Our Inner Light

Like everyone, I have gone through some tough times in my life. One constant thing that has gotten me through them is having inspirational quotes nearby. The way I've had them nearby has varied -- in high school and college I had them all over my bedroom in the form of post-its, and as I've grown older I have associated post-its with "To Do" things, so I mostly keep them in my planner or my computer now. The effect is the same. One quote that has been a constant favorite of mine is:

“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.”
- Marianne Williamson

The reason I love this quote is because I have noticed with me and with others how hard it is for us to believe other people when they say good things about us. Many times I have told a friend "you are very good looking", "you are smart", "you're inspiring", and even "you are such a good parent". Most times I am met with a look of surprise, disbelief, and even embarrassment. This look is usually followed by something like "Oh, I don't know about that", or "I try but I'm not", and even "If you think that about me, you should meet so and so".

I know that most times if I said something negative to that same person, he/she would believe it almost instantly. "You should be a better parent", "You have a bad haircut", "You look fat", etc.

Why is it so hard to take the positive but so easy to take the negative? I'm not the exception, I can't count the times I have a hard time believing the positive things about myself. Then I realize though, that believing the good things about me is essential to becoming the best me there is. We all are, after all, divine beings. There is goodness, talent, love, compassion, joy, and light within each one of us, and the more we realize it, the more obvious those attributes become within each of us, and the more the good inside us is able to shine and touch those around us.