Photo by Volkan Olmez on Unsplash

There’s this T-shirt I keep seeing everywhere, classic black Tee with a few simple words on the front and a rose in the middle: “Good Enough.” Maybe it’s just because I’m twenty years old and it’s that awkward time when everyone’s doing something different, but I’ve been wondering about that phrase.

How do you define what “good enough” looks like?

That T-shirt comes from former Vine sensation turned YouTuber Nathan Zed and he wanted to make a shirt that people could put on as a reminder: whatever they’re doing and whoever they are in that moment, if it feels good, then it’s good enough.

He has this quote in his You’re Not Good Enough video, saying “I just hate feeling like the most unqualified person in the room.”

I don’t think anyone likes that feeling. But when someone wants to get good at something, they’re going to have to learn the ropes and let themselves feel unqualified at first. If I wanted to be better at piano, I would need to learn how to read sheet music, play easy songs and slowly raise the bar.

Because that’s the thing— in this case I set the bar. 

It doesn’t always feel like that.

Take college for example; people can judge you off the school you get into, whether or not you leave home, the major you apply for, and what you want to do for the rest ofyour life. If you’re liberal arts at an engineering school, you’re not good enough. If you stay home for school and go to a CC (and save copious amounts of money among other benefits), you’re not good enough.

I want to know who makes these rules, but I guess the answer is that technically, we do. We should change them.

I’m at the age where some people are getting married or starting families while others are working or going to college and travelling the world. Everyone is at a different place and it’s hard to say that what you’re doing feels like enough when everyone else seems like they’re doing more.

On social media people post things like “just got back from Cancun!” or “made the Dean’s List again lol.” You see all the good things or accomplishments because of course people are going to publicize things when they’re going well, not even for other recognition, but just to acknowledge themselves. There’s nothing wrong with that.

There is something wrong with us believing that because someone is smiling or things look like they’re going well, everything is as fantastic as it looks and we just don’t have what it takes to get there.

Now for those of you who are doing great, know you’re doing great, and feel secure in that, fantastic! Good for you, keep doing your thing.

For those of you who aren’t or don’t quite feel that way, remember that it’s okay because I know I struggle with feeling like I’m doing enough or being enough both for myself and the people I love. This is a reminder to start from where you are and do what you can to get yourself to where you want to be.

I know it sounds like I’m preaching self-love here… Because I am. Before you please anyone else, you have to figure out what you want for yourself and make that happen. No one else can. Once you’re happy with that, be okay with it and wherever you end up next.

Photo by Justin Luebke on Unsplash

You are good enough only if you can accept where you’re at and do what it takes to get to where you want to be. So here’s to a weekend that just might be good enough for you, good luck and happy Friday everyone.

PS. If you’re looking into those shirts I talked about, check them out here because I think the concept is a pretty wholesome one.