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.

–from A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson

This is a timely goal for me. I had a tough week.  It’s tough to be a junior higher. I remember those years, and this week I was reminded of them. My junior high students need to believe in their strengths. I long to convince them they are meant to shine–each one of them.

• They don’t have to put others down to find their own genius.
• They don’t have to plagiarize because they are afraid to do their own creating and producing.
• They don’t have to avoid, ignore, or do worse to those who are different than they are.
• They don’t have to hide who they really are to be accepted by the majority.

I want to reveal their strengths so they believe they are “brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous.” There is room for all the children of God to shine. I want them to believe it.

Today I have no answers on how to do that.

Goal #4: Reveal Their Strengths from #30 Goals Challenge 2012