“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
Many of us have heard Williamson’s popular quote, but are still grasping for any tool to help us be our biggest selves. “We are all meant to shine, as children do,” is very true, but… HOW? Where do we begin? As you know, there are many tools and paths to peace, but there is one in particular way that has helped me, immeasurably...the way I speak to myself and others.
Once we begin to uncover the truth of this quote, we could start to notice how we speak with ourselves and others. We have become so accustomed to playing small because we don’t want to seem like a know-it-all; or even worse, an egocentric narcissist. So, we finish our sentences with the word, ”Right?!? Or "Do you know what I mean?" in hopes that people will agree and VALIDATE us because we don’t think that we are enough to declare something as what is. But, wait a second...we do know. We don’t know why we know, but our instinct continues to be with us until we use our intelligence.
“The fear of seeming arrogant keeps most people from expressing what they know with certainty. Hence, the watered-down language of ‘kind of, ‘sort of,’ ‘maybe’ that seems to protect the ego from rejection. They only weaken every statement you make. I sort of love you? I kind of need a heart transplant?! Speaking and living the truth takes humility because it requires risking people’s opinions. People will have their opinions no matter what you say or do.
The Good Opinion Of People= G.O.O.P.
Experience your own humility.
Give up the GOOP.
Live big and bright and sure.”
This brings me to other commonly used words that keeps us from being powerful beyond measure...We say: I believe, I think, and I feel. Beliefs, feelings, and what we think change. They are from our incessantly busy mind. The busyness then wears us out. We give away our patience and go back to “busy-ness” as usual. What we know, we can stand on. We will have no need to defend or protect our hearts. The truth never changes.
Which sentence is more powerful?
I KNOW love works.
OR
I believe, think, or feel that love works.
How about the “I am a…” phrase? Which of the following sentences leaves room for possibility, change, and does not label or box in the person?
I am a dental hygienist. Or…I am in the dental hygiene profession.
And how about the word … “happened!?!” Which sentence do you know aligns with Marianne Williamson’s quote?
Life happened, and I got cancer. OR...I created an extraordinary experience where I learned that I can create happiness in spite of it all. Where I learned to claim my peace in spite of the result. Where cancer taught me to surrender completely.
If we would only choose to see with the eyes of our heart – not of our mind, we would remember that all is well, always. For those of you whose minds are screaming, I did not create this situation! I humbly offer you the view that you create your experiential reaction to the challenge that life brings you. I created my experience of eye cancer four times. You are a victim of nothing. Unless, you choose to be. You are not powerless; you are powerful. We all enter this world to have a human experience full of highs and lows so that we can remember that Love is the ONLY truth. How could we know darkness without light? We are the embodiment of Love's perfection. Everything that is occurring in existence is here FOR our spiritual growth – not against. And if it is HERE, you can choose to manage it. The choice is ours. Are we going to thrive, go with what we know, and dare to courageously speak it? Or, are we going to play small and live an existence of survival, waiting for Heaven to save us from the unfairness of humanity? Heaven is found within. Let it surface and you will create peace. As the comedian, Taylor Mali, so eloquently states, “It is not enough these days to simply question authority, you’ve got to speak with it, too.”
