#4 Believe in Yourself
Dear R&M,
Many years ago, your mom and I attended a recital by some of your friends and one of you. After the singing was over there was a Q&A session with Swamy Tejomayananda who was the guest of honor. One of the other parents asked “How do I not get angry with my kids?” “Don’t get angry!” was Tejomayananda’s response.
Believing in yourself starts the same way — believe in yourself.
Nearly four years ago, when R. first set out to college, I wrote her a longish letter the gist of which was “… believe in yourself at all times — there’s nothing you can’t get achieve if you set your mind to it.” So when I spoke to you about avoiding the trap of dualism, putting people first and remembering your roots, earlier this week, it’s because all these are easier if you believe in yourself.
Just as courage is not the absence of fear, but acknowledging and overcoming it — believing in yourself is not the absence of self-doubt, but recognizing and overcoming it!
