A while ago, I wrote about how it was time to let our light shine - the famous inspirational words, often incorrectly attributed to Mr Nelson Mandela at his inuauguration. The words are actually from Marianne Williamson from her book “A Return to Love”.

Well, a friend has just sent me the above Youtube link where the original words are beautifully presented in sign language.

Another friend has also pulled me up once again for holding myself back and not letting my own light shine! So this message is very timely for me - and my friend is holding me accountable for me to stop holding back and to let me own light finally shine.

OK - it has been a challenging few months, but who am I not to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? And who are you not to be the same?!

Nelson Mandela is said to have used some of these words, either during his inauguration as South African president, or soon after. Though there is no record of this in any of his official speeches, he is sure to have agreed with the powerful message of these words:-

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?
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 all of us!
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.”

Go and let your light shine from today

Many years ago a friend sent me a card with a wonderful poem which I still treasure to this day. It is posted on the office wall next to my computer and serves everyday to remind me to follow my dream:-

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Last week I was privileged and honoured to be at a talk by Marianne Williamson, author of “A Return to Love” (Amazon UK / Amazon USA) and famed for having written the words Our Light , often incorrectly attributed to Nelson Mandela. She spoke passionately about her hopes for a better world and finding our higher purpose.

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Some inspirational words continue to inspire you every time you hear them.

“Our Light” from Marianne Williamson has that power. The words are from her best selling book - A Return to Love (Amazon UK / Amazon USA)

I have heard these words said aloud on many occasions now and I still get goose bumps every time.

Nelson Mandela is said to have used some of these words, either during his inauguration as South African president, or soon after. But there is no record of this in any of his official speeches.

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A major learning point for me in 2006 was to strive for excellence, not perfection. So often when you want to do something perfectly, you never get started.

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As we are now well into January 2007, how are you doing with your resolutions and plans for the year?

The key is you have to know what you wish to create. As you begin to get the life you love, just what is your vision of that life?

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One of the secrets of getting the life you love is to learn to give and also to receive.

Do you look to help others in any way you can? Or do you tend to look out just for yourself?

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My life long ambition is to meet Mr Nelson Mandela for a private audience.

I would ask him just one question:-

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Here are some timely words from Mr Nelson Mandela to ponder on as we begin 2007:-

As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.

Massive poverty and obscene inequality are such terrible scourges of our times - times in which the world boasts breathtaking advances in science, technology, industry and wealth accumulation - that they have to rank alongside slavery and apartheid as social evils.

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