Marianne Williamson wrote the book Return to Love based on A Course in Miracles in 1992. In her book Return to Love, Marianne wrote the poem “Our Deepest Fear.”
The Course in Miracles is a spiritual self-study program authored by Helen Schucman. The underlying premise is that the greatest “miracle” is the act of simply gaining a full “awareness of love’s presence” in a person’s life.[1] It can be difficult to follow, so others have written courses and books to help make it easier to understand.
I’ve taken a course with Hay House, and I’ve read Return to Love. The ideas are inspiring and beautiful. I found this summary of A Course in Miracles if you are interested.
But what I want to focus on today is the poem “Our Deepest Fear.”
Our Deepest Fear by Marianne Williamson
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 and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
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.
Let’s break it down.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
Isn’t that true? Think about your fears. If we didn’t have to be scared, we could do anything! What’s scarier? Not doing it out of fear or having to do it! Sometimes I think fear is an excuse to avoid embarrassment or failure. Far too many of us leave our biggest dreams undone. Are you willing to admit you are powerful beyond measure? What would you do?
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
We look at people who are brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous, and are jealous. We say things like “must be nice” or “they have it easy,” or we want the life that someone else has. Here’s the truth – your life is as fabulous as you make it. If you don’t like it, change your thoughts, your dreams, your attitude! That is your power. Replace any negative self-talk with the belief that you are brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous. Watch what happens.
If someone else has done it, why can’t you?
You are a child of God.
You are an extension of a loving universe that only wants the best for you. You don’t have to call that God if that brings up an image of a judgmental father figure. Your every thought creates a vibration that goes out into the world and attracts more of that thought. Good or bad. We all have access to this. They are Universal Laws.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We all have unique skills and abilities that make us who we are. We are all meant to be different. What kind of world would we live in if we were all good at the same thing? So, if you are hiding your gifts, someone else is missing out on what you can provide. Be proud of how you can help others. From the summary I highlighted above, it said, “As all of us do our part in fulfilling these roles, the world will become more and more like Heaven.”
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.
I believe these words are the most important ones in the poem. Learning how to love yourself and appreciate the gifts you have been given can clear the path to a life that is fulfilling to you. The next step is to realize that everyone can do that. There is no need for comparison or judgment. Let others create their best life while you create yours. Not everyone wants the same things. If you are able to help someone else, by all means do that, but that doesn’t mean you are better; you are just at a different stage of life.
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.
Isn’t that amazing! When you love yourself and use your beautiful, God-given gifts, you show others that they can too. Others can see your light, and they want to feel that way too. Even if you can’t directly help others, you living your best life spreads a vibration of love far and wide. Have you ever noticed yourself scrolling through all the bad news on social media, only to suddenly see a post that is positive and inspirational? What happens? Do you pause and let your mood lighten a little? The person who wrote that post was letting their light shine and giving others a moment to liberate themselves from their fears. You can be that person! It doesn’t have to be on social media; it can just be a smile at a stranger or asking a friend how they are doing.
So, what is your deepest fear?
Some of the most common fears are: snakes, spiders, heights, public speaking, death, failure, loneliness, and more.
And I have no doubt that those fears are real and cause much anxiety.
But what if you flipped your thinking and remembered how powerful you are? If you decided that those things are no longer scary. That snakes and spiders are just trying to stay alive and do what nature has them do, and would rather not be seen by you. That you are safe when you are above ground. Death is going to happen to everyone, so we should live in the moment. Failure is inevitable; learn something from it. A lot of people are afraid of public speaking, but if you have something to say, someone needs to hear it.
Create an affirmation and repeat it every day. Create a new narrative on your old fears. That is the power that you have.
Let’s Wrap It Up
So maybe your deepest fear isn’t spiders… or public speaking… or even failure.
Maybe it’s what would happen if you finally stopped playing small.
Because once you admit you’re powerful beyond measure, you can’t un-know it. You can’t go back to shrinking yourself to keep the peace. You can’t pretend you don’t have gifts that matter.
And here’s the best part: you don’t have to do it perfectly.
You just have to start letting a little more of the real you show up.
Say the thing. Create the thing. Take the step. Make the call. Write the post. Sign up for the class. Apply for the job. Ask for what you want. Let yourself be seen.
Your light doesn’t need permission… but if you’ve been waiting for it, consider this your official nudge from the universe: you’re allowed.
So today, choose one fear and rewrite the story.
Choose one brave action.
Choose one affirmation that reminds you who you really are.
Because when you stop living like you’re inadequate, you start living like you’re infinite.
And that, my friend… is when everything changes.
