We are living in a world saturated with “more.” More work, more noise, more pressure to be and do and have. We rarely stop to question the pace or the purpose. Somewhere between the striving and the coping, we have normalised a kind of quiet exhaustion. One that chips away at our joy and our sense of fulfilment. One that chips away at the essence of our soul.
The Fatigue of More
In my previous blog, After the Peak: Capitalism at a Crossroads, I explored the growing cracks in capitalism. A system that once promised prosperity but now often delivers burnout, inequality, and environmental collapse. We examined how relentless growth and consumerism have driven us to a breaking point, forcing us to confront a fundamental question: what is all this for?
This brings me to a new conversation. One that challenges the very engine of our current system. Enoughism: the radical act of saying, “this is enough.”
We live in a world that worships productivity, glorifies accumulation, and constantly whispers that who we are and what we have is never quite enough. Our economic system thrives on scarcity, comparison, and perpetual dissatisfaction, a cycle that is unsustainable.
The number of influencers on social media with lists of things we need to do to be successful at this and that because we are not doing enough is staggering. I have had to learn how to consciously switch off and scroll on every time this content comes up on my newsfeed. I have to consciously stop for a moment to evaluate its usefulness.
In her book, The Soul of Money, Lynne Twist notes that:
“For many of us, our first waking thought is “I didn’t get enough sleep.” The next one is “I don’t have enough time.” Before we even sit up in bed, before our feet touch the floor, we are already inadequate, already behind, already losing, already lacking something.
By the time we go to bed at night, our minds are racing with a litany of what we didn’t get or didn’t get done that day. We go to bed burdened by those thoughts and wake up to the reverie of lack.”
Lynne calls out scarcity not as truth, but as a learned collective belief, something we can unlearn. She notes that when we step out of the shadow of this distorted system and the mindset it generates, what we discover is that scarcity is a lie. That no matter where we are, the myths and mindset of scarcity create an underlying fear that we won’t have enough of what’s needed to have a satisfying life.
More of everything has not brought us peace. Instead, it has left many of us burnt out, overcommitted, disconnected from ourselves and from each other.
What if the most radical act is simply saying: I have enough. I am enough.
Enoughism
Enoughism is the conscious decision to define what is truly enough for you and to live from that place. It is the practice of sufficiency in a culture that profits from excess. It is about drawing a line between desire and depletion. Unlike minimalism, which often focuses on decluttering the material, enoughism goes deeper. It’s about reclaiming your inner compass. It asks:
- What is enough work?
- What is enough money?
- What is enough success?
It is not anti-ambition, nor is it about settling. It is about recognising when the chase becomes the chain and choosing freedom instead.
ENOUGHISM in Everyday Life
Enoughism is deeply spiritual. It reminds us that we are not machines. That we are souls in human form and our goal is not to consume or produce endlessly, but to live fully, freely and joyfully. We practice Enoughism when we:
- We log off social media to protect our peace.
- We set boundaries that honour our wellbeing.
- We choose rest over relentless productivity.
- We buy only what we need and find joy in it.
- We say “no” without feeling guilty.
A Cultural Shift Is Underway
While capitalism taught us to measure worth through output, enoughism is teaching us to measure life through well-being. Across the world, a silent movement is growing:
- Millennials and Zennials are rejecting hustle culture.
- The idea of “success” is evolving. It is now less about wealth and more about wellbeing.
- Regenerative economies and slow living are gaining traction.
- Indigenous philosophies like Ubuntu are re-emerging, reminding us that wholeness is collective, not individualistic.
Enoughism Is Revolutionary
To say “I have enough” is to reclaim your power. It is a refusal to be manipulated by marketing that feeds on your insecurities. It is a spiritual protest against the myth that more = better. It is a political act in a system designed to keep you consuming, scrolling and comparing.
It is realising that there is more abundance in enough than in excess.
While capitalism taught us to measure worth through output, enoughism is teaching us to measure life through peace, joy and fulfilment.
The Sacredness of Enoughism
Enoughism is not about shrinking. It’s about expanding into a life aligned with your truth, not society’s noise.
In a world that tells you to do more, buy more, be more, enoughism gently reminds you that you are not lacking, you are not late, you are not behind and you are already enough.
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