“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.
H.O.P.E. = Hold On. Pain Ends.
Hold on. Pain Ends. This acronym for the word hope is also such a great definition of what it means to have hope. Having hope means having faith that whatever difficulties or challenges you’re going through now will eventually end. But holding on is not easy at times. We naturally get impatient and feel like we cant hang in there much longer. However, just the mere understanding that the pain will end–or at least diminish–makes it easier to hold on. So next time you feel completely hopeless, remember to hold on. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
“The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It’s what you’re made of. Not the circumstances.”
It’s interesting to note that boiling water can both soften a potato and harden an egg. If we think of the boiling water as challenges in life, then those challenges can either make us weaker (soften us) or make us stronger (harden us). This anonymous quote reminds us that the same boiling water–same circumstances–can have different effects. In other words, the circumstances are not what automatically determine our outcome. It all depends what we’re made of. It depends on the composition of our mind, body, and soul.
“If you work on something a little bit every day, you end up with something that is massive.”
A bird’s nest is made of so many twigs, dry grass, and moss that have been procured from near and far and then carefully and properly placed. The pieces are small and light. However, they result in a fairly sturdy and livable structure. Imagine all the back and forth trips and all the little pieces that come together to build that nest–something so necessary and impactful. Naturally and instinctively, the bird knows it needs to add little things, bit by bit, to build something massive. And we should remember that too, in our own lives. This quote, by Kenneth Goldsmith, reminds us that it’s okay to work on something little…
“The greatest mistake we make is living in constant fear that we will make one.”
It’s one thing to be afraid of making a mistake. Being afraid of messing up is a natural feeling when you want to do something well. However, when that fear is constant and preoccupying, it becomes unhealthy. This quote, by John C. Maxwell, reminds us of that. It reminds us that living with a constant fear of making a mistake is one of the greatest mistakes we can make. It’s a mistake that can make us shy away from difficulties and challenges and prevent us from taking chances or trying new things. So, instead of having a constant fear of making a mistake, it’s best to understand that mistakes are…
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“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.”
“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.”
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
“What we do today, right now, will have an accumulated effect on all our tomorrows.”
Imagine yourself hiking up a mountain. Chances are, it will take an innumerable number of steps to make it to the top. However, one thing is guaranteed. No matter how long it takes or how painful it gets, each step gets you further up. This illustration brings to mind Alexandra Stoddard’s quote, “What we do today, right now, will have an accumulated effect on all our tomorrows.” Imagine each step up the mountain as the actions you take each day. Every action that brings about positive change will only carry you upward. Therefore, you’ll be further tomorrow than you were yesterday because each step (i.e. action) is accumulative, adding to…
“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.”
Having discipline is never fun. At least, not usually. But is it better to suffer the pain of having discipline and making sacrifices to get where you want to be or to suffer pain from the regret you feel because you never did enough to get there? This quote, by Jim Rohn, answers this question. The pain of discipline is not nearly as bad as the pain of regret. One weighs on us more than the other. Perhaps we don’t feel the pain of regret right away, but eventually we do. Therefore, instead of avoiding the pain of discipline, let’s think about how much worse we’ll feel when we regret.
PositLive Music: “Fight Song”
“Fight Song” Written by: Rachel Platten and Dave Bassett Released: February 19, 2015 Less than a year before this song’s release, singer-songwriter, Rachel Platten, was struggling to make it in the music industry. However, she found the strength to go on, as expressed in this song (Source). In short, it’s a song about hope and perseverance. Rachel recalls her struggle saying, “Ten months ago I was on a house concert tour in a van playing to like twenty or thirty people a night…I wrote the song when I was going through such a hard time, and I needed to remember to believe in myself” (Source). Select PositLive Music: Lyrical Playlist…
“Don’t limit your challenges. Challenge your limits.”
No one ever becomes a professional athlete or marathon runner without ever once pushing themself beyond their limits. That person must train to be at the level they are in. It’s that extra mile–those extra reps–that redefine what they can achieve. If they would stop or go easy every time they feel the’ve reached their max, they would never grow but plateau. This idea not only applies to fitness but other aspects of life that challenge us. However, when challenges mount, the first thing we want to do is limit them. We want to make them small until we’re comfortable. But if we were to limit our challenges all the…
“If you’re stuck in a puddle, it means there’s higher ground all around you. You just have to step onto it.”
This quote, by Emilyann Girdner, reminds us to not lose hope whenever we feel stuck in a rut. It’s like being stuck in a puddle. But if there’s anything you can guarantee about puddles, it’s the fact that they don’t carry on forever. There’s a point where the puddle ends because there’s always higher ground surrounding it that forms the puddle in the first place. So when we find ourselves stuck in life’s puddles, all we have to do is keep moving forward. Eventually we’ll not only come out of it but experience a bit of growth–because we’re standing a bit taller than before.
