Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement that arose in the 1820's and 30's in the U.S. in the name of intellectuality and spirituality. Transcendentalists believe in the inherent goodness of people and nature. They believe society has corrupted both things. They tend to only truly enjoy life when independent and self-reliant.

One of the most famous transcendentalists and a large leader of the movement is Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson's writings and beliefs embody transcendentalism, one of his most famous being his essay "Self-Reliance." In today's society, living a transcendentalist lifestyle isn't very easy, but everybody deserves a transcendentalist moment. Here is mine.

Every summer I go to a leadership camp in the mountains. I owe this leadership camp for shaping who I am today. One summer, I was fortunate enough to have one of my best friends and role models as my staff partner. I was eager and ready to give back to the camp that had given me so much. The Universe had thrown some unforeseen circumstances at the camp, and that altered the mindset of many people we worked with.

It was disappointing to see that behind so many people's smiling faces, they had lost their positivity and balance. My partner and I stayed true to the teachings of our camp and gave everything our all. Since that takes a lot out of you, we took a moment to breathe from our busy schedules, and during a break, we went off to a quiet picnic table in front of some cabins. As we laid on top of the table we sank into the cool metal like a mattress. It was very cloudy and the sky was beautiful swirls of gray. The smell of rain and the fresh outdoors filled our noses, and you couldn't help but take a deeper breath.

We were too mesmerized by how serene the setting was to be bothered by anything. As we stared up at the sky, it started drizzling, and I have never felt more at peace than when that rain hit my cheeks. In that moment I let go of everything, and I realized how happy I was to be at peace.The relief of releasing emotions and the peace that follows is like no other feeling. The realization that everything is going to be okay, and that you can remain positive through troubling times brings your mental health to a euphoric high point. In that calming moment, I valued myself and my life much more even under the cloudy summer sky.

"It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude..." "Self-Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Emerson says it is easy to follow the majority or to separate yourself so far away that you cannot follow everyone else. It is difficult to follow your own path and maintain solitude when going against a crowd. But those who can maintain themselves and their level of peace in chaos show greatness. Have your transcendentalist moment to reevaluate your life and surroundings. This independence will provide eye-opening details about yourself. Make it a point to take these transcendentalist moments as they come, and seek them in nature.