by Debbie PetersonSpeaker, Corporate Trainer and Career Coach

“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?” – Marianne Williamson (click HERE for full quote)

This has to be one of my all-time favorite quotes. I remember where I was the first time I heard it and my exact reaction to it…

I burst into tears. I mean sobbing, unable to keep the emotion inside even if I wanted to, kind of tears. I was stunned!

This quote has been my constant companion in starting and building my business.

Getting to Clarity, is just that, me getting clarity on my path, my journey, my purpose – what I do to contribute to the world.

And, for a long time I thought what do I have to contribute? It’s already being done. There are so many others out there doing exactly what I want to do. They are doing it on a scale that is amazing! Who am I to come along and think I can participate in all of this fabulousness?

Well, in the words of Marianne Williamson, who am I not to?

I tell the professional women in my seminars and my clients to pay attention to the feelings they have about themselves and their work. Your body will express what your conscious mind won’t let yourself think and that is you have far more purpose, passion and potential than you think you do.

I had a feeling inside of me that told me that I am meant to do more and I paid attention to it. I had no idea what it translated into but I set out to figure it out and when it started to become apparent, I wanted to shrink.

Are you there? Do you want to shrink? Do you want to go for the promotion that seems out of reach, but then talk yourself out of it? Do you want to go back to school for an advanced degree or obtain a certification for your profession, but think you’ll never be able to do it? Do you see other women doing what you want to do and you think the field is already full?

I want you to know the opposite is true.

Here are the top 5 reasons why “shrinking” isn’t the answer:

  1. This is your life, your journey, your purpose. Not anyone else’s. To bring anyone else’s success, purpose, job, designation, apparent fame, etc. into the equation is apples and oranges.
  2. You have a gift inside of you. You have a unique way of doing what you do that you bring to the table. Whether you have a corporate job or your own business, what you do and how you do it is a unique answer to something. Search for how you can provide that answer.
  3. “But there are so many others that are doing the same thing!” This doesn’t fly and I’ll tell you why. How many doctors are there in the world? How many dentists, real estate agents, teachers, etc.? We need more than one because there are so many people in the world to be served, right? The same goes for you. You are NEEDED, and to shrink from that is depriving the people who most need it, the perfect answer you provide.
  4. To disregard your unique gift, is disregarding the purpose you were put here on the planet. Essentially, you are telling God, The Universe, the Collective, the Oneness – whatever you choose to label it a big ole’ “Thanks but no thanks”. This is your higher power, your Source (with a capital S) that created you. Really? You’re going to go against that?
  5. It’s disrespectful. When you have that feeling inside that you are meant to do more, that there is something else that you need to provide to the world, explore, etc. and you DON’T – you are disrespecting yourself. You have these ideas, thoughts, dreams, etc. for a reason. They have been given to you for your gain.

This may be easier said than done but you’re a smart, intelligent woman. You have already accomplished amazing things in your life. You have endured circumstances that have allowed (or forced – depending on your perspective) to grow.

It’s like anything else you’ve learned in your life. You try something and it works or it doesn’t. When you want it bad enough, you try something else. Pretty soon you’re making headway and maybe you’re still scared but it’s worth enough to keep going, to have faith that you’re making progress even when you feel like you’re not.

Shrinking is for violets. You’ve got this.

Deb

P.S. Please share this with another woman who needs to hear the message and shine her own light out into the world!