“Our first duty is not to hate ourselves; because to advance we must have faith in ourselves first and then in God. He who has no faith in himself can never have faith in God.”
— Swami Vivekananda
When Gandhiji was young, he would hang out with friends who were irregular with their studies and had bad habits. His concerned mother, Putlibai, said, “Mohan, I have asked you so many times to not hang out with those boys. You will become like them. I can’t bear the thought of seeing you smoke or drink.”
Gandhiji smiled and said, “Mother, I don’t go around with them so I may become like them. Instead, I do that so they may become like me. Have faith in me. Nothing can deviate me from my path.” And he did transform his peers.
A strong mind doesn’t get swayed by emotion; it perseveres despite obstacles and setbacks. Whereas a weak mind struggles to even get out of bed.
Each day, reflect on the good that you did—for others and for yourself: How did you overcome a challenge? How did you solve a problem? How did you diffuse a tense situation? This will reinforce in your mind that you’re a strong person.
The stronger you become, the less you will feel the need to depend on others. You will get respected by others and, more importantly, by your own self. As the saying goes, “A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not placed on the branch but on its own wings.”