To Thine Own Self Be True

This above all; to thine own self be true and it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any men. Farewell; my blessing … From a monologue delivered by the character Polonius in Act I Scene III of Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Proverb. Be yourself; be true to yourself; do not engage in self-deception.

One of the best papers I wrote in high school was in reference to this quote. I got an A+ I might add, but that is beside the point I’m trying to make. I’m using this quote now because I was talking to a friend today and she was sharing that she was struggling with her decision to attend a conference. Part of her wanted to go, but it was not really a part of who she was and how she conducted business. Sometimes we find ourselves doing things simply because we feel like we need to do them, but that doesn’t mean that we should. For example, if you aren’t very good meeting people in a large social situation, find situations that are a smaller more intimate environment and allow you to shine and put your best self forward. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t step outside your comfort zone or push yourselves to do more, but knowing what works for you is also key to making the most of a situation and allowing you to benefit fully from an experience.

xo, jan