Never lose hope, even in the face of the darkest tragedies. We present to you 13 lessons from Anne Frank’s diary, they’re full of inspiring hopes, and goals!
When Anne was just 13 years old, her family was hiding from the German occupation of Amsterdam during World War II, and she began writing her diary.
Anne Frank never got to live past the age of 15, she gives us a treasure trove of wisdom that is indispensable today. Her book “Diary Of A Young Girl” is one of the most widely read and appreciated pieces of artwork. Though she had to endure hard times, her faith and love for humanity never died out.
13 Life Lessons From Anne Frank The Diary Of A Young Girl
1. You Must Have The Courage To Be Yourself
“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands”
We go about this world fulfilling expectations and dreams of others. But have you ever paused for a second and gave thought to yourself?
No, right? Here’s where Anne asks us to be unapologetic for being yourself. In-fact you should be proud of who you really are and embrace and nourish it every moment. It is the root of all happiness. Without it, everything is devoid of meaning.
2. You Can’t Ignore How You Feel
“Feelings can’t be ignored, no matter how unjust and ungrateful they seem”
As humans we tend to feel emotions, we can’t just mute them and carry on with life. Experiencing sadness, grief, love and happiness is a part of human nature.
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3. Never Give Up Or Compromise On Your Dreams
“It’s difficult in times like these: ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be crushed by grim reality”
Your dreams define your purpose. It is who you are. Just because others are unable to understand and acknowledge your passion doesn’t mean you have to adjust to their patterns by compromising on your dreams.
The world will never be structured according to your space, you have to create your own. You need to know what it is that lies deep inside you. That whisper, that calling is something you should advocate, not sacrifice. Let the world adjust to your passions, not the other way round.
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4. You Must Trust Your Own Potential And Unlock It
“Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!”
We never know what we are capable of. We remain ignorant of the upper limit of our abilities till they’re put to test. Anne asks us to build a coherent trust on ourselves and the intrinsic qualities that we have.
Although they are latent, they can be unlocked and put to great causes. Never doubt your own potential. If you start doubting it, no one will help you. But if you start believing in it, your potential can become your most powerful tool.
5. Never Stop Working On Yourself
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
There’s no limit for improvement. You can always become something better. What you are today can be evolved into something greater, something more radiant and flourishing.
According to Anne, one must strive to become their better version. Each day brings us a new opportunity, and we must harness it to work on ourselves, our potential to become something that we aspire to be.
6. Your Conscience Will Make You Stronger
“A quiet conscience makes one strong!”
As Anne Frank stated this quote in her diary, she is right. Now is the time for that clear conscience. To solve the issues of today, we must rely on ourselves, our innate skills, and our moral beliefs.
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7. Wealth Is Not A Measure Of Greatness
“Human greatness does not lie in wealth or power, but in character and goodness.”
Money buys commodities, and greatness is not one of them. Anything tangible can be purchased, but not human greatness.
Anne says that the measure of a person doesn’t lie in the amount of wealth they have accumulated, but in their actions and deeds. What you stand for always surpasses the lust for money. Wealth can never be a determinant of human greatness.
8. We Are All Inherently Good
“I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.”
We live in an age, where goodness is laughed at. We no longer believe in virtue and think that opportunity is something everyone seeks and makes use of. Being mean and opportunistic is considered profitable. But people fail to realize that we have not converted into mean people.
Rather, we have suppressed our inner goodness deep down in our subconscious. We can rediscover our goodness, and embrace it to cultivate compassion and empathy in the world.
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9. Appreciate What You Have, You’ll Be Happy
“I don’t think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains”
We tend to grieve over our loss more than appreciating what we are left with. The mind shows us all the misery, and not the happiness that is still with us. It is you who have to realize what you have lost and what you still have.
Most of us only highlight the sorrow, and not the joy. The world always has something we can be contented with. We just need to look around and realize the beauty of it. No matter how painful the loss is, you always have something valuable left which you can cherish.
10. We Are Different But The Same
“We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same.”
11. Always Be Hopeful
“I simply can’t build my hopes on a foundation of confusion, misery, and death…and yet…I think this cruelty will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.”
Hope is a powerful tool. It is a light that guides us. It gives people something to look forward to. Anne asks us not to lose hope even in the face of darkest tragedies.
She herself has been subject to wartime terrors and misery. But never lost hope for a better life, a better country. And that too, as a teenager. We must learn to guard the lamp of hope from getting extinguished and pass it down our next generations. A world without hope is nothing but a perpetual machine of darkness.
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12. Always Word Your Thoughts
“Writing in a diary is a really strange experience for someone like me. Not only because I’ve never written anything before, but also because it seems to me that later on neither I nor anyone else will be interested in the musings of a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl. Oh well, it doesn’t matter. I feel like writing.”
Anne used to write a lot. She was one of the best diarists at her time. The world has been cruel to her, but that never stopped her from wording her thoughts. In-fact, according to Anne, the more she wrote, the more emotionally relieved she felt. And she asks us to do the same.
Everyday we go through stress and anxiety that tries to pin us down. But if we practice writing as a means of meditation, we can reduce that level of stress to near zero and regain our mental peace. Writing is an art after all, and it helps soothe the mind despite all the adversity.
13. Giving Doesn’t Make You Poor
“No one has ever become poor by giving.” – Anne Frank
It is a popular conception, especially in this age of materialism, that donating or giving to others drains our personal wealth, thus making us financially weaker. But that’s not true. Anne says that giving increases virtue and generosity in human beings and helps us to become more altruistic.
Giving has always been appreciated as one of the cardinal virtues in the olden days. Philosophers, theologians, naturalists, etc all deeply believed in the act of giving and how it benefited our soul. The contentment you receive by giving to others is unmatched even today.
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Which among these Anne Frank quotes touched your soul? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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