Our greatest 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, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your paying small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within 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
"Return to Love" (hardcover p. 165, paperback pp. 190-191): http://www.marianne.com/MWourdeepestfear.html

For some reason this quote has been widely misattributed to Nelson Mandela's 1994 inaugural address, however these words do not appear in the May 9, 1994 inaugural speech nor the May 10, 1994 inaugural speech nor any of the other speeches, statements and writings by Mr. Mandela. Thanks to John for doing the research and letting me know.