Your identity creates you. And you choose your identity. Yes, your childhood, your parent's view of you, the way others have treated you, who you compare yourself with, all have had a part in creating your identity. But it's only because now in the present you have decided to keep the identity you have been influenced to have. And if you haven't made a conscious decision how to view your identity, you are still making a decision, albeit a passive one.
You might already view yourself as a happy, joyous person. If so, great. If that's not yet your picture of yourself, it makes sense to start viewing yourself this way now. All you need is one moment of happiness or joy to consider yourself as one.
(From Rabbi Pliskin's "Happiness",p.95)
See more Daily Lifts on the topic of
Happiness
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Rabbi Zelig Pliskin's new book has just been published by Artscroll:
SELF-CONFIDENCE:
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Rabbi Zelig Pliskin is the author of 25 books with his specialty in mastering happiness and other positive inner resources.
His last 15 books include: "Taking Action", "Happiness", "Kindness", "Courage", "Serenity", "Building Your Self-image" "Conversations with
Yourself" and "Marriage." These books are available at: Artscroll.com.
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About the Author
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Rabbi Zelig Pliskin is a noted psychologist and prolific author of 24 books, including Guard Your Tongue, Gateway to Happiness, Gateway to Self Knowledge, Love Your Neighbor, Growth Through Torah, The Power of Words, Consulting the Wise, and the recent Life is Now. Rabbi Pliskin lives in Jerusalem, and is the director of Aish HaTorah's Counseling Center and a senior lecturer at Aish's Essentials program and the Executive Learning Center. He was ordained at the Telshe Yeshiva in Ohio and holds a degree in Counseling Psychology.