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, 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 is not just in some of us; it is 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


My little sister found this poem and left it for me awhile ago. It's a really good poem, and I think is actually very true. Sometimes we're afraid to stand out, afraid to be too good, or to realize our full potential. It applies in all aspects of life, academics, church, etc. but I've found it especially significant in running. I know it sounds really weird, but for a little while during the cross country season I was afraid to win. I know, it makes no sense, but it's true. At the end of the race I couldn't every see myself getting up on my toes and finishing the race like one of the top runners, I subconsciously held myself back, I had placed the image of a top runner above myself as a seemingly unattainable goal. Luckily I've moved past that. I no longer go out to a race with the attitude of "racing to not lose" as my coach puts it. I race to win, to win for myself and my team.