Resolved Question

What does this mean to you: "To thine own self be true"?

It's from Hamlet. I'm pretty sure that it means to not deceive myself. But, how do I know? How do you know when you are being true to yourself?

Posted 1 year ago

Share |

Flag

wibbly

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Here is the real Answer....

This saying was indeed from Hamlet! A father, Polonius was giving advice to his son whom was going off to face the world and feared he would never see his son again. His words where a collection of rules he wanted his son to follow to get the most out of life. To your own self be true means this....

You can lie and decieve, say little half truths to anyone. But to be a truly good person you need to be true to yourself. Truth to others will follow. If you are decieved about who you are, you will struggle forever. ACCEPT who you are... Faults, Vices, Good Points, Strengths and weakneses. If you are Happy with WHO YOU ARE, You wil be happy your WHOLE Life.

The Hard part... Discovering what you hate about yourself and having the courage to change it!

Wibbly!

Posted 9 months ago

Other 16 Answers to What does this mean to you: "To thine own self be true"?

Smokeseek	Posted Nov 5th, 2008 at 9:38AM For me it is much more than simply being honest with myself. It also being honest with others. It is not allowing my true self to be compromised. To stand for what I believe in and not allow others to define my existence. Rated: +2Vote for this!
Samm199294	Posted Nov 4th, 2008 at 7:54PM Be honest in everything you feel, think and do...do not compromise your heart..... Sammy Jo Duponte xx Rated: +2Vote for this!
KnocKnac	Posted Feb 5th, 2009 at 5:58PM Never Lie to Yourself; Never make things difficult for yourself. Rated: +1Vote for this!
MrsLaing	Posted Nov 4th, 2008 at 12:07PM "To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." I think it means don't be what people want you to be, be who you are. Be true to yourself at all costs. Rated: +1Vote for this!
wiseowl	Posted Feb 5th, 2009 at 5:58PM Be youself for yourself! Rated: +1Vote for this!
Skyelillie	Posted Feb 5th, 2009 at 5:58PM It means to be honest with yourself. It means to always follow your heart in any decision that you make in life. "If you can't trust yourself, then who are you going to turn to when you need advice?" - Craig Anderson Rated: +1Vote for this!
sharonn	Posted Feb 5th, 2009 at 5:58PM To thine own self be true! This means to be true to yourself... to be able to be who you truly are in this life. For example, if you are a kind and thoughful person don't go along with the crowd if they are being cruel. Standing up in your beliefs even when no one else believes is one way to be true to yourself. Ask yourself what kind of person you really want to be....the way you feel will tell you. Rated: +1Vote for this!
peterson1964	Posted Feb 5th, 2009 at 5:58PM To me it means I should quit my job and find a new career path. Rated: +1Vote for this!
StudentofUnifying Life	Posted Feb 5th, 2009 at 5:58PM Go with your gut. If it doesn't feel right, it's not right. Rated: +1Vote for this!
wakeupkaren	Posted Feb 5th, 2009 at 5:58PM to thine own self be true- to me, it means to be true to yourself and to never hide behind a mask to others. if you're true to yourself, you're true to others. Rated: +1Vote for this!
livingwell	Posted Feb 5th, 2009 at 5:58PM To always know what you are about and what your real needs are. Because what you don't know about yourself could really hurt you socially, economically, and personally. Also, you can keep other people safe from your unbridled non-knowing self. If you know what you are about you can keep yourself and others very safe because you will always know what someone else is after or at least be looking very carefully at any proposition offered. Basically, DON'T VOTE AGAINS'T YOURSELF, EVER!(unless what you are about is hating and hurting other people) Peace and Love to you all. Rated: +1Vote for this!
biscuits	Posted Feb 5th, 2009 at 5:58PM When all the outside pressure is on telling you what to do, listen to your heart & do what is true to your own hearts belief. Rated: +1Vote for this!
lmg007	Posted Feb 5th, 2009 at 5:58PM To me this means anything I do I must be able to lie down at night and go to sleep at peace with my self, my choices, and my actions. Rated: +1Vote for this!
levin60kitty	Posted Feb 5th, 2009 at 5:58PM It means total confusion. I am a paranoid schizophrenic with a double personailty. Which self should I be true to? I don't know. I'm Tim, but when Fred comes out he sometimes gets violent. What to do. If I am true to Fred I am wrong and if true to Tim I'm also wrong . . . . What the hell is this? To thine own self be true. I'm always true to myself, no one else, especially Tim - what a jackass. I will always be true to me. Fred Is he gone? God, that guy scares me sometimes. Tim Kiss of turkey. Fred This is too confusing. Tim You wimp. Fred Has anyone seen my thorazine? Tim Has anyone seen my bottle of Jim Beam? Fred Rated: +1Vote for this!
Mountainman923518	Posted Feb 5th, 2009 at 5:58PM "To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." The rub here of course is so many folks don't have a clear idea of who they are because they spend so much time following the popular concepts of what is right at the time or place. Do what you truly beleive is right with all your might and then and only then will you have been true to yourself. It is when folks compromise their integrity for approval or money that they stray from what is meant here. MnM Rated: +1Vote for this!
ThirstyDesert	Posted Feb 5th, 2009 at 5:58PM Unless we can be true to ourselves first, we cannot be true to others. Allowing someone else to define who we are, we lose our ability to discover and grow inwardly. We no longer are able to discern a truth from a lie. For many of us, we have accepted lies for so long, that finding out what is true takes time. Having done this very thing, I know how difficult the journey to self-discovery can be. Rated: +1Vote for this!