Fragility.
Weakness.
Incompetence.
Overcapacity.
Tensility breached.
Have you ever read MizFit's Challenge Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3? I've been pondering it for quite some time now. It turns out that I-like Miz herself-ultimately find these excuses to be greater than any small facet of improvement in my life. They are not just about fitness, about writing, about motherhood or spirituality.
My excuses are about me. My soul. My heart. My brain.
It turns out that the one thing that motivates me is not what I thought. It isn't kindness, coaxing, or understanding. Nor is it hatred, belittlement, or bullying. It is this quote written by Marianne Williamson, made uber famous by Nelson Mandela:
What motivates me is empowerment.
“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.”
Where does empowerment come from? It is different every day. Sometimes it comes to me out of my anger at what is happening to Chickadee and realizing that the only way to get even with Rett Syndrome is to LIVE my life. Other times it comes from quietly crying over a terrible mistake and realizing that there is a glimmer of hope left for tomorrow. It can be in a short comment from one of you, or in a long phone call that helps me clean my house.
Most importantly my power is always unexpected.
It never comes from arrogance except when it is humbled. Nor does it come from judging others unfeelingly except when tempered by compassion. Berating myself causes sinking unless acceptance rises from the despair.
Power comes to me through my weaknesses. So yes. I am weak. That is why I am powerful.
Powerful, Powerful post. I love that quote myself. It is framed in my house. Your weakness become your strenghts. Sound familar? I will think about this post all day. Thanks.
ReplyDeletehugs to you my Friend.
This was an amazing post. You are strong.
ReplyDeleteI LOVED this post...you were speaking right to me it seems with regards to empowerment!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this!
Wonderful writing. That quote is amazing, and I will be finding a place for it in my home. JBS, you may have weaknesses, but I look at all you accomplish, and I definitely see power in you.
ReplyDeleteWonderful writing. That quote is amazing, and I will be finding a place for it in my home. JBS, you may have weaknesses, but I look at all you accomplish, and I definitely see power in you.
ReplyDelete"Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?"
ReplyDelete"Power comes to me through my weaknesses. So yes. I am weak. That is why I am powerful."
Awesome. I'll be thinking about this post for the rest of the day, too.
Yes, you are!
ReplyDeleteYou posted one of my favorite quotes of all time, and reminded me of another:
"We are most authentic when discussing our hypocrisy.
We are most successful when we fully experience our great failures.
We are most honest when we can say that we lied.
We are most accepting the moment we embrace our self-rejection.
We are most significant when we embrace our irrelevance.
We are most productive when we become unattached to outcomes.
We are most secure when we accept inherent risk.
We are most wealthy when we possess that which cannot be bought.
We are most alive when we live as though we will die.
We are most powerful when we empower others.
The most caring thing we can do is care for ourselves.
The most holy thing we can say is that we are evil.
The most whole thing we can say is that we are broken.
The most flawless thing we can say is that we are flawed."
David McCleary, author of Leaving Prisons: Release Your Trapped Value
The thing that's really cool about empowerment, to me, is that it challenges our assumptions about the way things are and can be. It challenges our assumptions about power, helping, achieving and succeeding. In practice, the empowerment process helps people gain control over their own lives, fostering power in them, for use in their own lives, their communities and in their society. (and yes, I wrote that for an annual report for a local Community Foundation) :-)
I needed that today, thanks!
ReplyDeleteLove that amazing quote from Marianne Williamson, and have found it true. Have you ever "discovered" in a moment that you are at the center of what is going on - a clearinghouse for communication, love and acceptance. And when I become aware of it, I get an immediate head swelling followed by the shame of "who in the hell do you think you are?" Humility is not shame or self pummeling - it is recognizing that our goodness and power are not "of us", but rather by something/someone much greater.
ReplyDeleteThis is officially my new favourite blog read of the week. Yep, you are that powerful ...
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how I missed this post this week, but dang. I needed it bad. Thanks, friend.
ReplyDeleteAmazing! I've never thought of it that way before, but there is some truth to it! In a way, success can be intimidating, because with success comes a great deal of responsibility...
ReplyDelete