Courage is quiet voice at day’s end urging us to ‘try again tomorrow’

“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 frightens us.  We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? 

There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.  As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”   Marianne Williamson

Williamson is not talking about being egotistical and thinking more highly of yourself than you ought, but about being healthy enough to understand what you do well and what you have to offer and then to find joy in doing it.

Yet, well meaning adults sometimes give the opposite message to children.  As a young girl, my mother who was a gifted pianist was taught to downplay her talents.  All of her life, she was uncomfortable with recognition and unable to hear people who recognized her gift.

When we fail to be true to ourselves, we run the risk of either becoming perfectionists who can never live up to high and unrealistic standards - or we spend a life time belittling ourselves.  Both are forms of self-sabotage.

Is there something you’ve always wanted to try?  Name it.  Then notice how quick you are to discourage yourself – maybe because you’ve tried before and failed.  You tell yourself you are simply not brave enough to try again.  

We forget that feeling scared doesn’t mean we have to act helpless.  Courage is not about being fearless.   

I like what Mary Anne Radmacher said, “Courage doesn’t always roar.  Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.”

Ponder the question again:  Is there something you’ve always wanted to try?