I spoke with my friend and bestselling author Gabrielle Bernstein on this week’s episode of my podcast. Gabby and I talked about, among other things, the importance of us stepping into our power, especially in our work.
It can be scary for me and most of the people I know to fully own who we are and bring our whole selves to the work we do. However, it’s as important as ever for us in today’s world to step into our power and bring forward the passion, light, and wisdom within us.
I woke up this morning thinking about the famous quote from Marianne Williamson where she said, “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.” She goes on to say, “Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.” And, she concludes this well-known passage by saying, “As we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do that same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
I’ve loved this quote for over 20 years, ever since I first heard it at my graduation from Stanford in 1996. It’s so true that when we play small it doesn’t serve us, the people around us, or the world.
Our job is to step into our power, even and especially if it seems scary or we don’t feel “ready.” And, it’s important to remember that stepping into our power isn’t about being better than anyone, it’s about being the biggest, brightest, most authentic version of ourselves we can possibly be.