Our deepest fear

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 and fabulous? Actually, who are you NOT to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same.

— Nelson Mandela 1994 Inaugural Speec

Are you playing small or do you let your light shine? Tell us in the comments.

photo by P. Sudhakaran United Nations Photo (Creative Commons)