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“The truly rich are those who enjoy what they have.”
The official definition of wealth is centered around how much money and assets one has. However, this Yiddish proverb measures wealth differently. It’s about how much one enjoys what they have regardless of quantity. It’s one’s level of appreciation and enjoyment that truly matters. Therefore, by this definition, it’s possible…
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“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
Sometimes we look at something one day and appreciate its beauty. But when we look at it another day, we might barely noticing it. Perhaps we do notice it, but we only see its flaws. Meanwhile, the thing we’re looking at is still the same. Whether it’s something physically around…
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“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses.”
Most of us are familiar with the saying about looking at the glass half full or half empty. This anonymous quote is similar in its underlying message. The point is that we can take any event or circumstance and either see the positive or negative. We can complain about everything…
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“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…
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“The heart that gives thanks is a happy one, for we cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time.”
This quote is from the children’s book, The Secret of Saying Thanks, by Douglas Wood. In reading this book and quote, we are reminded that it’s impossible to be thankful and unhappy at the same time. That’s because gratitude has a way of bending our attitude toward happiness. And this…
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“Don’t worry about the challenges. Get excited about the rewards of crushing them.”
This quote, by Hiral Nagda, forces us to think differently about challenges. Instead of resenting them, we can try to imagine what overcoming them would look and feel like. What if just getting to that feeling of accomplishment is what we focus on? Simple put, by thinking only about the…
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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.”
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…
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“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…
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“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,…
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“The only way to see a rainbow is to look through the rain.”
Sometimes we forget that whenever we’re looking at a rainbow, we’re also looking past rain. In fact, the only way to see a rainbow is to look past rain. While this is true literally, it’s also true figuratively. In life, there may be raindrops spread out before us–those challenges, setbacks,…