Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson was one of the great transcendentalist writers. His writings have unquestionably had a huge influence on my life, and I think it is fair to say that I lead my life by most of what is written in his essay, “Self Reliance”. I admire his ability to put into words what usually is indescribable, and think his wisdom is both empowering and inspirational. Here is the quote from the middle of my dreamboard, which I feel summarizes my own life philosophy:

“There comes a time in every man’s education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance, that imitation is suicide. That he must take himself for better or worse as his portion. It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson