Over the years, I have become somewhat of a collector of inspirational quotes.  I have always loved words, so this is likely an extension of that.  I find that inspiring words can lift you up and keep you going, often just at the right time.  Sometimes they can encourage you to dream bigger dreams, or to think of things in a different way.  They can help and they can heal.  Occasionally, they can be life changing.  With that in mind, I thought I would occasionally share some thoughts that have made a difference in my life, with the hope that they might do the same for you:

“It’s never too late to be who you might have been.”  George Eliot

I saw this years ago on a poster in a store, and immediately adopted it as my own.  I love it so much, I use it as a tag line on my website now.  So many of us sell ourselves short because we think it’s too late and this is a beautiful reminder that it never is.

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind.”  William James

Another way to put it is this:  Our attitude shapes our experience and, ultimately, our life.  There may not be much I can do in the moment about a specific circumstance, but I can always do something about how I choose to view that circumstance.

 “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

Three words:  Never give up.

“The best things in life aren’t things.”  Art Buchwald

This one might take a little time to learn, but once you get it, you get it.

Finally, these words delivered by Steve Jobs to the graduating class at Stanford University in June, 2005, never fail me as a reminder of what’s most important:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.  And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

COACH’S ACTION STEP:   Do you have a favorite or inspiring quote that has made a difference in your life?  Put it up somewhere where you can see it regularly – on a post-it, by your desk or computer.  Try to bring it into your daily experience, and see what happens.

Categories: Wellness