A man should not strive to eliminate his complexes but to get into accord with them, for they are legitimately what directs his conduct in the world.
—Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) Austrian Psychiatrist, Psychoanalytic
Awareness without action is worthless.
—Phil McGraw (b.1950) American TV Personality
Every individual is at once the beneficiary and the victim of the linguistic tradition into which he has been born – the beneficiary inasmuch as language gives access to the accumulated records of other people’s experience, the victim in so far as it confirms him in the belief that reduced awareness is the only awareness and as it bedevils his sense of reality, so that he is all too apt to take his concepts for data, his words for actual things.
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Essayist, Short Story Writer, Satirist
What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself.
—Abraham Maslow (1908–70) American Psychologist, Academic, Humanist
Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself.
—Thales of Miletus (c.624–c.545 BCE) Greek Philosopher, Mathematician
The way life treats you is a merciless mirror image of your attitude toward life.
—Anonymous
I exist as I am, that is enough, If no other in the world be aware I sit content, And if each and all be aware I sit content.
—Walt Whitman (1819–92) American Poet, Essayist, Journalist, American, Poet, Essayist, Journalist
It isn’t important to come out on top, what matters is to be the one who comes out alive.
—Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956) German Poet, Playwright, Theater Personality
The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another.
—Thomas Merton (1915–68) American Trappist Monk
Let us not look back to the past with anger, nor towards the future with fear, but look around with awareness
—James Thurber
Awareness of universals is called conceiving, and a universal of which we are aware is called a concept.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
The precept, “Know yourself,” was not solely intended to obviate the pride of mankind; but likewise that we might understand our own worth.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Service broadens your vision widens your awareness. Deepens your compassion.
—Sathya Sai Baba (1926–2011) Indian Hindu Religious Leader
The moment one gives a close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world unto itself.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
Blessed is he who expects no gratitude, for he shall not be disappointed.
—William Bennett (b.1943) American Politician, Political Theorist, Government Official
In other living creatures the ignorance of themselves is nature, but in men it is a vice.
—Boethius (c.480–524 CE) Roman Statesman, Philosopher
The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.
—Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan (1916–2004) British Sufi Mystic, Religious Leader, Psychologist
Self-love is not opposed to the love of other people. You cannot really love yourself and do yourself a favor without doing other people a favor, and vice versa.
—Karl Menninger (1893–1990) American Psychiatrist
Life is a culmination of the past, an awareness of the present, an indication of a future beyond knowledge, the quality that gives a touch of divinity to matter.
—Charles Lindbergh (1902–74) American Aviator, Inventor, Conservationist
People remain what they are, even when their faces fall to pieces.
—Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956) German Poet, Playwright, Theater Personality
Most people grow old within a small circle of ideas, which they have not discovered for themselves. There are perhaps less wrong-minded people than thoughtless.
—Luc de Clapiers, marquis de Vauvenargues (1715–47) French Moralist, Essayist, Writer
In the 21st century, I believe the mission of the United Nations will be defined by a new, more profound awareness of the sanctity and dignity of every human life, regardless of race or religion.
—Kofi Annan (1938–2018) Ghanaian Statesman, International Diplomat
Of all the infirmities we have, the most savage is to despise our being.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
You can live a lifetime and, at the end of it, know more about other people than you know about yourself.
—Beryl Markham (1902–86) British-born Kenyan Aviator, Adventurer, Sportsperson
Into this blind clay, You have infused awareness. Everything, everywhere which You have given is good
—The Guru Granth Sahib Sacred Text of Sikhism
A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Awareness is half the battle.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
If God had wanted me otherwise, He would have created me otherwise.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
It is not only the most difficult thing to know oneself, but the most inconvenient, too.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
It’s important to realize that inquiry is about noticing, not about dropping the thought… Inquiry is not about getting rid of thoughts; it’s about realizing what’s true for you, through awareness and unconditional self-love. Once you see the truth, the thought lets go of you, not the other way around.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
I’m a salami writer. I try to write good salami, but salami is salami.
—Stephen King (b.1947) American Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Screenwriter, Columnist, Film Director
He who despises himself esteems himself as a self-despiser.
—Susan Sontag (1933–2004) American Writer, Philosopher
The fundamental problem most patients have is an inability to love themselves, having been unloved by others during some crucial part of their lives.
—Bernie S. Siegel (b.1932) American Physician, Writer
We expect more of ourselves than we have any right to, in virtue of our endowments
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809–94) American Physician, Essayist
Man has to live with the body and soul which have fallen to him by chance.
—Jose Ortega y. Gasset (1883–1955) Spanish Critic, Journalist, Philosopher
A growing awareness of the depth of popular attachment to the family has led some liberals to concede that family is not just a buzzword for reaction.
—Christopher Lasch (1932–94) American Historian, Moralist, Social Critic
No one remains quite what he was when he recognizes himself.
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955) German Novelist, Short Story Writer, Social Critic, Philanthropist, Essayist
You can enjoy encouragement coming from outside, but you cannot need for it to come from outside.
—Vladimir K. Zworykin (1889–1982) Russian-born American Physicist, Television Pioneer
We should know what our convictions are, and stand for them. Upon one’s own philosophy, conscious or unconscious, depends one’s ultimate interpretation of facts. Therefore it is wise to be as clear as possible about one’s subjective principles. As the man is, so will be his ultimate truth.
—Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) Swiss Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Philosopher
The one important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one’s work seriously and taking one’s self seriously. The first is imperative and the second is disastrous.
—Margot Fonteyn (1919–91) English Classical Ballet Dancer
Many great kings, emperors, saints and seers have left without taking anything. When you are born you don’t bring anything with you. Render service in divine awareness.
—Sathya Sai Baba (1926–2011) Indian Hindu Religious Leader
I was always willing to take a great deal of the burden of getting along in life on my own shoulders, but I wasn’t willing to give myself a pat on the back. I was always looking to somebody else to give me that … That was all wrong.
—Raquel Welch (b.1940) American Actress, Singer
It is the individual who knows how little they know about themselves who stands the most reasonable chance of finding out something about themselves before they die.
—S. I. Hayakawa (1906–92) Canadian-born American Academic, Elected Rep, Politician
A human action becomes genuinely important when it springs from the soil of a clear-sighted awareness of the temporality and the ephemerally of everything human. It is only this awareness that can breathe any greatness into an action.
—Vaclav Havel (1936–2011) Czech Dramatist, Statesman
The fish only knows that it lives in the water, after it is already on the river bank. Without our awareness of another world out there, it would never occur to us to change.
—Unknown
We would have to settle for the elegant goal of becoming ourselves.
—William Styron (1925–2006) American Novelist, Essayist, Writer
She lacks confidence, she craves admiration insatiably. She lives on the reflections of herself in the eyes of others. She does not dare to be herself.
—Anais Nin (1903–77) French-American Essayist
Humor is perhaps a sense of intellectual perspective: an awareness that some things are really important, others not; and that the two kinds are most oddly jumbled in everyday affairs.
—Christopher Morley (1890–1957) American Novelist, Essayist