We’re living in unpredictable and frightening times, and when life feels that way, our minds jump into an us-versus-them mindset almost instantly. Have you noticed that in yourself? It becomes us against anyone who doesn’t agree with us, anyone who upsets us, anyone we see as a threat. And the moment that happens, something important falls away. We lose our ability to see their humanity. We lose any sense that they want the same basic things we want. And almost without noticing it, we lose our compassion for them.

Recently, someone asked me what they should do because they felt completely overwhelmed by what’s happening in the world, in the country, in their own lives. They told me it was hard to even get through the day.

And I get it. Honestly, I’ve been feeling the same way. There’s so much coming at us from all directions. So I took a few days to sit with their question before answering, because I didn’t want to give a quick fix or a neat little “tip.” I wanted to offer something real.

Let’s talk about that heavy, nagging feeling so many of us carry—the sense that we’re just not enough. Not doing enough. Not giving enough. Not being enough.

Maybe you feel it in your relationships—with your family, your partner, your coworkers, your friends. Maybe it’s something quieter and more personal, like a lingering feeling that you’re somehow falling short, even when no one’s saying it out loud…