Our Deepest 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 playing
small doesn't serve the world. 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

What's a birthday post without me getting a little sappy? I watched "Coach Carter" the other day and was reminded of a passage from a book by Marianne Williamson that never ceases to inspire me when I get frustrated. One of the characters in the movie is a gang-banger who knows he has to get out of that life and sees basketball as the only way out. But Coach Carter makes him play by his rules, not by the undisciplined rules that he knows. Plus, I kept expecting Samuel L. Jackson to bust out the "English mfer, do you SPEAK IT?!?!" Decent flick that I'd recommend. Nothing too in depth, but still a decent way to spend 90 minutes of your life.

It is based on a true story and is an example of what can happen when we expect the most out of people instead of making life easy for them. Set goals for people, expect that they will have to work to reach them, and celebrate it when they succeed. And never set those goals too low. A worse failure than not achieving your goals is to set them too low and achieve them easily. Self-esteem is never greater than when you achieve something you never thought you'd be able to do.