Inspirational quotes
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The power of our thoughts
“We become what we think about.” ~Earl Nightingale (1931-1989) Today’s quote stops me in my tracks every time I read it. The author of this gem, Earl Nightingale, was a popular American radio host and author who focused on character development, motivation, and human behavior. During the early 1950s, he was also the voice of Sky King, the hero of an historic radio adventure series. Nightingale believed that our beliefs can be self-fulfilling prophecies. Just for starters, if we see ourselves as victims, we will remain victims. If we perceive ourselves as fortunate, good fortune will find us. If we see ourselves as capable or attractive, it’s likely that others…
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Happy New Year!
“No, this is not the beginning of a new chapter in my life; this is the beginning of a new book. That first book is already closed, ended, and tossed into the seas; this book is newly opened, has just begun. Look, it is the first page — and it is a beautiful one!” – C. JoyBell C. I love fresh starts, don’t you? Last year, I faced, reconsidered, challenged, or changed some things that I’d been putting off or neglecting for a while — including health issues, relationships, and even my attitude. I still have more work to do, of course, but I’m feeling excited about the possibilities ahead and…
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Shine on!
“To shine your brightest light is to be who you truly are.” ~Roy T. Bennett The neighbors across the street keep adding to their holiday lights display. Rising in the dark each morning, I see a brilliant show of twinkling icicles and glittering tree branches when I sip my first cup of coffee in my home office, which overlooks our neighborhood. Late November in Michigan is notoriously bleak — and these holiday light displays are a lovely way to cheer things up. I’ve often wondered why people remove them so soon after the new year. The holiday season is the perfect time to talk about shining. Remember: You don’t have…
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When things get crazy
“The world is a puzzle. There’s no need to make sense out of it.” ~Socrates Sometimes it feels as if the whole world is falling apart. If old Socrates thought his life was a puzzle, I wonder what he’d think of our lives today? The best we can do, at times, is throw our hands in the air and surrender to the chaos — without adding any more to it. Sometimes we can’t save the world or even clean out the whole garage. As any good philosopher will tell you, there are situations beyond our immediate control. But we can always take care of our own little corner of the…
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Nature’s magic show
“Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable.” ~Mary Oliver I rarely carry or use my cell phone when I’m walking a nature trail. So I’m continually baffled by all the people I see (and hear) who are focused on their phones instead of the beauty all around them. Some are gabbing so loudly that their voices drown out the music of the birds. American poet Mary Oliver is known for her sense of wonder and reverence for the natural world. Her reflective poems illuminate the everyday miracles we might overlook when we’re jogging through the woods or our suburban neighborhoods. As Oliver reminds us, there’s magic in nature…
