“God will not look you over for medals, degrees or diplomas but for scars.”
Metals, degrees, diplomas, and various accolades are nice to have. But what’s not so nice is being so consumed by them that we don’t see the things that really matter. Moreover, it’s not so nice when they come to define who we are–become our identity. This quote, by Elbert Hubbard, reminds us that God doesn’t care about metals, degrees, diplomas, and all other accolades we chase after. Beyond this world, these things are left behind and forgotten. However, the failures and scares that shape us will be a better indication of who we really are than any of our accomplishments. So while we pursue our goals, let’s remember that we…
“Understand: you are one of a kind. Your character traits are a kind of chemical mix that will never be repeated in history. There are ideas unique to you, a specific rhythm and perspective that are your strengths, not your weaknesses. You must not be afraid of your uniqueness.”
This quote, by the author Robert Greene, reminds us that we’re all unique, including our thoughts, ideas, and character traits. Moreover, our uniqueness doesn’t just apply to the current time but spans throughout history. Often we try to hide the things that make us stand out because society trains us to conform–to fit in. But “You must not be afraid of your uniqueness.” As stated in this quote, that is your strength. Taking things a step further, our uniqueness is a superpower we all possess. And we all have a choice to either use this superpower or cover it up.
“No one is you and that is your power.”
Every once in a while, it’s good to be reminded that no one else is you. Which is what this anonymous quote does. But beyond this, it lets us know it is our super power. The fact that no one else is you makes what ever you have to offer unique, no matter who you are. Once we understand this, we can channel this “super power” to feel more empowered.
“When you know your worth, no one can make you feel worthless.”
Sometimes the value we have of ourselves is swayed by others. This is dangerous, especially when they’re making us feel less about ourself. This anonymous quote tells us that no one can make us feel worthless as long as we already know we’re not. It’s that simple. But self-worth can sometimes be misguided. We make it contingent upon external factors like our success, our look, or our associations. However, self-worth is far less complicated. Knowing your worth, at its core, is all about knowing and valuing your uniqueness. It’s about appreciating what makes you special. And nothing anyone does or says can or should take that away. Therefore, nothing anyone…
“It’s not what you say out of your mouth that determines your life, it’s what you whisper to yourself that has the most power.”
If you were to transcribe all the words that come out of your mouth and also all the thoughts that run through your head and compare both documents, would they be similar or divergent? Would someone reading it think they are words spoken by two completely different people? Which of the two transcripts would be more positive? The words said out loud or the words said to yourself? This quote, by Robert T. Kiyosaki, reminds us that the words we say internally are just as powerful–if not more powerful–than the words we say out loud. Moreover, it reminds us how important it is to make sure both narratives are aligned.
“Lighten up on yourself. No one is perfect. Gently accept your humanness.”
This quote, by Deborah Day, is all about not being hard on yourself and giving yourself permission to not be perfect–because no one is. While “no one is perfect” is a cliche statement, it’s so easy to forget when it comes ourselves and those around us. Which is why this quote serves as a great reminder to “lighten up”. It reminds us that part of being human is imperfection, which we all share. So let’s accept and embrace it, and give ourselves grace when we do fall short or make mistakes. This is one of the first steps to not only improving our self esteem but also our relationships.
“Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.”
It’s interesting that this quote comes from Malcolm S. Forbes, son of the founder of Forbes business magazine. It’s a quote about value; but not in the business sense. Rather, the value we hold about ourselves. In business, it’s not good when something is overvalued or undervalued. An overvaluation results in a more difficult sale. The buyer is weary about making the purchase. Meanwhile, an undervaluation leads to a loss in potential profit. The valuation needs to be at just the right price-point. In this quote, Forbes says that “too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.” Using business as a metaphor, by overvaluing what…
Depression Part 3: Finding the Cause and Working Toward the Solution
How is depression caused? What can you do about it? Those are two big questions, and it would take a whole book to cover both of them–each. So attempting to do that in a single blog post is quite a challenge. But, through this attempt, we get a short yet comprehensive summary that can hopefully lead to reflection and appropriate action. Causes First of all, it can’t be emphasized enough that depression is a very complicated condition that can have not just one but multiple causes. The key thing to note is that whatever the cause(s), they ultimately alter a person’s brain chemistry. Similar to how someone who goes through…
Just Take a Chance: The Importance of Facing Your Fears
“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 have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” Eleanor Roosevelt This week I did something outside my comfort zone: getting behind a video camera. Every part of me wanted to call it off, but a little voice in my head kept saying “face your fear.” Taking a chance and facing your fears doesn’t necessarily mean living on the edge, making reckless decisions, or doing things that…
The Effect Negative Self-Talk
The impact negative self-talk can have on our overall happiness and wellbeing should not be understated. Therefore, the “effect of negative self-talk” deserves a post of its own. It is just that important. What is negative self-talk? In this short post, we’ll provide an overall definition of negative self-talk: The internal dialogue you have with yourself, which expresses opinions about yourself that are negative. However, a deep deep look into negative self-talk would reveal that there’s more to it that is not covered in a general definition. It turns out that there are 10 forms of negative self-talk. Mind-reading Overgeneralization Magnification Minimization Emotional reasoning Black and white thinking Personalization Fortune-telling…