These words of inspiration were first presented to me as being from Nelson Mandela’s inaugural speech. This fallacy is still being spread today. To set the record straight, the words came from Marianne Williamson in her book A Return to Love. Nelson Mandela did not quote her or in any way use the material. It is a mystery why these words were ever attributed to him. At any rate, I have always found these words to be inspirational and share them with you here:
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.
—-from A Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson.