I’m a big fan of inspirational quotes. They have the amazing ability to motivate and change the way we feel about ourselves. Why’s that? Because these inspirational and motivational (I&M) quotes can help us change our negative beliefs, especially if we have them on display somewhere so we can see them daily. When we can change the quality of our thinking, we can change the quality of our life. Every so often it even happens instantly. Just as positive words can make us smile and a well-timed humorous quote can make us laugh. Our thoughts react to the world at that moment in a positive way.
When I set up my Pinterest page years ago, my I&M board was one of my first boards. What I find interesting is that this board always gets the most hits and re-pins. More so than any of my other boards, even the cooking ones. So, to bring more traffic to my website, I started making my own I&M pins as well as pinning business related ones. I guess I’m a little over due with a blog post dedicated to a few (there are so many) choice quotes in several different flavors. So here they are...
1. “Every day may not be good…but there’s something good in every day.”
~ Alice Morse Earle
Alice Morse Earle was an American historian and author from Worcester, Massachusetts. Her writings, beginning in 1890, focused on small sociological details rather than grand details, and thus are invaluable for modern sociologists. She wrote a number of books on colonial America such as Curious Punishments of Bygone Days.
2. “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.”
~ Marianne Williamson
I think this is spiritual teacher, Marianne Williamson’s most famous quote, but she’s got so many more. Here are a few more.
~Love is what we were born with. Fear is what we learned here.
~We are not held back by the love we didn’t receive in the past, but by the love we’re not extending in the present.
~We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what’s wrong in your life, or you can focus on what’s right.
~The first step in forgiveness is the willingness to forgive.
Marianne Deborah Williamson (born July 8, 1952) is an American spiritual teacher, author and lecturer. She has published many books, including four New York Times number one bestsellers. She is the founder of Project Angel Food, a meals-on-wheels program that serves homebound people with AIDS in the Los Angeles area, and the co-founder of The Peace Alliance, a grassroots campaign supporting legislation to establish a United States Department of Peace. Williamson serves on the Board of Directors of the RESULTS organization, which works to end poverty in the United States and around the world. Williamson also produces the Sister Giant Conferences, highlighting the intersection of spirituality and politics.
3. “Change is never painful, only resistance to change is painful” ~unknown
I have seen this quote many times and most often Buddha is given the credit. But it’s not his. I like it, but here’s a favorite Buddha quote.
“What we think, we become”.
Here’s a link to 108 Buddha quotes. “Why 108? The significance is open to interpretation, but 108 has long been considered a sacred number in Hinduism and yoga. Traditionally, malas, or garlands of prayer beads, come as a string of 108 beads (plus one for the “guru bead,” around which the other 108 beads turn like the planets around the sun). A mala is used for counting as you repeat a mantra—much like the Catholic rosary.
This number also connects the Sun, Moon, and Earth: The average distance of the Sun and the Moon to Earth is 108 times their respective diameters. Such phenomena have given rise to many examples of ritual significance.” (From Yoga Journal)
4. “Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, surrounded by assholes.” ~ Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for treating psychopathology through dialogue between a patient and a psychoanalyst.
5. “Just breath. You are strong enough to handle your challenges, wise enough to find solutions to your problems, and capable enough to do whatever needs to be done.”
~Lori Deschene
Lori Deschene is the founder of Tiny Buddha and Recreate Your Life Story, an online course that helps you let go of the past and live a life you love. Her latest book is Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal, and includes 15 coloring pages.
6. “Focus on where you want to go, not on what you fear.” ~ Anthony Robbins
Tony Robbins is an entrepreneur, best selling author, philanthropist and a well known life and business strategist. He is the author of six internationally bestselling books, including a New York Times #1 bestseller. He created the #1 personal and professional development program of all time. More than 4 million people have attended his live seminars.
7. “Be kind to unkind people, they need it the most.” ~Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant
Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant (12/9/1933) is an author and syndicated cartoonist born in London, UK, and living in Santa Barbara, California. He is best known for his Pot-Shots, single-panel illustrations with one-line humorous remarks, which began syndication in the United States of America in 1975.
8. “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” ~Dalai Lama XIV
If you’d like to read more quotes by the Dalai Lama, go here.
9. “Sometimes when you’re in a dark place you think you’ve been buried, but you’ve actually been planted.” ~Christine Caine
Christine Caine is an Australian born, Greek blooded, lover of Jesus, activist, author and international speaker. She and her husband, Nick, founded the global anti-human trafficking organization, The A21 Campaign. They also founded Propel Women, an organization designed to activate women to fulfill their God-given passion, purpose, and potential. Christine is the author of six books including Unashamed. Her most recent, Unexpected: Leave Fear Behind, Move Forward in Faith, Embrace the Adventure came out in 2018.
10. “Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not.” ~unknown
I would have liked to have known who the clever person was who figured this one out. :- )
11. “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” ~ Rumi
Can’t have a list of great quotes without Rumi!
Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi was a 13th century Persian poet, an Islamic dervish and a Sufi mystic. He is regarded as one of the greatest spiritual masters and poetical intellects. Born in 1207 AD, he belonged to a family of learned theologians. He made use of everyday life’s circumstances to describe the spiritual world.
12. “If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.” ~Winnie the Pooh
Last but certainly not the least is my favorite bear. I can never tire of Pooh bear. I grew up on A.A Milne and still have those Winnie the Pooh books. His work is timeless and for children of all ages.
A.A. Milne, full name: Alan Alexander Milne, (born January 18, 1882, London, England—died January 31, 1956, Hartfield, Sussex), English humorist, the originator of the very popular stories of Christopher Robin and his toy bear, Winnie-the-Pooh. The verses were written for his son, Christopher Robin. These grew into the collections When We Were Very Young (1924) and Now We Are Six (1927). More A.A. Milne quotes can be found here.
I hope you’ve enjoy a few of my favorite inspirational quotes. I invite you to my Pinterest page where you’ll find many more quotes to live by and laugh a little too.
Please share a favorite quote of yours. :-)
Namaste’
Stephanie
