A quote that resonates with me is, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest
fear is that we are powerful beyond measure… There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so
that other people will not feel insecure around you.. As we are liberated from our own fear, our
presence automatically liberates others” Marianne Williamson. As it does most of us, this quote
calls me out on playing small. It forces me to be to think about the sincerity of my actions, and
be aware of when I'm holding back. This quote makes me want to be myself, it makes me
curious about what I can do.

I read more fiction than non-fiction so I wouldn’t have head this if my english teacher hadn’t
included it in a lesson. My teacher passed around the quote and asked us to analyze it. The
second I finished reading the quote I realized how true it was. I realized that I was, and still am,
guilty of playing small, or not be myself because I’m scared. I undermine my successes so that
others can feel better about themselves, and regardless of whether it makes me feel insecure
each time. I didn’t know why I felt that way, but after reading this quote, I finxally realized what I
was doing.

Now that I know what I’m doing, I usually take more pride in my successes. Of course
sometimes I find myself doing the same thing. I still question whether or not I should tell my
friends about something I’m proud of. I have to constantly remind myself that my friends are
here to support me, as I support them. Now that I realize what I'm doing I play small a little less
than I did before. I allow myself to be myself and I see how it does in fact encourage others to
be themselves as well.

The quote goes on about people being scared to be themselves. However, it says that people
not scared that they’re not capable, they’re scared that we’re overqualified. After hearing all
those accusations from Marianne, I started to wonder what I could possibly be capable of. How
many things I could accomplish if I set my mind to it. In this quote Marianne is very blunt, and
positive.

This quote connects with everyone who comes across it. I don’t think anyone could feel like
they’re not good enough after reading this quote. The message is too powerful not to spread.
Playing small is something we’re all guilty of. Whether it's undermining accomplishments, acting
clueless if one has an idea, or keeping quiet when theyhave something potentially amazing to
say. Validating others is not our job, we don’t need to decrease our value because someone
else might not feel good about themselves. Sharing success stories could inspire someone else
to start creating their own, which are positives. Often times I think back to this quote and reflect
on my actions, me stay on track.