The Blessings of Mindful Thinking

The thought of freedom brings freedom. But it is good for everyone to cherish the idea that he is free? If a man constantly says "I am free, I am free," then he is sure to be free. On the other hand, the man who always says, "I am a sinner," is sure to have a fall.

~The Gospel of Ramakrishna, ed. by Swami Abhedananda [1907] (par. 181)

Much like the old adage, you are what you eat, so too are we what we perceive ourselves to be. The perception of one's self is at the core of what we become. Only when we affirm the person we wish to be will we manifest that person.