Self-Reliance

“To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men — that is genius.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

I really enjoyed what was said in “Self-Reliance” because it is very good wisdom and helps people live their best, most happy lives. In this quote, Emerson stresses the importance of trusting one’s own instincts and the importance of individuality. Emerson also encourages people to embrace their unique thoughts and beliefs and to have confidence in themselves. I think having these characteristics in life is very important to live a good life. Growing up, I have learned that it is best to be who you truly are and not conform to everyone else or what everyone thinks you should be. It is still something that I work on, and I will continue to work on having this skill for the rest of my life. I think it is very important to trust your instincts in all aspects of life. At the end of the day, it is your life, and the opinions of others should only minimally impact your decisions. Like many other things, learning to trust yourself and your instincts is a work in progress. It will not happen overnight and I think people will work on attaining this ability for their whole lives and they may never accomplish this.