Power Inspiration

This morning I thought about the following Marianne Williamson quote:

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
A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles, Harper Collins, 1992. From Chapter 7, Section 3 (Pg. 190-191)

Society has very warped definitions of "powerful beyond measure". Ego-maniacal, domineering and self centered POWER, the kind that reeks of self importance in the context of a hierarchy or system of one upmanship, is often glorified and promoted. Sometimes it can feel like stepping into and owning POWER means joining that club. It doesn't have to at all.

The POWER this quote speaks to is ENERGY or Source or God or Spirit or LOVE or anything GREATER than you, which is NOT YOU, but lives in you. Tapping into that POWER and living from its place does lead to feeling BRILLIANT, GORGEOUS, TALENTED and FABULOUS, a scary place if you've been accustomed to calling yourself mediocre, fat, incapable of big things, incompetent, or lost.

Signs you may be afraid of your own POWER:

-Afraid to assert yourself
-Afraid to walk away from a shitty relationship or non-relationship relationship
-Overeating
-Starving or restricting
-Other various eating disordered behavior that causes you to shrink
-Keeping your art hidden
-Keeping your opinions hidden
-Going along with crowds even if you disagree with philosophy
-Doing what your parents suggest
-Refusing to take responsibility for finances
-Shying away from any kind of spiritual practice that speaks to divine energy or Source
-Staying on a career path that is clearly not your heart's desire
-Feeling very threatened by "competition" in social settings or the workplace
-Looking to traditional definitions of Power (for women, let's say meeting the THIN IDEAL, botoxed complexions, etc.) that society upholds and then disqualifying yourself if you don't fit these norms
-Very uncomfortable with sexuality and body image
-Nervous to take on physical challenges that some still consider "masculine" like punching, kicking, push-ups, etc.
-Discomfort in a leadership or management role out of fear you come off as too dominant or controlling
-Uncomfortable saying NO to people particularly if they want something from you that you don't want to give (boundaries, boundaries, boundaries)
-Settling for a lower salary than you deserve or being afraid to ask for a raise
-Fear of solitude

Great news is, we are born ready and able to live in our POWER so we can unlearn these tendencies at any time. Yahoo.

I am SO GRATEFUL for all the people I know who SHINE without or through fear and live from a deep place of connection to Source. It inspires me to do the same a day at a time!

Best, :)
Lindsay