“Just when you feel you have no time to relax, know that this is the moment you most need to make time to relax.”
Sometimes, we have so much going on that it feels like we have no time at all to relax. This quote, from the book Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig, is about what we should do in those moments we don’t seem to have time to relax. It’s at those very moments we should, by all means, make time to relax. Because if we have no time to rest, it means we haven’t been getting much of it. Therefore, that is when we need it most. It’s usually when we feel like we have no time to relax that our energy is most depleted.
“Anything that makes you weak–physically, intellectually and spiritually–reject it as poison.”
A poison is anything that can cause illness or death to a living thing. This quote, by Swami Vivekananda, helps us recognize that toxic people, environments, and situations are poisonous. They make us weak physically, intellectually, and spiritually. We would undoubtably reject poison in its tangible form. However, we don’t always reject it in the other ways it can appear in our lives. So, let us remember to reject the things that cause similar harm–The things that ill or deaden our body, mind, and soul.
“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.”
Sometimes we tend to have a much greater compassion for others than we do for ourselves. We understand when others make an unintended mistake and we’re prepared to help them in times of need. Meanwhile, we may be quick to dismiss our own hurt and pain and be less forgiving of our own mistakes. This quote, by Jack Kornfield, reminds us to not be so hard on ourselves–to also offer ourselves grace and compassion. Otherwise, our compassion is not whole but rather incomplete.
“If you get tired, learn to rest, not quit.”
When pursuing a goal leads to fatigue or burnout, it’s tempting to give up on it all-together before it’s accomplished. It’s natural to want to quit when we’ve become fatigued. But this Bansky quote reminds us that there is another option at our disposal besides quitting. Sometimes all we need is a good rest–a bit of time to reboot, re-energize, and gain a fresh perspective. Rest is always another card in our deck that we can play before forfeiting the game.
“Whatever you do, never run back to what broke you.”
Overcoming challenges is a great accomplishment, especially the ones that bring us to a breaking point. But after some time has passed, we tend to forget or minimize the challenges we’ve overcome and the effect they had on us. Even worse, we put on rose-colored glasses and look back on a difficult situation we’ve been through and see only the good parts. As a result, we actually look back at these experiences with fond memories. This quote, by Frank Ocean, is about not forgetting the things that broke us–the people, environments, situations, etc. Once we’ve overcome and learned from them, why go backwards to relive them again ? Why be…
“No exact recipe for today. Gather all available ingredients and whip yourself up something delicious.”
Sometimes our days can be so laid out and scripted that they leave no room for us to just be. This quote, by Lin-Manuel Miranda, reminds us that some days don’t need to follow a strict plan or schedule. Some days need “no exact recipe.” We can use what we already have in our pantry–the ingredients our lives have been blessed with–and create something delicious. Therefore, we need such unplanned days. Without them, we eventually lose steam. We may, eventually, begin to ask ourselves, “what’s the point?” But days without exact recipes keep us grounded, re-energized, and focused on the essential. So once in a while, put down those measuring…
“Make a pledge to yourself right now, to declare that you are worth your time and energy.”
In life, we spend a great deal of time and energy on a lot of things. Think about what those things are for you. Now consider how much of that time and energy is spent on yourself. Unfortunately, putting ourself on the back of the back burner happens more often than we’d like to admit. It’s quite easy to do actually. So you then have to make a concerted effort to remind yourself that you’re also worth your time and energy. This quote is one of many great quotes by Deborah Day, author of BE HAPPY NOW!: Become the Active Director of Your Life. The quote is about making an…
What It Means to Live Life Positively During a Global Pandemic
Here on PositLive, it’s all about living life positively. As we continue to face tragedies and uncertainties every day, it’s becoming more difficult to do that. While PositLive means living life positively in the good times and bad, I would be remiss if I don’t explain exactly what that means in the situation we’re in. Why take the time to explain this? Because things like positivity, strength, courage, faith, fearlessness–all the things that are encouraged on this site–can easily be misinterpreted. I want to make it clear that those wonderful attributes should not in any way justify actions that might put yourself and those around you in harm’s way. In…
The Importance of Counteracting a Sedentary Work Life
Over the past two years of working at a desk job, my lifestyle has been the most sedentary it has ever been. If I don’t intentionally exercise, my main physical activity would be walking to or from a parking lot. Outside of that, I would spend most of my day sitting or standing. Why is this relevant? Unless your job requires physical activity, your lifestyle is probably similar to mine. It’s innately sedentary. And with all the technological advances and automation of physical tasks, this is unavoidably becoming more common. As a result, sedentariness is very much built into the fabric of most of our days. But it was never…
Why It’s Necessary to Make Time for Hobbies
“I like to (insert hobby) but I just don’t have the time.” You’ve probably heard someone say this. Or maybe, you’ve said something along these lines. “I like to–paint, write, bake, go biking, go hiking, read, sing, play an instrument, play a sport, etc.–but I just don’t have the time. Whatever the hobby is, it seems time is its worst enemy. There never seems to be enough of it to fit in a hobby. But in the hustle and bustle of our busy schedules, we can end up stripping our lives of the very things we’re most passionate about–our hobbies. Consequently, our lives might begin to feel more empty–lacking the…