“Weaknesses are just strengths in the wrong environment.”
We usually beat ourselves up for our weaknesses. Meanwhile, we celebrate our strengths. But what if we’re able to celebrate our weaknesses just as much as we celebrate what we’re good at? This quote, by Marianne Cantwell, challenges us to stop referring to our weaknesses as such. We can actually think of them as strengths. Things we may conventionally consider a weakness, like being slow, loud, soft spoken, spontaneous, or overly caution are not bad in and of themselves. They just need to be placed in an environment where they are valuable traits. So we can stop beating ourselves up for our weaknesses and know that it’s all a matter…
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“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, I used everything you gave me.
“Winning doesn’t always mean being first. Winning means you’re doing better than you’ve done before.”
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts today.”
When we have doubt, we naturally put forth less effort, we have less passion, and our hopes fade. This quote, by Franklin D. Roosevelt, reminds us that this is not the best way to begin each day. It means our goals and dreams for tomorrow are less likely to be realized because we’re more limited mentally and physically. However, having optimism today does the opposite and gives us the strength, hope, and passion we need to take on tomorrow in a way that makes our hopes and dreams more likely to succeed.
“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.”
This quote is by the famous American Jazz singer, Ella Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was also a civil rights activist who faced many setbacks during her time, yet she broke many barriers in the entertainment industry. Know this background helps us appreciate what she says in this quote even more. Pursuing our goals might be difficult, but if we’re doing them out of love and inspiration, we’re on the right track. So we can press on boldly and with confidence, knowing we can’t go wrong. Because if we succeed, we’ve put something good out there. And even if we don’t succeed, we’ve at least created some good in the process.
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along’.”
This quote, by Eleanor Roosevelt, is simple. It’s about the strength, courage, and confidence we gain whenever we face our fears. Each time we face our fears, we are emboldened to face the next one because we aren’t the same person we were. Something in us changes, and we face new challenges at a higher level than before.
“You are the sum total of everything you’ve ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot – it’s all there. Everything influences each of us, and because of that, I try to make sure that my experiences are positive.”
In math, adding positive numbers results in an even bigger number. However, the moment we begin to introduce negative numbers, the sum total decreases. This is a basic mathematical concept. And this quote, by Maya Angelou, reminds us that a similar principle applies to life. Who we are is the sum of everything around us. What we see, hear, eat, smell, know, remember–it all adds up to make us think, act, and do things a certain way. Continuing on with imagining life as an equation, consider how you can make all the things that influence your life more positive. Remember, you don’t necessarily have to do something big (ie. add…
“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.”
This quote, by Napoleon Hill, is not saying we don’t attempt to do great things. However, sometimes we may not have the opportunity to do great things. During those situations, it’s tempting to not do anything at all–just because we can’t do the great things we aspire. However, this quote encourages us to do what we can and to try to do them in a great way or as best as we can. And when we continue doing small things in a great way, they may eventually become great things.
“Every day may not be a good day but there is good in every day.”
This quote, by Alice Morse Earle, reminds us that it’s important to first understand that every day may not be a good day. Some days bring bad news, disappointment, frustration, physical pain, or emotional distress. There is a host of life challenges out there. But while we understand every day may not be good, we should also understand that there is still good in every day. The two are not mutually exclusive. It is, in fact, possible to find good in not so good days. This realization can be somewhat liberating. We become less focussed on making life “perfect”–feeling constantly unhappy and disappointed. Instead, we’re more inclined to do our…
“Failure is success in progress.”
Imagine if how far we’ve gotten on achieving success on an endeavor was measured through a progress bar. Based on this quote by Albert Einstein, that progress bar would be filled with the word “failure”. Meaning, the more there is failure, the more we load up to success. Our failures is success in progress. So, whenever you feel like you’re not having any success on your goals due to many failures, remember that those very failures can also mean you’re moving closer toward success. Those failures are shaping and teaching you in ways you may not realize.
“Rise above the storm, and you will find the sunshine.”
When we look at a sky covered with thick dark clouds during one of those storms in the middle of the day, it’s easy to imagine the sun is no longer there or that it has ceased to shine for a moment. However, the sun is still there–shining no more nor no less. It’s only hidden. This quote, by Mario Fernández, reminds us to rise above the storm to find the sunshine. Literally speaking, that is exactly what we’d have to do to find it. Above the storm clouds carrying rain and lightning, the sun shines on. Figuratively speaking, the same applies to life. The simple joys and beauty of…
“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.”
This quote, from Paradise Lost by John Milton, gives us a different perspective of the mind–as its own place. We’re forced to think of our mind as a vast, infinite land that’s sort of under construction. And we have the ability to build whatever we want on it. For instance, we can develop it into a beautiful oasis or plant thorns. But in addition to the mind being its own place that we can develop, this quote also reminds us that it’s within our power and mind to either find or create the good in bad situations. It’s also within our power and mind to appreciate the good that’s already…
