I was a guest on a podcast earlier this week and one of the questions asked was “what are some pieces of real life advice that you’ve benefitted from?” Two quotes immediately came to mind that I want to share with you, in addition to a few other nuggets of wisdom I keep in my back pocket anytime I need a mental or emotional boost.
I think many of us are reaching a breaking point with what’s happening in our world. Our psyche’s are beat down. We are tired. In case you didn’t know, I publish a daily gratitude post on Facebook each weekday morning where I and others share what we’re grateful for that day. It’s amazing and cathartic and a great way to keep what’s happening in perspective. Earlier this week I shared I was grateful that quarantine is starting to feel like the new normal, but five minutes later that felt like the furthest thing from the truth. Nothing “happened” but that’s just how life feels right now. One minute everything’s fine, and the next minute it isn’t.
All that to say, if you feel the same, you are not alone, and I hope these quotes act as a little pick me (you!) up! I’d love if you shared some real life advice or motivational quotes that you live by in the comments section below.
“Be Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak, Slow To Anger”
I’m paraphrasing a bible verse but either way I want to tattoo it on my forehead. Or forearm. Or wherever – the point is, that is how often I repeat this mantra to myself each day. It is so important! Having very young children requires more patience then, well, I’ve usually got in the tank (at least these days) so I am constantly reminding myself to slow down and listen. Speak with love. Look at a situation with understanding. I literally could not get through my days without this motivational quote.
“If You Change Nothing, Nothing Will Change”
This second quote is from Rajkummar Rao by way of Pinterest, probably, and is something I remind myself a lot of mostly in regards to my business, but life in general as well. It’s so easy to get stuck in a routine, or accept a ho hum or even toxic situation, for example, but if you want something to change you need to actually take the steps to change it. Take baby steps if you need to! The point is, DO SOMETHING. A similar quote from Albert Einstein I love is “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”
“Keep Your Powder Dry”
I believe this saying comes from an old English Statesmen and has to do with war and gunpowder, but the meaning behind this quote for my family is: “chill the @$%! out.” My Grandpa said this to my Mom growing up and she in turn reminded my brothers and me of it often as kids. I try to channel this quote if I feel myself getting worked up about something that I don’t necessarily need to be worked up about. Which doesn’t happen often because, you know, I’m a super cool cat! #lies Anyway, I can see my Mom in my mind anytime I replay this message in my head – eyebrows raised, voice low and soothing, hands in a surrender pose – “just keep your powder dry.” Love it.
“Don’t Let Tomorrow’s Worries Steal Today’s Joy”
Another paraphrased verse from the bible and gosh I just love it. Such a great reminder to live in and be thankful for the here and now, and to stop worrying about tomorrow because worrying changes nothing. This quote often triggers the Serenity Prayer to replay in my mind: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”
“You Get What You Give.”
From my girl J-LO! ? This and the quote “be the energy you want to attract” replay in my mind several times a day, especially when I’m with my kids. I often look at Ben as a living, breathing version of this quote. He radiates a calm, zen energy and you can physically see people react to that energy in a similar way. It’s pretty cool.
Alright, let’s hear it! What are some quotes or mantras you live by?
The happiest people don’t have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything
It’s simple – and I’m embarrassed to say it came from a bumper sticker. I’ve since had it made into a sign that hangs in my office. “Human Kind. Be both”. I think of it and take a second to regroup every time I walk by the sign.
I love these! And they are so what we need right now. One of my old favorites, also from a bible verse (I believe?) is Weeping may endure for the night, but Joy cometh in the morning. Morning is coming,we just don’t know when. Things will get better!
Also one I heard recently that is a twist on an old adage: the grass is always greener where you water it. I love that! makes me rethink things when I’m feeling a bit envious – what have I done to make my own life/space better? It truly is up to us.
Love all your quotes and I am getting so much happiness from all the positivity in the comments. Two of mine:
“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – Christopher Robin
“You’re so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need, though you can see when you’re wrong, you know you can’t always see when you’re right.” – Billy Joel’s “Vienna”. The whole song reminds me to slow down, that I am enough, that I do enough, and that I deserve grace.
“Happiness, not in another place, but this place…not for another hour, but this hour.” -Walt Whitman
Reminds me that I can, if fact, choose to be happy/content/ok with right now instead of waiting for some future state of happiness.
Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light. -Albus Dumbledore
Will share this one with my HP-loving son! Great quote!
I have two favorites:
“It’s nice to be important, but more important to be nice.”
“Do you listen? Or do you wait to talk?”
“Do you listen? Or do you wait to talk?” – so much yes. Thanks for sharing!
Jesus be in my mind, in my heart, on my tongue and in my marriage.
A favorite quote: Luck is preparation meeting opportunity.
“Take a breath and let the rest come easy” – All Time Low lyric. I say this to myself whenever I feel challenged. Particularly in my career. When giving a presentation, take a breath and rely on the fact that you know your stuff.
“I’ve got the green light, I’ve got a little fight, I’m going to turn this thing around.” – The Killers lyric. Whenever I am feeling down about something, this lyric always helps pump me up to change the situation as much as is in my control.
“Comparison is the thief of joy” and “you reap what you sow.” Reminders to just be yourself!
In the spirit of helping self and supporting others…I repeat the “Prayer of St. Francis” to myself. It begins like this:
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love:
etc.
“This too shall pass.” Maybe trite, but so, so true. I say it to myself often! I also like, “Let go of the things you cannot change.” And my very favorite quote always has been “You don’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need .”
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” (attributed to) Dr. Seuss
Great timely post – needed this. Thank you, Kristin. One favorite is: Worry is like a rocking chair – it gives you something to do but doesn’t get you anywhere. That stayed in my mind when worries would overwhelm me during the night when caregiving through the months as my parents passed several years ago. My other favorite is the familiar Anne Frank one: How wonderful it is that no one need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. (as well as “Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy…also Anne Frank.) Such wise words. Looking forward to seeing other good ones in the comments, too :)
Love that you have an interesting quote passed down in your family. I’m sure we have a lot passed down too, but the one my kids are going to pass down from me is ‘You can always take more, you can never take less.’ – we started it to stop all the food wasting at our house. You know it stuck when my husband said it too and the kids tell it to their friends!
I thought maybe you were being interviewed by Oprah or the girls of the Self-Helpless podcast—- they both ask favorite quotes!
The one that sticks with me the most (and kind of blew my mind and stopped me in my tracks the first time I heard it) is: “Even this I get to experience.” I remind myself of this when things are good, and especially when they’re bad. It’s life. We get to experience this.
That’s the flip of “This, too, shall pass”. I like your version better.
Two of my favorites, especially right now:
– Should I worry, will it help? (Accept that we cannot control everything)
– Focus on what you can control (Similar lines – I cannot the current situation, but can control my reaction)
What podcast were you on? I might give it a listen!
It was with a local agency called Bing Bang – we just recorded yesterday and I’m not sure when it will be released but I will definitely let you know! :)
A few of my favorites:
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.
Also, “You Get what you get and you don’t throw a fit” That’s a children’s book.
Finally, “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” Eden Ahbez
Loove that MLK Jr quote. ? I’ve recite the “get what you get” quote to my kids often enough that they’ve started saying it to each other. ? Thank you for sharing!