Line by Line - Verse 33, Line 4

he who overcomes himself is mighty.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Mastering the self needs strength.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Those who overcome themselves are powerful
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

but to rule yourself, you must be strong.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

To look in the mirror and see ourselves for who and what we truly are is one of the hardest things any of us can do. Who really wants to look at all their blemishes, warts and foibles? It is so much easier to see the person we want to see.

As an individual in counseling, I certainly can attest to the fact that facing up to many of my issues has been tough. I often leave my sessions feeling drained of emotion and mentally exhausted. I realize, however, if I want to be the best person I can be that I must learn to accept that which I cannot change and to work to improve on those areas that I can change.

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