Inspirational quotes
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Speak up, make a difference
“Let your life be a counter-friction to stop the machine. What I have to do is to see, at any rate, that I do not lend myself to the wrong which I condemn.” ~Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience and Other Essays American author Henry David Thoreau wasn’t afraid to speak out. Staying silent in the face of injustice was an act of compliance, he believed. Thoreau campaigned against slavery and also served as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, a venture that put him at personal risk. A born naturalist, he paved the way for American environmentalists to protect our natural resources. Thoreau’s courage has motivated me since my college years.…
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The joys of reading
“The best moments in reading are when you come across something – a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things – which you had thought special and particular to you. Now here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out and taken yours.” ~Alan Bennett, The History Boys I’m a lucky reader with an active book club in my own neighborhood. Once a month, I get to walk down the street or around the corner to a friend’s home to discuss a novel or memoir that I might…
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What is success?
“Success isn’t about how your life looks to others; it’s about how it feels to you.” ~Michelle Obama What does it mean to be successful? In our culture, we often define success in terms of money, power, or outstanding achievement. And if we spend time on social media, we might compare ourselves to others and wonder if we fall short. We might begin to doubt the success we’ve already earned. Even if we’re relatively happy or content, we wonder if we’ve achieved “enough.” Today’s quote reminds us that true success is measured individually, by our own standards. Your idea of a successful life might look different from someone else’s. Maybe…
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Time management
“Time is a created thing. To say ‘I don’t have time’ is like saying ‘I don’t want to do it.'” ~Cheryl Richardson How many times have you heard the phrase, “We’ll have to get together sometime” — but nobody ever follows through on the suggestion? There are so many things we postpone because we claim we don’t have time for them. For instance, we might put off scheduling certain medical tests, finding a better job, cleaning a closet, or reading all those epic novels that everyone says we should read. But if we’re honest with ourselves, we realize that it’s not really a matter of time management. We often postpone…
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Put yourself out there
“Imagine living life so carefully that there are no signs you lived at all.” ~Raven Leilani I once met a woman who arranged her life to avoid appearing “wrong.” She never displayed artwork or family photos on the white walls of her immaculate home. She dressed appropriately in a style that never made a statement. Polite and reserved, she rarely revealed an opinion or a passion. I was always on my guard around her. Life can be so much richer — and a lot more fun — when we are willing to take creative chances, make mistakes, and put ourselves out there. So, go ahead: write, paint, dance, sew, decorate,…
