Be yourself (Ralph Waldo Emerson

As a 19th-century philosopher, poet and essayist, Ralph Waldo Emerson was an early transcendentalist who believed in withdrawing from society and embracing individualism instead. He thought he could connect to the divine by embracing nature and rejecting mainstream culture. To this end, his transcendentalist colleges, author Nathaniel Hawthorn and Minister George Ripley tried to establish an isolated farming commune. But when they invited Emerson to join them, he refused. In his mind, a person could either live for themselves or for society. There was no in between. He wasn't going to let anyone tell him what to do or how to live, even his like-minded peers.

Today we are bombarded with messages from advertisement, social media, or friends and family telling us who we should be and what we should want. You have to be richer, thinner, smarter, more popular, more successful. It's tempting to tailor our lifestyle or our values to please those around us, even if that means sacrificing our happiness in the process. Emerson's words instruct us to resist this pressure. Standing up for yourself can't be intimidating, but it also brings rewards. When we are true to ourselves, living only for ourselves, we have the power to give ourselves contentment and peace. That is more valuable than any external validation. So stand tall, believe in yourself, and strive only to be the person you truly want to be.