that I just am not capable of doing at the same time in my life or at the same level and I frequently find myself "shoulding" on myself.
"I should do more of this or that"
"I should go to more meetings"
"I should be more charitable"
"I should be more like so and so"
"I should be a better wife/ mother/ daughter"
"I should read and study more"

Admit it... you totally know what I'm talking about!
My advice to myself and to you...

WE NEED TO STOP SHOULDING ON OURSELVES!!!!!!!


We have to stop comparing ourselves to what others are doing and stop measuring our ENOUGH against everyone else. It is deeply personal and God knows what the time and season is for us and He knows how much is ENOUGH. We need to spend ENOUGH time on our knees counseling with HIM to discover just what our ENOUGH is.