“Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.”
What a shame it would be if a caterpillar decided to remain in its cocoon. Fortunately, nature runs its course and a metamorphosis occurs. The caterpillar eventually emerges as a butterfly–having no choice in the matter. We too are faced with the prospect of major change. But we typically do have a choice. However, that choice is often akin to remaining in a cocoon. As we read in this quote by Mandy Hale, growth and change can be painful. But without growth and change, we’re more likely to be stuck where we don’t belong–in our cocoon. Perhaps, never allowing ourselves to experience our own metamorphosis.
“The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases.”
In the story of Cinderella, the glass slipper fits one person and one person only: Cinderella. However, realistically, there would be others with the same shoe size while there would be those whom the same shoe doesn’t fit. It’s a simple fact of life that we can’t all wear the same-sized shoes. This quote, from the book Modern Man in Search of a Soul by psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung, reminds us that we can’t expect to go on life’s journey all wearing the same-sized shoes. That would be an unfair expectation for ourself. If they’re too small or too big, our journey would be more slow, laborious, painful, and…
“Happiness is your nature. It is not wrong to desire it. What is wrong is seeking it outside when it is inside.”
Most babies and toddlers are naturally prone to smiling and laughing with the slightest amusement or provocation. But as we grow older, the realities of life set in, we begin to realize what we have and don’t have, and we begin to compare ourself. Meanwhile, events and circumstances occur that start to erode our happiness. This quote, by Ramana Maharshi, reminds us that happiness is already in our nature. Therefore, when it’s missing or lacking, we have to remember not to seek it from the outside. Rather, we should rekindle it from the inside where it naturally originated before external factors came into play.
“The soul is stronger than its surroundings.”
Think about your soul. It’s the part of you that is YOU at the core–your essence. It is there on good days and bad days. It is there no matter where you go. And it is there no matter how you look on the outside. This quote, by psychologist and philosopher William James, makes us consider our soul. Moreover, it reminds us of its strength in the midst of whatever surrounding or circumstance we find ourself. And the best part is that its strength can grow with time. The keys to its strength are: Knowing who you area at the core (your soul) and standing confident and firm in who…
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“The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.”
“If you’re reading this… Congratulations, you’re alive. If that’s not something to smile about, then I don’t know what is.”
“You can’t fall if you don’t climb. But there’s no joy in living your whole life on the ground.”
“You can make life very simple or very complicated. Some people try to be what others want them to be. Others try to be different just to stand out. In both cases, they are changing themselves to impress others. Neither of these paths has a heart. Just be true to yourself. It’s that simple.”
Whether you’re trying to be what others want you to be or you’re consciously trying to be different to stand out, you’re concerned with what other people think. This quote, by Mike Stutman, serves as a great reminder to reflect on the reason why you are who you are. If any part of your identity has to do with what people think, then there could be a part of you that’s not authentically you. Meanwhile, there could be a part of you missing that you haven’t yet discovered. Sadly, some people go through their whole life neither discovering nor living true to who they really are because they spend so…
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“Half the trouble in the world comes from people asking ‘What have I achieved?’ rather than ‘What have I enjoyed?’”
“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.”
“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.”
“Know that when the world knocks you down, the best revenge is to get up and continue forging ahead. ”
Continuing to move ahead after being knocked down by a setback or disappointment is not easy. However, we do this all the time, often without recognizing our own outstanding display of perseverance. So give yourself some credit for all the times you forge ahead. This quote, by Nancy Arroyo Ruffin, interprets each of those times you’re able to persevere as a form of revenge toward the setbacks, disappointments, and unfair circumstances that knocked you down. In a sense, you’re refusing to let those things win. You’re getting back up and saying “Bring it on.”
“In the end, everything will be okay. If it’s not okay, it’s not yet the end.”
When reading a book, we eventually come to its definitive end. We turn the final page of a story or series and there’s nothing more to be said. Typically, things end on a good note. There’s a sense of closure. Similarly this quote, by Fernando Sabino, reminds us that if everything’s not ok, we’ve not yet arrived at the end of our story. However, unlike a story book the pages of our story are indefinite. So when everything feels broken and we feel like we’ve reached our last page, we can remember that tomorrow’s always a new page.
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“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.”
“Watch your thoughts, they become your words. Watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions, they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character. Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
PositLive Music: “The Climb”
“The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet.”
Do you ever find yourself thinking ‘I’ll be happier when…’ or ‘I’ll be happier if…’. Typically with these statements, the if and when is tied to something we envision in the future. It’s never now and it’s rarely soon. This quote, by James Oppenheim, reminds us that happiness doesn’t have to be something we wait for or search for in the distance. Instead, we can cultivate it now. We can appreciate and nurture the things already around us today.
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“There are years that ask questions and years that answer.”
“Letting there be room for not knowing is the most important thing of all. When there’s a big disappointment, we don’t know if that’s the end of the story. It may just be the beginning of a great adventure.”
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“Forget your past, forgive yourself, and begin again right now.”
We tend to be the harshest critic of our own shortcomings and failures. While a little introspection is good, constantly beating ourselves up over past shortcomings and failures means constantly being stuck in the past. As a result, we’re not able to focus on the present. We become so stuck in the past that we may miss the great opportunity life gives us to learn from our mistakes and begin again. Interestingly, at the literal center of this anonymous quote is forgiving yourself. Meanwhile, this is also central to the quote’s message. It’s only when we aren’t stuck in the past (having forgiven ourselves) that we can be “present” enough…
“If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.”
Being fully motivated all the time is actually not normal; and constantly being on overdrive can be mentally and physically draining, leading to burnout. Motivation naturally ebbs and flows. There will be days when it’s lacking and days when we feel highly energized–unstoppable. So occasionally feeling unmotivated is nothing to freak out about. Just embrace those periods of low motivation as time to give yourself a mental and physical break. Come back stronger the next day. It’s when we find ourselves consistently unmotivated day after day that it’s a problem. This can be a sign of depression and/or a sign that what we are doing is simply not motivating for…
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The Problem of Perfectionism and “Product” Goals
“Be grateful for what you already have while you pursue your goals. If you aren’t grateful for what you already have, what makes you think you would be happy with more.”
“Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well.”
