"Powerful Beyond Measure..."

“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.”

quote by Marianne Williamson, frequently misquoted to Nelson Mandela
(I'll be honest, I don't really care who said it; rather, I am looking to apply this in my life.)

I am going to do wonderful things, I am going to bring joy and happiness to tens of thousands. I would like to appreciate the people around me that reminded me of that --with the less than inspiring influences around me the past few days--I have divine worth. Many times this week I was feeling down and was literally on my knees seeking help from God and there were those friends that reached out to lend a hand, or a voice of inspiration, even just an affirmation that God is aware and so long as the desires of my heart are righteous and I am obedient, God will give me strength and sustain me in my endeavors.

I was talking to one of my best friends here in Boca today, Rachel, and she challenged me to think about the kind of man that I do want to marry (long story) and one of the qualities is tied into the principle in the aforementioned quote, I want to marry a man that is so secure in his relationship with God that he does not feel inferior when I succeed. He does not worry that if I amount to greatness it will diminish the light shed on his own accomplishments. I also want to be the kind of person that inspires and enables everyone around me to greatness.

Last night I let the less than kind actions and opinion of another throw me into deep feelings of inadequacy and lead me to feeling beaten, worn out, not good enough, smaller than the tasks at hand... I will never again give anyone that power over me. I am a daughter of God. He has made both things to act and things to be acted upon and has made it very clear that as a human being I have the capacity to reason, to act and to think for myself.

Here are 2 amazing resources I have been referencing as I try to realize that potential, and to choose the "better part" (Book of Mormon: 2 Nephi Chapter 2).

"To Young Women" by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=b99c78de9441c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=true#1

"How Can I Become the Woman of Whom I Dream" By President Gordon B. Hinckley
http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=07d0759235d0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=true#1