By the Pond

I began reading Walden by Henry David Thoreau a couple of days ago. I had gotten the book when I was in the 8th grade for a research project about Thoreau's life. We didn't have to read the book, and I didn't bother to.

However, I wanted something to read, and it seemed to perfectly fit with present circumstances in my life.

One line that caught my interest was, "What a man thinks of himself, that it is which determines, or rather indicates, his fate."

How often do we think to ourselves that we are incapable of doing something?

I know someone in my life that when presented with a challenge, the first words out of his mouth are "I fail." I know he's just trying to be funny, but at the same time, I believe that he also believes he'll fail at the challenge ahead of him.

If you believe that you're a failure, you're doomed to fail before you even begin.

Society also has a way of telling us what to believe about ourselves. Advertisements are meant to sell us dreams...not items. We buy into the dream and believe we become something else. If you define yourself by what you own, then you will not find happiness in life.

And if you only look at what you don't have, you will miss everything that you do have!

Sure, our peers can play a part in all of this too. Positive affirmations from them are always helpful, but sometimes, we are met with criticism that can be very hurtful.

How do you perceive yourself?

KNOW that you are great, and you will become it.