This above all: to thine own self be true.
– William Shakespeare
Meaning of this quote:
The phrase ‘To thine own self be true’ comes from Shakespeare’s Hamlet in Act 1 Scene 3.
This phrase means staying true to who you are, staying true to your core values and principles without worrying about others’ opinions.
There are multiple meanings to this phrase. It could also mean “be loyal to yourself and to your surroundings”.
No matter how hard we try, we can’t please everyone, and pleasing anyone is pointless. Show yourself as who you really are, stay true to yourself, and those who meant to stay with you will stay with you.
Aren’t we likely to end up with those who aren’t meant for us if we don’t show our true selves? Anything built upon the foundation of dishonesty cannot last forever.
Be loyal to your best self-interest and stay true to yourself
Embrace your individuality, embrace your uniqueness, and recognize your flaws as well as your uniqueness. We can never become anyone else other than ourselves, no matter how hard we try.
Isn’t it true that we must first admire and love ourselves before we can do the same for others? Isn’t it true that we must first support ourselves, we must first be kind to ourselves before we can be kind to others?
Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.
– Aristotle
Everything begins within, our mind is the center of everything. That’s why true wisdom begins with knowing ourselves. When we take responsibility for our thoughts, actions, and lives, positive changes happen.
Being dishonest with ourselves is the worst thing we can do. Every great thing in this world has some sort of flaw, and in fact, that is what makes everything flawless. Acknowledge your flaws and shortcomings, and realize that accepting them is the first step to overcoming them.
Everyone is unique in their own way, and so are you. It becomes much more difficult to pretend to be someone you’re not when you begin to explore and discover what your true potential is, and when you aim to make decisions that suit your best interests instead of someone else’s.
Be loyal to yourself. Protect your values and self-interests. Take responsibility for your own life because, at the end of the day, it is our own responsibility to stand up for ourselves even when others fail to do so.
The true wisdom is to not lose our own identity, values, and principle in exchange for anything. We must first be true to ourselves because, without it, we cannot be true to others. Everything you need is within you.
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.
– Oscar Wilde
