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Ralph Waldo Emerson
1803 – 1882 · Essayist, Philosopher, Poet
Emerson left the ministry, buried his first wife and his young son, and rebuilt his life around one radical idea: trust yourself. He became the voice of American self-reliance and wrote essays that gave an entire nation permission to think for itself.
Quoted in these Footings
VER-XIV-0022“I'm dimming myself daily to keep a job I've already outgrown.”VER-XIV-0024“Every visit home I shrink back into who they need me to be.”CTL-VII-0028“I finally stopped carrying a grudge I'd held for years and I feel weightless.”CTL-IX-0032“I made a hard call on my own and it was right - I'm starting to trust myself.”CTL-IX-0053“Everyone my age is ahead of me and I feel like I'm running out of time.”VER-XIV-0031“I went home and stayed fully myself for the first time in years.”VER-XIV-0033“I finally asked for what I'm worth out loud, and they said yes.”VER-XIV-0036“We sat down and honestly planned the life we actually want together.”VER-XIV-0039“I keep making myself smaller so my partner doesn't feel threatened.”VER-XIV-0041“Every time I grow, my family acts like I've abandoned them.”VER-XIV-0046“Around anyone with power over me, I shrink into whatever they want.”CTL-VII-0046“I built something on my own and the quiet pride in it belongs to no one else.”
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