Who am I...?

Since the first time I heard it, this quote by Marianne Williamson has been one of my favorites. “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?"

Who am I to have my own business?
Who am I to think I have something to offer to others?
Who am I to teach yoga?
Who am I to put myself out there, assuming what I'm putting out is something of value?
Woah.
Sound familiar yet?
Who am I to run that race?
Who am I to think I could win?
Who am I to sit at the head of that conference table?
Who am I to ask for that salary?
Who am I to think someone like them could be interested in me?
Who am I to think I deserve happiness, peace, comfort, ease, acceptance, recovery, abundance, grace, forgiveness, love, security, joy?

"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."

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking. Playing small.
There is nothing enlightened about writing your website draft in the third person so it sounds like someone else is listing your accomplishments.
There is nothing enlightened about accepting less than you are worth.
There is nothing enlightened about choosing shorter words instead of the beautiful ones you want to use.
There is nothing enlightened about not sharing your beautiful gifts because compliments make you so uncomfortable.
There is nothing enlightened about staying stuck when you are dying inside so you don't disrupt the lives of those around you who seem comfortable with your stuck-ness.
There is nothing enlightened about not doing the thing because others look so cool doing the thing and I don't think I'm nearly cool enough to do the thing.

"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.”

Amen, Om, Selah.
May it be so.
Shine on, family. Shine on, self.