Recently on Facebook, I asked: “What scares you? And I don’t mean spiders and snakes. Unless spiders and snakes keep you from being your best self. Go.”

Within no time a friend posted: “‘What if I take the wrong fork in the road and later regret it?’ is what scares me. But then not taking that fork in the road scares me. It’s a catch 22 thing really. But then I know, in my heart, that taking that fork is part of my life’s plan so why should I even be scared. Yep…that’s the gist of it.”

Another person shared: “The thought of the possibility of not living up to my potential,” which prompted another friend to agree. “Having not gone on to further my education and now being trapped in the fear it’s too late or going to be too hard at my age!”

That friend went on to say: “I still have a dream.”

Thank goodness.

I love what Marianne Williamson says about fear. Hers is by far one of my favorite quotes–one that I’ve turned to again and again when paralyzed by fear. Print it out. Take it to heart. Live it. Please.

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, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”