Our Own Worst Critics

A woman I work with started quilt making about the same time I started running.  A little more than a year later, she's made dozens of projects from baby quilts to bed quilts to table runners, each one being more breathtaking than the last.  Her talent absolutely astounds me.  Moments ago, I sat in the office break room while she worked on her latest creation, discussing her plans to potentially turn her craft into a business.  She mentioned it had been a little more than a year since starting and my through wandered back to my own seemingly lack of accomplishment in the same amount of time.  After a compliment on her talent, she scoffed. 
I told her she didn't give herself enough credit and she responded " we never do."
 Its true. 
Why IS that?  That is so incredibly annoying.  I do it daily, with pretty much everything I see, touch, think about or try.  I think for me personally, it's because I fear if I give myself too much credit, I'll let myself down and be disappointed with myself.  Maybe I fear being arrogant?  Maybe I fear the expectation both myself and others would have for me?  Who knows. 

I have a quote on my office wall that I found many years ago. 

"  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?

Your playing 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 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 fewer,
our presence automatically liberates others. "
Marianne Williamson


It seems to fit for so many in so many situations.  I think for many, we cover our true light with nonsense and garbage because we fear what will happen when we let our true selves shine.  Is there ever a way to truly let ourselves shine without any kind of fear of repercussion?  Is it possible? 
We earn the right to shine.  Not always, not with everything, but it's there.  Perhaps it's not a sport we shine in, but our parenting skills.  Perhaps were not the most patient with children, but it's a mad cooking skill that can make us shine. 
There's a scene in one of my favorite movies,  Sex & The City 2 where the girls are in some Middle Eastern country, and they meet upon some women dressed in the traditional black garb ( called the hijab, I think?) , covering everything.  Once hidden, the women remove the thick black coverings and veils to reveal beautiful, expensive and shiny designer clothing underneath with amazing makeup and hair. 

So here's the challenge:  Remove your coverings, your veil and let your light shine.  There is a good chance you might not even know what it is, but it's there.  If you don't see it, chances are someone else might.