Recently I wrote to an old friend about how overwhelmed I feel about the fantastic response to Bandwagon's publication. I knew when I wrote it that it would be a success even if only one person bought it and benefitted from it, but I guess I didn't dream big enough. The book is selling five times faster than I had forecast, a bariatric surgeon has asked me to do a workshop based on Bandwagon, a dietician has asked me to speak at a support group meeting, and an editor from Rodale Publishing (health books, magazines, & web sites) has asked me to help her with a special project developing recipes for bandsters. This is all wonderful, but I'm beginning to feel like I've created a literary monster, kind of a Frankenjeannie who's taken over my life and is heading out to terrorize the neighboring villages!
My friend's answer was to send me this quote from a Nelson Mandela speech.
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 is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure. We were born to manifest the glory that is within us. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our pressure automatically liberates others.
There's a message in there for you, too. Every one of you. God (or your Higher Power or whoever/whatever you believe in) not only wants you to succeed at weight loss, he/she expects you to succeed, not just for your own benefit but also for the benefit of your fellow human beings.
So let your light shine, OK?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment