I've previously posted this speech on my blog. It's a portion of Nelson Mandela's speech which has greatly impacted me and encouraged me and I'd like to once again share it with you. . .

during my first year of university I sat in my sociology class, excited and i think a little scared. my teacher emphathized with us students and encouraged us. she had shared a portion of Nelson Mandela's Inagural Speech, which had encouraged her. i have kept a copy of this Inaugural speech with me since my first year of university. so many thoughts come to mind when i read it, so many thoughts, it has been really encouraging to me and i hope that it will be as encouraging to you.

Inaugural Speech 1994

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyound measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frighten 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 is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that
other people will not feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that
is within us.
It is not just some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we consciously
give people permission to do the same.
As we liberate from our own fear, our presence
automatically liberates others.

Last week, I had my supervision with my boss. It's a time when I can ask my 101 questions about what to do with clients, with an experienced therapist. My boss is great, we have a lot of fun during my supervision time and she's really encouraging and blunt. I really appreciate her bluntness, she attributes this to being British :-)

So while we were discussing she says to me ... "I'm surprised that you haven't come into my office crying, a lot of people get overwhelmed with this position. A lot of people may think your

sweet, but I think your made of stone." I was really blessed by this compliment. I feel that I am a strong person, but at times I feel that others may not perceive me this way, but I was estactic that my boss had perceived me this way.

Cheers!