To Thine Own Self Be True

The most important words ever spoken
“This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.”
Shakespeare-Hamlet
Whatever games are played with us,
we must play no games with ourselves.

There ARE just two types of people in this world: Those with self-respect and those who never quite make it.

Self Respect• To value his own good opinion, a child has to feel that he is a worthwhile person. He has to have confidence in himself as an individual not as a copy of some-thing or some-one else.

• I care not so much what I am to others as what I am to myself. I will be rich in myself, and not by borrowing or copying others.

• They cannot take away self-respect if we do not give it to them.

• We need to learn who we really are and then live with it.

• A man who doesn’t respect himself can never really trust anyone else.

• Without self-confidence, we are as babes in the cradle. And how can we generate this quality, which is yet so invaluable, most quickly? By thinking that other people are inferior to ones true self.

• We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves, as we are, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals man’s nature.

• I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule, or scorn of others, rather than be false and incur my own abhorrence.

• It is may be good to be helpful and kindly, but don’t give yourself to be melted into candle grease for the benefit of the tallow trade.

• To free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves—there lies the great, singular power of self-respect.

• No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Never give it.

• The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.

• And as we let our OWN light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, or presence automatically liberates others. Whatever you have forgotten, you can remember. Whatever you have buried you can unearth. If you are willing to look deep into your own nature, your own heritage, if you are willing to peel away the layers of crap you have adopted in making your way through the tribulations of life, you will find that your true self is not as far removed as you think.