I live by this quote. A few years ago, I was lucky enough to cross paths with someone who shared this quote with me. It’s actually from the Shakespeare play, ‘Hamlet” and is said by Polonius, who is a bad character. He says it to his son Laertes, encouraging him to set off and watch your own back (if you want to know more, there is a thorough outline here). This is obviously a different context from which I use it, but that’s ok – it’s still a fantastic quote to live by.

– Kenneth Branagh plays Hamlet in a film adaptation of Hamlet -

If there’s ever a time in my life when I’m feeling unhappy or a bit ‘off-track’, I try to remind myself of this quote. If you really think about it…if you are being true to your set of values and your beliefs, then you really can’t go wrong in life. I know within myself how I like to behave, how I like to treat people (and how I like to be treated), the things I aim to achieve, the boundaries within how I manage my day, week, month, year. If at any time I take a detour from these preferred ways of life, I start to feel off-kilter. This is when I bring my quote in – ‘To thine own self, be true’, and within a few hours (sometimes days) I feel better within myself about how I choose to live.

– This is how I feel when I am true to myself -

Does this make sense? I hope so.

Do you have a quote that you like to live by?

Alison

Snack 17.05.2012 #photoadaymay