Kenough, Ken's best line in the Barbie Movie

In the Barbie movie, Ken realizes that he gets to decide who he is. He is wearing his "I am Kenough" shirt. I want this shirt! This movie was fun. I enjoyed the characters and the content. The story inspired me to share my journey of how I have become enough or "Kenough." Seriously, is this shirt available?

My future book Enough: Finding your voice when there is so much to do began when I decided that who I am and how I spend my time, energy and talents TODAY need to match where I want to be (Hardy, 2023). I get to decide what matters most to me and live like it matters (Adachi, 2021). As my self, as a spouse, as a parent, in my talents as a writer, speaker and teacher, I need a vision of what the best version of me would look like in each of these roles. Ken found his Kenough. Here is a short version of how I found mine.

Realization

I am the one holding me back

I am the one that I can change or control

I decide how I spend my life, my time and energy

I decide what matters most to me

I decide what kind of character I develop

I decide how I react to and treat others

I decide my future dream version of who I will be

I decide how much I eat and exercise

Decide

I am the deciding factor. My vision developed as I looked at my present life today; where I was doing well and where I wasn't. Then I imagined the best version of myself in each of these areas. From this, I was able to see what I really wanted to become and accomplish. I could see where my present actions and character needed work. Instead of staying where I am now, I decided to go for that better version of myself.

Advice

I also imagined that future best version living my life right now (Hardy, 2023). What would she do? What advice would she give about what really matters?

Vision

Write a vision of your self and your top 2-3 roles.

I wrote down what matters most to me and what I want to do as a parent, then as a spouse and then as my self.

Write a right now vision of what you really want for the next three months or season of the year.

I took the season that I am living in, summer at the time, and imagined what my end of summer self would have hoped I did and acted in the moments given this season (Adachi, 2023) (Northrup, 2020).

Action

My vision drives my action (Hardy, 2023). I start today seeing myself now as that future better version. With this as my standard, I look at what is not lining up. Based on what needs work, I can see my action steps.

Personhood

Today I begin practicing the behaviors and character traits that I want to emulate in my life. I give this moment the best quality of myself (Tolle, 2004). How do I want to act in this moment?

Negative

If negative behaviors are trying to take over, I slow down and take a moment, especially in prayer. Why am I acting this way? Is there a driving thought, fear or other emotion (Tolle, 2004)? Usually for me it is a fake sense of rush. I take the driving factor, address it and let it go (Hendricks, 2009). I receive the positive affirmation in this moment that I can grow in this area. I give myself grace to try again.

Accomplishment

Today I begin doing what I really want to do. My time and energy is like a pie or a seat at the table, each important part of me gets a share. In tiny and big ways, I plan and give myself time today, this week, to do the next step to accomplish what I want. I give myself time now to try, create and do without rush. Even with a small amount of time, the effort I put in will add up over time (Fogg, 2020). Doing nothing will add up to nothing.

Revision

Weekly and each new season, I come back to my visions to remind, revise and recast. Perhaps what I thought I wanted has changed, so a new version is needed. As I reflect on what I have done, I make note of what is working to get the desired results and where an increase of efforts may be needed. I celebrate where my better version of myself is becoming more of a reality today.

Rest and Enjoy

Both the journey and the destination are the reward. Each day, week, season needs a regular planned time to enjoy and rest (Northrup, 2020). Though I am becoming more of what I want, I am enough right now to take a break, to cuddle with those close to me, look at their faces, and hear what they are saying to me. I join in on the invitations, enjoy the fruit of my work, play and be my fun self. I do what I really want to do.

I decide that I am enough

The Barbie movie is an inspiration to look inside ourselves to find our enough. Once you look to yourself for this defining factor, I encourage you to act on it. Be who you really want to be by doing what that best version of yourself would do today.

Sources:

Adachi, Kendra. The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn’t, and Get Stuff Done. The Crown Publishing Group, 2021.

Adachi, Kendra. “The Summer Docket: The Lazy Genius Guide to Making Summer Fun.” thelazygeniuscollective.com, 2023.

Fogg, B. J. Tiny Habits: Why Starting Small Makes Lasting Change Easy. Virgin Books, 2020.

Hardy, Benjamin. Be Your Future Self Now: The Science of Intentional Transformation. HAY HOUSE INC, 2023.

Hendricks, Gay. The Big Leap. HarperCollins, 2009.

Northrup, Kate. Do Less. Hay House Inc, 2020.

Tolle, Eckhart. The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment. Distributed to the Trade by Publishers Group West, 2004.