Words to Encourage and Comfort

Addiction - Being a Warrior - Believing in your Journey - Challenges - Character - Choice - Choosing a Direction - Choosing to go forward - Civility - Coming into your Own - Communication - Connecting - Courage - Fairness - Forgiveness - Fortitude - Fun - Gifts - Gratitude - Honesty - Inner Struggle - Joyful Pursuits - Kindness - Legacy - Letting Go of Toxicity - Manners - Mindful - Nature - Opportunity - Optimism - Pain - Parenting - Plan - Relationships - Resilience - Responsibility - Self-compassion - Strength - Taking a Risk - The World - What we think is who we are

Addiction

'O foolish creatures that destroy themselves for transitory joy.' ~Aesop's Fables

Being a Warrior

This ‘Magical Mystery Tour is going to take you away!’ ~The Beatles
‘When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.’ ~Franklin d. Roosevelt
‘It is health that is real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver.’ ~Mahatma Gandhi
‘Subdue your appetites, my dears, and you’ve conquered human nature.’ ~Shakespeare
‘Be a fucking wolf. Be a fucking lion. Set goals. Smash them. Eat people’s faces off. Be a better person. Show people who the fuck you are. Never apologize for being awesome. Stay the mother fucking course.’ Unknown
‘Be a wolf. Be a lion. Set goals. Smash them. Be stronger. Be better. Never apologize for being awesome. Stay the course. Unknown
‘I make these choices because I love my body, not so that I can love my body.’ ~Unknown
‘It’s not the weight you lose, it’s the life you gain. Imagine it.’ ~Unknown
‘My body hasn’t forgotten. It’s had a lot of interruptions, but it hasn’t forgotten.’~Unknown
‘Set goals. Smash them. Repeat.’ Unknown
‘Set goals. Stay quiet about them. Smash the shit out of them. Clap for your damn self. Repeat.’ ~Unknown

Believing in your Journey

‘If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.’ ~Henry David Thoreau
Now, every time I witness a strong person, I want to know: What dark did you conquer in your story? Mountains do not rise without earthquakes.' ~Kathrine MacKenett
I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible to you.' ~The Bible
The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your own arm.' ~Unknown
‘Before you can rise, you must drop; If you haven't hit bottom, you can't reach the top.' ~W. R. Brooks
‘Before each human being walks two angels sounding trumpets and proclaiming to all, ‘BEHOLD! Before us walks the image of the Lord!’

Challenges

‘Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them.’ ~AA Milne
‘When one door closes, another opens. But we often look so regretfully upon the closed door we don’t see the one that has opened for us.’ ~Alexander Graham Bell
‘To what depths would Violet not sink? Poor woman—what unhappiness must she have felt to want to share it with others.?’ ~Alexander McCall Smith
‘It is much more difficult to judge oneself than others. If you judge yourself rightly, then you are indeed a man of true wisdom.’ ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery
‘And envy and pride, like weeds, kept growing higher and higher in her heart, so that day and night she had no peace.’ ~Grimm Brothers
“If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.” “Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are.” ~Machiavelli
‘Dig deep within yourself, for there is a fountain of goodness ever ready to flow if you will keep digging.’ ~Marcus Aurelius
‘If it’s not working well in the big picture, it’s not working.’ ~Unknown
‘Tell a lie once and all your truths become questionable.’ ~Unknown
‘You can tell more about a person by what he says about others than you can by what others say about himself.’ ~Unknown
You can't outwit fate by standing on the sidelines placing little side bets about the outcome of life… if you don't play you can't win.' ~Judith McNaught
There is overwhelming evidence that the higher level of self-esteem, the more likely one will treat others with respect, kindness, and generosity. People who do not experience self-love have little or no capacity to love other.' ~Nathaniel Branden
You cannot hate, argue, reason, fight, complain or yell at a dark room enough to illuminate it- only by shining a light is darkness overcome. Be that light.'

Character

It's not the prizes and the fancy outsides of life which ultimately nourish our souls. It's knowing that we can be trusted, that we never have to fear the truth, that the bedrock of our very being is good stuff.' ~Fred Rogers
‘Being honest may not get you a lot of friends but it’ll always get you the right ones.’ ~John Lennon
‘Character is who we are when no one is looking’ ~John Wooden
‘You is smart, you is kind, you is important.’ ~Kathryn Stockett
‘Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world's grief. Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.’ ~Talmud
‘Aim above morality. Be not simply good, be good for something’.~Thoreau
‘Today we speak about values and how it is important to ‘have them’. But morality and virtues are not something to be possessed, but the central part of (us). Not something to have but something to be, the most important thing to be.’ ~Wm. Bennett
‘Freedom’ in Japanese characters, is written as ‘caused by one’s self’
‘Tell everyone you know: ‘My happiness depends on me, so you’re off the hook.’ ~Abraham
‘You can never have a happy ending at the end of an unhappy journey; The way you feel along the way is the way it’s going to turn out until you do something about how you are feeling.’ ~Abraham
‘Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.’ ~Abraham Lincoln
In discussing the slaves during the Civil War: ‘These men ask for just the same thing, fairness, and fairness only. This, so far as in my power, they, and all others, shall have.’ ~Abraham Lincoln
‘Some people exhibit an almost miraculous resolve in waiting for someone else to come along and do their work for them. The only certain labor is your own.’ ~Aesop
‘In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.’ ~Albert Einstein
‘Great feuds often need very few words to resolve them. Disputes, even between nations, can be set to rest with simple acts of contrition and corresponding forgiveness, and can so often be shown to be based on nothing much other than pride and misunderstanding, and the forgetting of the humanity of the other.’ ~Alexander McCall Smith
‘If only people could remember that the people they met during the day had all the same hopes and fears that they had, then there would be so much less conflict and disagreement in this world. They would be kinder to others, and kindness was the most important thing there was. She knew that in the depths of her being; she knew it.’ ~Alexander McCall Smith
‘You simply could not help everybody; but you could at least help those who came into your life. That principle allowed you to deal with the suffering you saw.’ ~Alexander McCall Smith
‘Your greatness is not measured by what you have but by what you give.’ ~Alice Hocker
‘My forgiveness ... has nothing to do with the perpetrator, has nothing to do with any religion, it is my act of self-healing, self-liberation, and self-empowerment, I had no power over my life up to the time that I discovered that I could forgive.’ ~Auschwitz Survivor Eva Kor, 2015
‘Who is wise? One who learns from every man… Who is strong? One who overpowers his inclinations… Who is rich? One who is satisfied with his lot… who is honorable? One who honors his fellows.’ ~Ben Zoma
‘You must be the change you want to see in the world.’ ~Mahatma Gandhi
‘If it’s not right, don’t do it. If it’s not true, don’t say it. Simple.’ ~Marcus Auralius
‘How a man plays a game shows something of his character, how he loses shows all of it.’ ~Unknown
‘Character is who you are when no one is looking.’
Charity begins at home, and justice begins next door.' ~Charles Dickens
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.' ~Leo Tolstoy
When asked, "What can I do?" I've found the answer frequently can be found by rearranging the words into the answer, "Do what I can." ~Ted Menten
It's easy to have charm- it's work to have character.'

Choice

‘Our lives are fashioned by our choices. First we make our choices. Then our choices make us.’ ~Anne Frank
‘To live is to be born slowly.’ ~Antoine de Saint-Exuperay
‘The life of a Marionette has grown very tiresome, and I want to become a real boy, no matter how hard it is.’ ~Carlo Collodi
‘Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.’ ~Confucius
‘Safety is all well and good: I prefer freedom.’ ~E.B. White
‘All happiness depends on courage and work.’ ~Honore de Balzac
‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.’ ~Lao Tsu
‘The unexamined life is not worth living.’ ~Socrates
‘I get by with a little help from my friends’. ~The Beatles
‘Never try to teach a Pig to sing. It wastes your time, and it annoys the pig.’ ~Unknown
‘Out of the glaring darkness of life’s chaos, we must struggle for the words that will bring light, that nobler life may be.’ ~Unknown
‘It isn’t normal to always be good – I don’t think you’d want to, and I don’t think you should; Just as food tastes better with a shake of salt, A small bit of mischief is hardly a fault. And life would be boring, and life would be grim, If (we) were all goody-goody and prim.’~William Cole
‘Promise me you'll always remember – you're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.’ ~A. A. Milne
Follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.' ~Steve Jobs
Thou hast only to follow the wall far enough and there will be a door in it.' ~Marguerite de Angeli

Choosing a Direction

So many things are possible just as long as you don't know they're impossible.' ~Norton Juster
All doors are hard to unlock until you have the key.' ~Robert O'Brien
‘I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.’ ~Rosa Parks
‘Always remember that striving and struggle precede success, even in the dictionary.’ ~Sara Ban Breathnach
I reach for the stars. I cannot touch them with my hands, I know, but reaching for them helps me grow, and so I reach for the stars.' Theta Beta Gamma
‘If you don’t know where you want to go, then it doesn’t matter which path you take.’ ~Walt Disney
You have to be careful if you don't know where you're going 'cause you might not get there.' ~Yogi Berra

Choosing to go Forward

‘In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.’ ~Albert Einstein
She was not afraid of mice – she loved winter, snow, and ice. To the Tiger in the zoo, Madeline just said, 'Pooh-Poo.' ~Bemelmans
‘Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.’ ~Dale Carnegie
Somehow, you'll escape all that waiting and staying, and find the bright places where the boom bands are playing! And will you succeed? Yes, you will, indeed! 98 and ¾ percent guaranteed! Kid, you'll move mountains!' ~Dr. Seuss
‘Can I learn to question my doubts in the same way I learned to mistrust so much that once seemed clear? I pray that my doubting spirit may learn to pray to become free to think my thoughts, to feel, to love, and to give thanks for life. May I make of my life an act of reverence – a prayer: a prayer that is its own answer'.’ ~Gates of Prayer
A ship in harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are built for.' ~ J. A. Shedd.
‘Risks must be taken, because the greatest risk in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing. S/he may avoid suffering and sorrow, but s/he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live. Chained, s/he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom. Only the person who risks it is truly free.’ ~Janet Rand
It's not about perfect. It's about effort. And when you bring that effort every single day, that's where transformation happens. That's how change occurs.' ~Jillian Michaels
‘A man with outward courage dares to die; a man with inner courage dares to live.’ ~Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching
‘We are like tea bags- we don’t know our strength until we’re in hot water.’ ~Sister Busche
‘Don’t ask for a light load. Rather, ask for a strong back.’ ~Unknown
A life lived in fear is half lived' ~Unknown
The beauties of the world are best seen by those who strive to reach them.' ~Unknown
You haven't failed until you quit trying.' ~Unknown
‘The world, as we have created it, is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.’ ~Albert Einstein

Civility

‘We have a choice about how we behave, and that means we have the choice to opt for civility and grace.’ ~Dwight Currie
‘Freedom without civility, freedom without the ability to live in peace, was not true freedom at all.’ ~Nelson Mandela
‘Politeness and civility are the best capital ever invested in business’ ~P. T. Barnum
‘Civility isn’t just some optional value in a multicultural, multistate democratic republic. Civility is the key to civilization.’ ~Van Jones
Civility is not a tactic or sentiment. It is the determined choice of trust over cynicism, of community over chaos.' ~George W. Bush
Be civilized. Grudges are for the Neanderthals.' ~Hubert Humphrey
We are losing sight of civility in government and politics. Debate and dialogue is taking a back seat to the politics of destruction and anger and control. Dogma has replaced thoughtful discussion between people of differing views. ~James McGreevey
If a man continually blusters, if he lacks civility, a big stick will not save him from trouble, and neither will speaking softly avail, if back of the softness there does not lie strength, power.' ~Theodore Roosevelt

Coming into your Own

‘What day is it?’ asked Pooh.‘Today,’ said Piglet. Ah, my favorite day.’ ~A.A. Milne
‘It’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.’ Alice In Wonderland
‘It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.’ ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery
‘You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.’ Buckminster Fuller
‘You are not in the universe, you are the universe—an intrinsic part of it. Ultimately you are not a person, but a focal point where the universe is becoming conscious of itself. What an amazing miracle.’~Eckhart Tolle
‘You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.’~John Kabat-Zinn
‘The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.’ ~Lewis Carroll
‘The formula is simple: In any given situation, detach and ask, “What do I need to do to take care of myself?”’ ~Melodie Beattie
‘This above all to think own self be true.’ ~Shakespeare
‘Failure is an opportunity to begin again, this time more wisely.’ Unknown
‘The willow knows what the storm does not; that the power to tolerate pain outlives the power to inflict it.’~Unknown
‘A person should be willing to give up all his tomorrows for one today, so that he doesn’t end up wasting all his todays on one tomorrow.’ Yosef Horowitz
‘Be at least as interested in your reactions as you are in the person or situations that trigger them.’ ~Eckhart Tolle
‘You are not just surviving, which is necessary, but you are thriving – which is elegant.’ ~Maya Angelou

Communication

The art of communication is the language of leadership.' ~James Humes
So let us begin anew- remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate. Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.' ~John F. Kennedy
Write to be understood, speak to be heard, read to grow.' ~Lawrence Clark Powell

Connecting

‘Brother, I too am lost. I can only tell you this: the ways I have tried lead nowhere; they have only led me astray. Take my hand, and let us search for the way together’. ~Gates of Prayer
‘Two monologues do not make a dialogue.’ ~Jeff Daly
‘I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I’m going to learn, I must doit by listeningin.’ ~Larry King
‘It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.’ ~Laura Ingalls Wilder
‘What is the opposite of two? A lonely me, a lonely you.’~Richard Wilbur
‘So please, oh please, we beg, we pray, go throw your TV set away, and in its place you can install a lovely bookshelf on the wall.’ ~ Roald Dahl
‘Do not feel lonely. The entire universe is within you.’ ~Rumi
‘Hearing is listening to what is said. Listening is hearing what isn’t said.’ ~Simon Sinek
‘Tis the human touch in this world that counts, The touch of your hand in mine, Which means far more to the fainting heart Than shelter and bread and wine; For shelter is gone when the night is o’er, And bread lasts only a day, But the touch of the hand and the sound of the voice Sing on in the soul away.’ ~Spencer Michael Free
‘I grow old ... I grow old ...I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach? I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each. I do not think that they will sing to me.’ ~T.S. Elliot
Let your light shine so others can see their way out of the dark.' ~Timber Hawkeye
‘A person never likes you so well as when s/he leaves your company liking him/her self.’~Unknown
‘Do not listen with the intent to reply, but with the intent to understand.’ ~Unknown
‘There is only one rule to become a good talker, learn how to listen.’ ~Unknown
When you own your breath, nobody can steal your peace.' ~Unknown
‘That kind of depression which afflicts people who become aware of the lack of content in their lives, Once the rush of the busy week is over, and the void within Themselves becomes manifest.’~Viktor Frankl
‘Allowing inward change, simplifying our external life serves as our greatest single resource for changing our trajectory of violence and division.’ ~Wayne Teasdale
‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.’ ~William Morris
When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.' ~Ernest Hemingway

Courage

‘Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.’ ~Anais Nin

Fairness

‘Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same. Fairness means everyone gets what they need.’ ~Rick Riordan

Forgiveness

‘Forgiveness does not relieve someone of responsibility for what they have done, erase accountability. Forgiveness is understanding that every one of us is both inherently good and inherently flawed. Within every hopeless situation and every seemingly hopeless person lies the possibility of transformation.’ ~Desmond Tutu
‘The only thing evil can’t stand is forgiveness.’ ~Fred Rogers
‘The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.’ ~Mahatma Gandhi

Fortitude

When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time the tide will turn. ~Harriet Beecher Stowe
Never bend your head. Hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.' ~Helen Keller
I am not a Jew with trembling knees. I am a proud Jew with 3,700 years of civilized history. Nobody came to our aid when we were dying in the gas chambers and ovens. Nobody came to our aid when we were striving to create our county. We paid for it. We fought for it. We died for it. We will stand by our principles. We will defend them. And, when necessary, we will die for them again, with or without your aid. ~Menachem Begin

Fun

If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. ~J. R. R. Tolkien

Gifts

Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel.' ~Pablo Casals

Gratitude

‘Take a moment to remember that you are alive. By the most astounding stroke of luck, an infinitesimal portion of all the matter in the universe came together to create you. And for the tiniest moment in the great span of eternity, you have the incomparable privilege to exist. Whatever else you do with your life, nothing will remotely compare with the incredible accomplishment of having managed to get yourself born. Congratulations. Well done.’ ~Bill Bryson
‘Reflect upon your present blessings of which every (wo)man has many – not on your past misfortunes, of which all (wo)men have some.’ ~Charles Dickens
‘Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view. Climb not so the world can see you, but so you can see the world.’ ~David McCullough Jr
‘The best antidote for resentment is the continual practice of gratitude.’ ~Eric Hoffer
‘Find the good. It’s all around you. Find it, showcase it and you’ll start believing in it.’ ~Jesse Owens
‘May I understand that the choice between indifference and gratitude is mine at every single moment of my life.’ ~Pierre Pradervand
‘May I feel happy, may I be healthy, may I live with ease’. ‘May you feel happy, may you be healthy, may you live with ease’.
If you're reading this… Congratulations, you're alive. If that's not something to smile about, then I don't know what is.' ~Chad Sugg
I'm bored is a useless thing to say. I mean, you live in a great, big, vast world that you've seen none percent of. Even the inside of your own mind is endless; it goes on forever, inwardly, do you understand? The fact that you're alive is amazing, so you don't get to say 'I'm bored.' ~Louis C. K.
Half your life you sturggle, half your life you fly, half your life makin' trouble, half your life makin' it right. I still don't get it right sometimes, I just don't get it as wrong. I still go a little bit crazy sometimes. Yeah, but I don't stay near as long.'
This bright new day… complete with 24 hours of opportunities, choices, and attitudes… a perfectly matched set of 1440 minutes, this unique gift. This one day, cannot be exchanges, replaced, or refunded. Handle with care. Make the most of it. There is only one to a customer.'

Honesty

‘Honesty is the fastest way to prevent a mistake from turning into a failure.’ ~James Altucher
‘Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.’ ~Maddi Jenkins
‘Tell a lie once and all your truths become questionable.’ ~Unknown
‘The most free person in the world is the one who has nothing to hide.’ ~Unknown
‘The successful woman is the average woman, focused.’ ~Unknown
‘A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.’ ~Winston Churchill
Leaders must own everything in their world. There is no one else to blame.' ~Jocko Willink

Inner Struggle

The older you get, the heavier that baggage becomes that you haven't sorted thru, so you run. I've spent 35 years trying to let go of the destructive parts of my character. I still have days when I struggle with it. We all have our broken pieces. Emotionally, spiritually in this life, nobody gets away unhurt.' ~Bruce Springsteen
‘Question: ‘What might you find if you could see into the heart of art?’ Answer: a crying baby.’ ~Unknown

Joyful Pursuits

‘In search of my Mother’s garden, I found my own.’ ~Alice Walker
‘Early to bed and early to rise makes a (wo)man healthy, wealthy and wise.’ ~Benjamin Franklin
Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind. It is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips, and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life.' Samuel Ullman
“The greatest fine art of the future will be the making of a comfortable living from a small piece of land.” ~ Abraham Lincoln
‘To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful… it is glory on earth, and it is yours for the taking.’ ~Agnes De Mille
‘Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really.’ ~ Agnes Sligh Turnbull
‘Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.’ ~Albert Einstein
‘Nothing happens until something moves’ ~Albert Einstein
‘I like gardens. It’s a place where I can lose myself when I need to find myself. ~Alice Siebert
‘The most difficult part is not learning the first kick or punch. It is taking the first step across the threshold of the dojang door. This is where roads diverge.’ ~Doug Cook, Taekwondo
‘You don’t need tickets to listen to crickets. ~Douglas Florian
‘If you never did, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good.’ ~Dr. Seuss
Little things seem nothing, but they give peace, like those meadow flowers which individually seem odorless but all together perfume the air. ~Georges Bernanos
‘Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.’ ~Kahlil Gibran
‘Every bunny loves some bunny some time.’ ~Kyle Tintle
If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water. ~ Lauren Eiseley
‘The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.’ ~Mahatma Gandhi
‘Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance.’ ~Martha Graham
‘The depth of the connection elevates beyond species specificity and rather is the connecting of two souls.’ ~Moi
That grace of G-d we pray for in church - that must be what animals have already'. ~Monica Shannon
‘Like all magnificent things, it’s very simple.’ ~Natalie Babbitt
Who bends a knee where violets grow- A hundred secret things shall know. ~Rachel Field
‘A body in motion will remain in motion.’ ~Sir Isaac Newton
‘Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect mankind. ~Stewart Udall
‘You're only one workout away from a good mood.’ ~Unknown
Gardening is cheaper than therapy, and you get tomatoes. ~Unknown
Your legs are not giving out. Your head is giving up. Keep Going. ~Unknown
‘The best six doctors are sunshine, water, rest, air,exercise and diet.’ ~Wayne Fields
‘Go play outside.’ ~Your Mom
‘To watch the sun sink behind a flower clad hill. To wander on in a huge forest without thought of return. To stand upon the shore and gaze after a boat that disappears behind distant islands. To contemplate the flight of wild geese seen and lost among the clouds…~ Zeami Motokiyo
‘If we are facing in the right direction, then all we have to do is keep walking.’ ~Zen Proverb
‘A dog can express more with his tail in minutes than his owner can express with his tongue in hours.’
“The solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.’ ~A. Einstein
‘All men’s miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone.’ ~ Blaise Pascal
‘A smile is the light in your window that tells others there’s a caring, sharing person inside.’ ~Denis Waitley
‘Stillness is where creativity and solutions to problems are found.’ ~E. Tolle

Kindness

‘If we want to make friends, let’s put ourselves out to do things for other people-- things that require time, energy, unselfishness, and thoughtfulness’. ~Dale Carnegie
‘If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain.’ ~Emily Dickinson
‘I hope you’re proud of yourself for the times you’ve said ‘yes’ when all it meant was extra work for you and was seemingly helpful only to someone else.’ ~Fred Rogers
‘There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.’ ~Fred Rogers
‘Live so when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you.’ ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
'Do things for people not because of who they are or what they do in return, but because of who you are.’ ~Harold S. Kushner
‘If you want to see the true measure of a man, watch how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.’ ~J. K. Rowling
‘The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the greatest intention.’ ~Kahlil Gibran
‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ ~Luke 6:31
‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ ~Maya Angelou
‘Strong people don’t put others down. They lift them up.’ ~Michael P. Watson
‘Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.’ ~Mother Theresa
‘Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.’ ~Sir James M. Barrie
‘Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always’ ~Unknown
‘Hardening of the heart ages people faster than hardening of the arteries’ ~Unknown
‘In a world where you can be anything, be kind.’ ~Unknown
‘When you have done a great many good things, you forget to speak of them… It is those who do very little who must talk of it.’ ~Virginia Sorensen
'The sun came up, a curved slice of golden red, and then the sky opened up, freed of its veils of darkness… above people for whom this was their first day on this earth… and those for whom it was their last… most of us, trying our best, hoping to get through the day without feeling too unhappy, or uncomfortable, or hungry. If only people could remember that the people they met during the day had all the same hopes and fears that they had, there would be so much less conflict in this world... they would be kinder to others- and kindness was the most important thing there was.
'The great and curious truth of the human experience is that selflessness is the best thing you can do for yourself. The sweetest joys of life, then, come only with the recognition that you're not special, because everyone is.'

Legacy

'Tears may be the beginning, but they should not be the end of things.' ~Eleanor Farjeon
'At the timberline where the storms strike with the most fury, the sturdiest trees are found.' ~Hudson newsletter
'Of all the people you will know in a lifetime, you are the only one you will never leave nor lose. To the question of your life, you are the only answer. To the problems of your life, you are the only solution.' ~Jo Courdert
'I can stick up for myself. I can be on my own side.' ~Nola Langner
'You ain't got nothing to back you up 'cept what you got in your heart. ~Walter Dean Myers

Letting Go of Toxicity

'Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it.' ~Ann Landers
‘Be at least as interested in your reactions as in the person or situation that triggers them.’ ~Eckhart Tolle
‘Mrs. Brown gave no second chances. It was her strength.’ ~Enid Bagnold
‘When setting expectations, if substandard performance is accepted and no one is held accountable, there are no consequences, poor performance becomes the new standard.’ ~Jocko WIllink
‘Don’t tell me who you are, tell me what you do, and then I will know who you are.’~Unknown
'Codependents are reactionaries. They overreact. They under-react. But rarely do they act. They react to the problems, pains, lives, and behaviors of others. They react to their own problems, pains, and behaviors.' ~Melody Beattie
'We rescue people from their responsibilities. We take care of people's responsibilities for them. Later we get made at them for what we've done. Then we feel used and sorry for ourselves. That is the pattern, the triangle.' ~Melody Beattie
'Don't let negative and toxic people rent space in your head. Raise the rent and kick them out.' ~Robert Tew
'For each of us, there comes a time to let go. You will know when that time has come. When you have done all that you can do, it is time to detach. Deal with your feelings. Face your fears about losing control. Gain control of yourself and your responsibilities. Free others to be who they are. In so doing, you will set yourself free.'

Manners

‘Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use.’ ~Emily Post
‘Respect for ourselves guides our morals, respect for others guides our manners.’ ~Laurence Sterne
‘Good manners and soft words have brought many a difficult thing to pass.’ ~Sir John Vanbrugh
‘I will hold myself to a standard of grace not perfection.’ ~Unknown
‘Maturity doesn’t mean age; it means sensitivity, manners, and how you react.’ ~Unknown
‘Yes, I’m old school. I have good manners, I show others respect and I will always help those who need me. It’s not because I’m old fashioned. It’s because I was raised properly.’ ~Unknown
‘Your mood should not dictate your manners.’ ~Unknown
‘The test of good manners is to be able to put up pleasantly with bad ones.’ ~Wendell Willkie
‘Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world… would do this, it would change the earth.’ ~William Faulkner
'Your mood should not dictate your manners.' ~Unknown

Mindful

'There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live.' ~Dalai Lama
'I am not alone in my tiredness or sickness or fears, but at one with millions of others from many centuries, and it is all part of life. ~Etty Hillesum
'Sometimes one must travel far to discover what is near. ~Uri Shulevitz
'Man does not simply exist but always decides what his existence will be, what he will become in the next moment.' ~Viktor E. Frankl

Nature

'Surely it is cruel to cut down a very fine tree! Each dull, dead thud of the axe hurts the little green fairy that lives in its heart.' ~Beatrix Potter
'The mountains are calling and I must go… climb the mountains and get their good tidings… between every two pines is a doorway to a new world... Keep close to nature's heart... wash your spirit clean... when one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.' ~John Muir
'Those people are earthbound. They heap too many goods. They have not learned the trail of beauty.' ~Laura Adams
'The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.' ~Unknown

Opportunity

Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success. ~Dale Carnegie
When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate, when life is bitter, say thank you and grow.' ~Unknown

Optimism

‘Few things are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A word of optimism and hope. A ‘you can do it’ when things are tough.’ ~Richard M. DeVos
Advice from the ocean: be shore of yourself, come out of your shell, take time to coast, avoide pier pressure, sea life's beauty, don't get tide down, make waves.'

Pain

'I wanted to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.' ~Harper Lee

Parenting

‘There is only one perfect child, and every mother has it.’~ Unknown

Pets

'By teaching kids that a pet is a big responsibility and pets are for life, we hope to see less pets in our shelters.'

Plan

'If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.' ~Will Rogers

Relationships

‘The secret to finding the deeper level in the other is finding the deeper level in yourself. Without finding it in yourself, you cannot see it in the other.’ ~Eckhart Tolle
‘They dined on mince, and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon;And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, They danced by the light of the moon.’ ~Edward Lear
‘Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner, soft music and dancing. She goes Tuesdays. I go Fridays.’ ~Henny Youngman
‘We have a picture of the perfect partner, but we marry an imperfect person. We have two options. Tear up the picture and accept the person, or tear up the person and accept the picture.’ ~J. Grant Howard, Jr.
‘Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.’ ~Leo Buscaglia
‘My mother told me, ‘All men go bald and get pot bellies. So you may as well choose one who has qualities that last – integrity, kindness, and a sense of humor’. ~Moi
‘And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.’ ~ The Beatles
‘Healthy relationships achieve the right balance of kindness and good boundaries.’
'Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.' ~Woodrow Wilson

Resilience

‘It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.’ ~Charles Darwin
‘Success is most often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.’ ~Coco Chanel
‘I’m in pretty good shape for the shape I’m in.’ ~Constance O’Neon
‘If tomorrow morning the sky falls… have clouds for breakfast. If night falls… use stars for streetlights.’ ~Cooper Edens
‘When we give ourselves permission to fail, we, at the same time, give ourselves permission to excel.’ ~Eloise Ristad
‘I prayed or twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.’ ~Frederick Douglass
‘If in barbed wire things can bloom, why couldn’t I? I will not die, I will not die.’ ~Friedl And The Children Of Terezin
‘A righteous man falls down seven times and gets up.’ ~King Solomon
“This earthly life is a battle,” said Ma. “If it isn’t one thing to contend with, it’s another. It always has been so, and always will be. The sooner you make up your mind to that, the better off you are, and the more thankful for your pleasures.” ~Laura Ingalls Wilder
‘Don’t stop when you’re tired. Stop when you’re done.’ ~Marilyn Monroe
‘I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.’ ~Michael Jordan
‘I am lucky that whatever fear I have inside me, my desire to win is always stronger.’ ~Serena Williams
‘She’s tore up plenty but she’ll fly true.’ ~Serenity
‘We are like tea bags- we don’t know our own strength until we’re in hot water.’ ~Sister Busche
‘I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that don’t work.’ ~Thomas A. Edison
‘There are no mistakes, only opportunities.’ ~Tina Fey
‘I can and I will. Watch me.’ ~Unknown
‘If it’s not working in the big picture it’s not working.’ ~Unknown
‘Resilience, or how quickly we recover from adversity, influences the amount of negative emotion that we experience.’ ~Unknown
‘I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it.’ ~Vincent Van Gogh
‘I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed.
'Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.' ~Mark Twain
'Baby we have no choice of what color we're born or what our parents are or whether we're rich or poor. What we do have is some choice over what we make of our lives once we're here.' ~Mildred D. Taylor

Responsibility

‘We are not responsible for what breaks us, but we can be responsible for what puts us back together again.’ ~Desmond Tutu
‘First give it. THEN get it.’ ~Dr. Lori
‘If I am not for me, who is for me? and if I am (only) for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?’ ~Hillel, Ethics of the Fathers
‘You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons or the wind, but you can change yourself.’ ~Jim Rohn
‘Nobody but you is responsible for your life. It doesn’t matter what your mama did; it doesn’t matter what your daddy didn’t do. You are responsible for your life. You are responsible for the energy that you create for yourself, and you’re responsible for the energy that you bring to others.’ ~Oprah Winfrey

Self-Compassion

'Beautiful things are often full of pins.' ~Florence Slobokhin
'I don't think anyone can grow unless he's loved exactly as he is now, appreciated for what he is rather than what he will be.' ~Fred Rogers

Strength

‘The most common way people give up power is by thinking they don’t have any.’ ~Alice Walker
‘Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.’ ~Ambrose Redmoon
‘You’ve always had the power, my dear. You just had to learn it for yourself.’ ~Baum
'In order to carry a positive action, we must develop here a positive vision.' Dalai Lama
"Freedom is not something that can be given. Freedom is something people take, and people are as free as they want to be." ~James Baldwin
‘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.
‘The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.’ Martin Luther King, Jr.
'I saw a woman sleeping. In her sleep, life came to her, bearing a gift in each hand. In one hand, Love, in the other hand Freedom. And life said to the woman, 'choose.' The woman thought long, and said 'Freedom.' Life responded, 'You have chosen well. Now the day will come when I bear both gifts in one hand'. ~Paraphrased from Olive Schreiner
‘So often times that we live our lives in chains, and we never even know we have the key.’ ~The Eagles
‘The credit belongs to the one who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again…who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if failing at least fails while daring greatly, so that their place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.’ ~Theodore Roosevelt
‘I know when to say no and when to say yes. I take responsibility for my choices. The victim? She went somewhere else. The only one who can truly victimize me is myself, and 99 percent of the time I choose to do that no more.’ ~Unknown
‘Hopeless and helpless would both be lies but believing it made it so.’ ~Unknown
'When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." ~Viktor Frankl
'Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.' ~Confucius
'No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.' ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Taking a Risk

‘One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.’ ~Arthur Ashe
‘The question isn’t who is going to let me; it is who is going to stop me.’~Ayn Rand
‘I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become.’~C. G. Jung
‘It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg.’ ~C. S. Lewis
‘Let yourself be gutted. Let it open you. Start there.’ ~Cheryl Slayed
‘Let s/he who says it cannot be done – not interrupt YOU who is doing it!’ ~Confucius
‘He had found out that the harder it was to do something, the more comfortable he felt after her had done it.’ ~de Angeli
‘What if I fall?’ ‘Oh, my darling but what if you fly?’ ~Eric Hanson
‘One who fears failure limits his activities. Failure is the opportunity to more intelligently begin again.’ ~Henry Ford
‘Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.’ ~Henry Ford
‘Success is due to our stretching to the challenges of life. Failure comes when we shrink from them.’ ~J. Maxwell
‘Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.’ ~James Baldwin
‘Are we not, all of us, wand’rers and strangers; and do we not, all of us, travel in danger or voyage uncharted seas?’ ~ Joan W. Blos
‘A year from now you will wish you had started today.’ ~Karen Lamb
‘To fear is one thing. To let fear grab you by the tail and swing you around is another.’ ~Katherine Paterson
‘Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb. That’s where the fruit is.’ ~Mark Twain
‘For one to fly one needs only to take the reins.’ ~Melissa James
‘Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.’ ~R. W. Emerson
‘Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional.’ ~Roger Crawford
‘It’s not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it’s because we do not dare that they are difficult.’ ~Seneca
‘You will face your greatest opposition when you are closest to your biggest miracle.’ ~Sharon L. Adler
‘If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month.’ ~Theodore Roosevelt
‘Don’t ask for a light load, but rather ask for a strong back.’ ~Unknown
‘You haven’t come this far only to go this far.’ ~Unknown
‘Your current safe boundaries were once unknown frontiers.’ ~ Unknown
‘Every human being has the ability to change at an instant.’ ~Viktor Frankl
‘Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.’ ~Viktor Frankl
‘Never, never, never, never give up.’ ~Winston Churchill
‘Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts. ~Winston Churchill
‘Don’t always follow the crowd, because nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.’ ~Yogi Berra
‘Freedome is only, ever, always Now.’ ~Ronald Reagan
'The most courageous act is still to think for youself. Aloud.' ~Coco Chanel
'Live courage, breathe courage and give courage.' ~Dhan Gopal Mukerji
'The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.' ~Elbert Hubbard
'The bird dares to break the shell, then the shell breaks open and the bird can fly openly. This is the simplist principle of success. You dream, you dare and you fly.' ~Israelmore Ayivor
'You've got to be able to make those daring leaps or you're nowhere.' ~Russell Hoban
'Only those who do nothing at all make no mistakes… but that would be a mistake.' ~Unknown
'You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.' ~William Faulkner
'Sitting still and wishing makes no person great. The good Lord provides the fishes, but you must dig for the bait.'
'It's impossible' said pride. 'It's risky' said experience. It's pointless' says reason. 'Give it a try' whispered the heart.'

The World

'We do not talk about wise men or wise ladies any more, she reflected; their place had been taken, it seemed, by all sorts of shallow people- actors and the like- who were only too ready to pronounce on all sorts of subjects… she would far rather listen to a person who had done something real in life.' ~Alexander McCall Smith
'Resist the easy comforts of comlacency, the specious glitter of materialism, the narcotic paralysis of self-satisfaction. Be worthy of your advantages.' ~David McCoullough
'The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The meaning of life is to give your gift away.' ~David Viscott
'If I am not for me, who is for me; and if I am (only) for myself, what am I. And if not now, when?' ~Hillel
'I came to the view that there was no system that humans couldn't… destroy. The system doesn't matter so much as the fact that it relies on people behaving decently. There's nothing more destructive to society than the idea that the only thing that matters is money. Because that's basically sociopathic. The greatest problem in the world at the moment is greed.' ~John Cleese
'Life's most urgent question is: What are you doing for others? ~Martin Luther King, Jr.
'First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.' ~Martin Niemoeller
'The progress of the world will call for the best that all of us have to give.' ~Mary McLeod Beth
'Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.' ~Minor Myers Jr.
'Monsters exist, but they are too few in number to be truly dangerous. More dangerous are the common men, the functionaries ready to believe and to act without asking questions.' ~Primo Levi
'I can tell you that events were incremental, that the unbelievable became the believable and, ultimately, the normal.' ~Ralph Webster
'There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time has come.' ~Victor Hugo
'Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world… would do this, it would change the earth.' ~William Faulkner
'Thou shall not be a perpetrator; thou shall not be a victim; and thou shall never, but never, be a bystander.' ~Yehuda Bauer

What we think is who we are

‘The problem is not the problem, the problem is your attitude about the problem.’ ~Capt. Jack Sparrow
‘She generally gave herself very good advice, though she seldom followed it.’ ~Lewis Carroll
‘What you’re thinking is what you’re becoming’ ~Muhammad Ali
‘Who is the wise person? The one who foresees the consequences’ ~Talmud
‘By changing nothing, nothing changes’ ~Tony Robbins
‘Neurons that fire together wire together’.
‘Except – when you don’t. Because sometimes you won't. I’m sorry to say so, but sadly it's true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you. You can get all hung up in a pricke-ly perch, your gang will fly on, and you’ll be left in a Lurch.’ ~Dr. Seuss

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