Okay you’re probably thinking, “What is she talking about? Transcendentalist? I don’t want to be a hippy!” This article will walk you through what being a transcendentalist is and why acting like one can make your life better.

In High School I learned about the great Transcendentalists like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, among many others, but I never really understood what it was like to act like them until my sophomore year in college. Here’s some boring, but interesting background information. The Transcendentalist movement took place in the mid 1800’s but roughly around 1830-1880. Ushistory.org defines Transcendentalism as “ a very formal word that describes a very simple idea. People, men and women equally, have knowledge about themselves and the world around them that "transcends" or goes beyond what they can see, hear, taste, touch or feel.” I am not saying to go out into the woods, burn all your money, and live off nature for the rest of your life like some extreme Transcendentalists, but here is a list of very persuading and non-extreme reasons to act more transcendentalist in your everyday life.

Transcendentalists value the power of the individual mind.

Who are you to tell someone his or her opinion is wrong and vice versa? Transcendentalists believe everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and that they should be respected fully. They also believe everyone is capable of knowing the right and wrong choices for their own life, so this means do not judge someone for their choices because they are on a different path than you. Have your own opinions in a humble way and never judge someone for what they might be going through.

Transcendentalists put a high value on nature.

Nature is very important to this group of people because they believe it is the purest form of life. In Henry David Thoreau’s book “Walden”, one of the famous quotes from the book embodies how important nature was to them. The quote reads, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life. And see if I could not learn what it had to teach and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” Nature was used as a home and an escape for Transcendentalists and in the age of technology we are currently living in, it is hard to go out into nature. Take time to go for a walk outside, or go on a hike, because we only get one Earth and we should appreciate it just as the Transcendentalists did.

Transcendentalists do not trust Institutions.

The reason that Transcendentalists did not trust institutions was because they believe intuitions interfere with the ability of us to have individual thoughts and opinions (the first reason I listed). The News, for example can sometimes alter our opinions on things and sometimes we do not even question if what we are reading or watching is true. Be careful what you chose to believe and always make sure to check the facts.

Transcendentalists were optimistic.

They always looked at the glass half full, instead of empty. Sometimes in life we get so caught up in the negative, that we forget to appreciate the positives. Be grateful for the life you live and always think positively.

Transcendentalists believe in being yourself.

Be yourself. That phrase is so overused but it is so true. If you spend all your life trying to be what others want you to be, you never really lived at all. Do what makes you happy, go the extra mile, and always be kind to others.