“To make a change, you need to be aware and acknowledge that something isn’t working first.”
When it comes to changing something that’s not working, you first have to see that it’s not working. It seems like a no-brainer. But sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know. And a much needed change may not be so evident. This quote, by Justin Kan, reminds us of the importance of being aware of and acknowledging that something isn’t working. How do you become aware and acknowledge something isn’t working when you just don’t know? Where do you begin in order to develop that awareness? Here are some things to reflect on. Ask yourself if you’ve put on some rose-colored glasses. There might be some denial happening–Ignoring red…
“The first step to living the life that you want is leaving the life that you don’t want.”
When we think of living the life we want, our first inclination is to think of all the things we need to add to it or begin. However, as writer Karen Salmansohn suggests in this quote, we might be missing another key step before all of that. Before we start thinking about what to add or start, a more immediate step might be what we need to get rid of, stop, or leave behind. For instance, what situations, patterns, or toxic relationships do we need to leave? Addressing those things first will be the first step in creating a clearer path toward living the life we want.
“All that really belongs to us is time; even he who has nothing else has that.”
This quote, by Baltasar Gracian, gives us a different perspective of time. It’s the only thing we all really have. Even someone with absolutely nothing has it. But when it comes to free time, we don’t all have the same amount. And what we physically possess isn’t always a predictor of the intangible time we have. For instance, someone who’s amassed a great deal of wealth can have less or just as much free time as someone with significantly fewer assets. Moreover, they may not even have much time to enjoy the things they have. At the end of the day, when it comes to time, it really doesn’t matter…
“Your Monday morning thoughts set the tone for your whole week. See yourself getting stronger, and living a fulfilling, happier, and healthier life.”
For the Monday to Friday five-day workweek worker, Mondays can be the most dreaded day of the week. Waking up on a Monday, it can be hard to wave off the feeling of hopelessness and despair. The thought of another five days shakes you to your core, and you would give anything for just one more day of weekend. If this is you, you’re not alone. Maybe your dreaded day is not Monday. Depending on your schedule, it could be a Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday–whatever that day is that commences your workweek, the feeling is unfortunately the same. This quote, by Germany Kent, helps bring hope out of despair on…
“There is more to life than simply increasing its speed.”
Being fast and doing the most in the least time is something we’ve come to praise and idolize as a society. Games, sports, and competitions of mental aptitude are often won by whoever is fastest. There is no reward for the slowest person to win a race, the last person to complete a task, or the last person to ring in the correct answer. So, we become conditioned to believe that without speed we lose. In other words, we’re a loser at life. As a result, we find ourselves rushing toward every milestone and accomplishment, sometimes forgetting ourselves in the process. And if we don’t reach those milestones and accomplishments…
“Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.”
Finding happiness doesn’t always come automatically. Some days are harder than others. Sometimes without any known reason. As this quote by Dalai Lama XIV reminds us, happiness is not “ready-made.” But even though it’s not ready-made, this quote also reminds us we do have some level of autonomy over it. There are actions you can take for your happiness. For instance, understanding yourself–Increasing the things that make you happy and avoiding the things that do the opposite. Ensuring you have the right support system around you. Surrounding yourself with positive things and people. Seeking counseling when needed. Finding peace through meditation and prayer. Taking better care of your body and…
“Half the trouble in the world comes from people asking ‘What have I achieved?’ rather than ‘What have I enjoyed?’”
This quote is from Walter Farley, the writer of The Black Stallion books. Farley went on to say that it wasn’t so much the popularity of his books among young readers that brought him joy. Instead, it was that he enjoyed writing them. Often we focus on the outcome, or achievement, and not the way we feel in getting there. This quote reminds us to focus less on what we’ve achieved and more on what we’ve enjoyed. After all, it’s better to have mediocrity than an unhappy road to success. However, if we focus on what we enjoy, the success may come too, but with more joy along the way.
“Certain things catch your eye, but pursue only those that capture the heart.”
Sometimes we’re blinded by the things that capture our eye, and we forget to ask ourselves whether they actually capture our heart. Moreover, we confuse the two. But they’re very different. There’s a different feeling you get with the things that capture the heart. It’s the connection you feel with someone without seeing them. It’s the feeling you have in making a difference. Or the joy in doing what you know you were put on this earth to do. This ancient Indian proverb reminds us to pursue these things. And if everything we go after is what captures our heart, the more full our hearts become.
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“Try a thing you haven’t done three times. Once, to get over the fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And a third time to figure out whether you like it or not.”
“Do not wait: the time will never be ‘just right’. Start where you stand, and work whatever tools you may have at your command and better tools will be found as you go along.”
“The secret of happiness, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.”
“When we try to juggle everything, we can’t enjoy anything.”
Every minimalism sales pitch has a common theme: Less means more. With less stuff, we can enjoy more space and time for what really matters. But minimalism almost always refers to cutting back on physical items that we can see and touch. However, the minimalist concept of less means more can also apply to certain non-physical things. This quote, from the blog bemorewithless by Courtney Carver, reminds us that, sometimes, the more there is for us to juggle, the harder it is to enjoy what’s there. “When we try to juggle everything, we can’t enjoy anything.” Coincidentally, Carver specializes in minimalism, and her book Project 333, is about minimalism particularly…
“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 is something we can begin to recognize at a young age. If it’s difficult to have gratitude, you can practice it by simply writing something you’re thankful for each day. Perhaps you challenge yourself to write something different each day. By the end of the year, you may surprise yourself with 365 different things to be thankful for and 365…
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“How different our lives are when we really know what is deeply important to us, and keeping that picture in mind, we manage ourselves each day to be and to do what really matters most.”
“A tiny change today brings a dramatically different tomorrow.”
Ancient Literature in the Age of Modern Technology
