“Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.”
— Judy Garland
“To free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves – there lies the great singular power of self-respect.”
— Joan Didion
“Everyone should carefully observe which way his heart draws him, and then choose that way with all his strength.”
— Hasidic Saying
“Be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete.”
— Lao Tzu
“Since you are the one who has to live with your choices, be sure they are your own.”
— Alan Cohen
“You have a body, but it does not define you. You are the life energy, the consciousness, the awareness that inhabits and enlivens your body. You are the animating presence that is there inside your physical organism, peering out at the world around you.”
— William DeFoore
“Good intentions may be an appropriate starting point for achievement, but they will go nowhere unless you follow through with action. Many people confuse intentions with achievement; after all, it is the idea that is most important, they reason. In reality, the most mediocre idea acted upon is far more valuable than a flash of genius that resides only in your mind. Developing the habit of action may be difficult at first, but the more you practice it, the easier it becomes.”
— Napoleon Hill
“We tell ourselves so many lies and half-truths … We listen and are duly impressed by these inner voices that turn into unseen judges that nag at us. We give each of these judges a seat of honor in our minds, all the while hating their guts and their never-ending supply of judgements … We give the judges permission to accompany us on each journey of life, never daring to realize that we can park them, at least momentarily.”
— Eloise Ristad
“The Inner Critic makes each of us a child. As we become the child in our relationships, we lose our sense of self. We are no longer self-contained, self- respecting adults. We look to others for validation. Our self-worth is based upon their opinion of us. Thus, everyone around us becomes a mother or a father whose support and approval is desperately needed to protect us from the constant criticism of the Inner Critic.”
— Hal and Sidra Stone