“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? … 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… 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 – A Return to Love
An oldie but a goodie.
Sometimes the fear that we might actually succeed, we might actually step into our greatness and live the life we want, holds us back and keeps us small.
What if I’m happier than my parents were, earn more than them or do subjectively ‘better’? What if I outgrow my parents or my family? What if I highlight their disappointments in the process of shining my light brighter?
All these concerns are not your burdens to carry. We are supposed to grow. We are supposed to improve. We are supposed to love. If we don’t do better, who will?