Take it or Leave it

                                           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 the Universe.
                                       Your playing small does not serve the world.
 ♦There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you♦

Have you ever been told you are too much? Too loud, too strong, too smart?  That by being you, you intimidate people or make them feel small and inadequate? That somehow, by being yourself, who you are is simply to much for some people? Have you ever kept your mouth shut when you had an amazing idea or thought for fear of what people would think or react? Have you ever held yourself back from either doing something or standing up for something because it went against the grain or the norm?  How many of you constantly belittle yourself with the "I hate my hair"  or "I feel fat" or my personal favorite "I can't stand up for myself, what would they think?"

I usually look at people when they say stuff like this and go, really? Are you really going to just sit there and let people walk all over you, because you are afraid of what they may think of you? Are you seriously going to dumb yourself down so someone doesn't realize how smart you are? Are you really going to belittle yourself, so that someone doesn't feel bad?  Do people not realize what they are doing to themselves? By not allowing yourself to be strong or outspoken or feel gorgeous, you are playing the victim in your own life. By playing weak, allowing others to feel powerful by "taking care" of you, what are you doing to yourself in the process?  Seriously.. I was told once by a boss that I was too smart for my own good and that I intimidated people by being as strong and as forthright as I have a tendency to be.. my response to that was, thanks for the insight, but could you please tell me why this is my problem?  I know I can take on the world.... I have done it again and again.. I have faced my "life's battles" and earned my scars.. no way in hell I will change who I am, what needs to change is how people react to me.

I have this friend.. I love her. She is a mother, a business owner, an active participant in her children's lives, shes on boards, boosters and she sells sex toys.  Yep, sex is her bread and butter.. she brings it into people's homes, sells them on her products and then leaves them smiling. She is loud, outspoken, uncensored and sooooo refreshing. Why, because she lives as she wants too, how she wants to. She will talk about anything, family and sex, most recently farting, simply for one reason, because she can... She is probably the most 'stay true and honor herself' woman I have met in a long time, and she gets my respect. She lives and acts in honor of who she is, take it or leave it.  Why can't more see this for what it is? Permission to be who you are, regardless of what people think, feel or react.

Your playing small does nothing for the world, for your children, your work, your life. So why do it?  Be a bitch when you have too, stand up what you want.. Never back down from what you want to say or do. They will either learn to deal with you or not.. how they react is their business..

How you live is yours.