Leadership - Knowing and loving yourself

It is strange how thin the line can be between positive and negative things if it concerns the human being. For example: Ambition… if it is so high that it destroys all relationships around you, it is destructive. If it is so low that you are completely passive, then it is unacceptable too. It seems that you can “fall off the cliff” on both sides. The same is so true of a sound self-image. Here are a few quotes to consider: *“Until you value yourself, you won’t value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it. ”– M. Scott Peck * “Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” – Lucille Ball * “Low self-esteem is like driving through life with your handbrake on.” – Maxwell Maltz * “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson * “Self-care is never a selfish act—it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer to others.” – Parker Palmer * “Our self-respect tracks our choices. Every time we act in harmony with our authentic self and our heart, we earn our respect. It is that simple. Every choice matters.” – Dan Coppersmith * “Don’t rely on someone else for your happiness and self-worth. Only you can be responsible for that. If you can’t love and respect yourself – no one else will be able to make that happen.” – Stacey Charter * “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt * “There is nothing noble about being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.” – Hindu Proverb * “It’s surprising how many persons go through life without ever recognising that their feelings toward other people are largely determined by their feelings toward themselves, and if you’re not comfortable within yourself, you can’t be comfortable with others.” – Sidney J. Harris It seems to me that we as a mature nation should not think we are better than other individuals, but value our uniqueness, be energised from it and then use that energy to serve others… That’s life. That’s cool! DAWIE FOURIE