“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Marianne Williamson
I first encountered this quote, which by the way sent micro shock waves down my spine because of how true it was for me, a few years ago when I attended a 4-week, 2-hour per week session at our church on Finding Your Strengths/Gifts (we used the Clifton Strengths Finder book that lets you know your top 5 strengths or gifts based on your answers to a 170-question test). The secular version of this book is still widely used by top companies for their executives and employees. The purpose of it is for a person to know what comes naturally for him/her so that the focus will be on developing and using those talents to further their lives and careers and even be better at their relationships, and therefore avoid wasting time on trying to be somebody they are not or to try and be great at something that is in direct opposition to their natural gifts and abilities.
During our first session, when asked how I felt when I read this passage, my very first thoughts were: Empowering, Reassuring and Extremely Liberating! It automatically connected me back to who I remember and know myself to be (where I was most comfortable) which I have tried to control for sake of others so that I don’t make them feel bad. During the session it also asked if we sometimes “play small” and if we are making the most of our God-given gifts. Well, my answers were, yes I sometimes play small (again, so that I don’t make others feel bad for just being who I am or having what I have) and that I think I do make the most of my God-given gifts “sometimes” but that I do need to understand more how to fully utilize them. Those were my honest answers and they were so enlightening for me.
Going back to Marianne Williamson’s quote, reading this and reflecting on it truly allowed for me to have the courage to show who I am as a person (and a child of God) and to share my light to others so that they in turn, could allow for their lights to shine and be shared as well. It’s a beautiful cycle!
What about you? What were your first thoughts upon reading it?
