"Don’t help me or serve me, but let me see it once, because I need it. Don’t work for my happiness, my brothers—show me yours—show me that it is possible—show me your achievement—and the knowledge will give me the courage for mine. Mallory (the young artist) to Roark in "The Fountainhead""

~ Ayn Rand, 20th century philosopher

Although Marianne Williamson is a near polar opposite of Rand in many ways, both would agree that "As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same..."

Are you spending too much time helping others and serving others but not truly serving yourself?

Life is certainly about service, but let’s never forget that the greatest service we can ever give the world and the people we love is our own happiness…our own actualization!

Let’s shine today, shall we?

...

"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 doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are 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."

~ Marianne Williamson, 21st century spiritual teacher

from her book, A Return to Love (page 191)

[This is often, and mistakenly, believed to be from Nelson Mandela's inauguration speech.]