The Wisdom of our Deepest Fear....

This widely acclaimed poem is actually not a poem at all, but an excerpt from A Return To Love, a book by motivational speaker and author Marianne Williamson. The passage has such inspirational power that it is now a stand-alone mantra for a generation of exceptional individuals who wish to motivate themselves and others to live up to their fullest potential.

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, handsome, talented and 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 within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

How about you... How has your biggest fear defined your self image?

What do you do when life throws dirt at you?

...Once there was a donkey that fell in a very large hole.  The farmer did not know what to do.  He simply decided the best thing was to bury the donkey.  He began to shovel dirt into the hole.  At first the donkey panicked – he was being buried alive!  How could the farmer do such a cruel thing to him?

The dirt was getting very heavy on the donkeys back so he shook the dirt off.  The farmer continued to shovel the dirt into the hole and the donkey shook it off – a shovel of dirt, a shake off by the donkey, another shovel, another shake.  Soon the dirt began to pile up under the donkeys feet.  He realized that each time he shook the dirt off his back, the mound beneath him got taller and if he chose to step up onto the mound, he got closer to the top of the hole.  The farmer shoveled the dirt, the donkey shook it off and stepped up…higher and higher the donkey went.  Shovel of dirt, shake it off, step up…shovel of dirt, shake it off, step up.  Shovel, shake, step up – shovel, shake, step up.  Finally the donkey was standing so tall he could walk freely and easily out of the very hole he feared would bury him alive.

Life can throw dirt at us.  We can feel buried by challenges and trials and feel like giving up.  But we can also use the dirt that is thrown at us, to build character and rise up.  Sooner or later dirt will be thrown at you, but what you do with it is up to you.  You can use it to build your future or cover your grave.

What do you do when life throws dirt at you?  Do you shake it off and step up on it?  Remember, with each step up, you are closer to the top.  Wisdom is the view from the hilltop with much dirt under your feet.

Shake it off and step up – Shake it off and step up – Shake it off and step up