Sharing Some Gems-Quotes/Thoughts That Inspire!

Valerie Hartman, Career Development/Life Coach, Motivational Speaker, Connector
shiftintofifth.com (www.shiftintofifth.com)

April 26, 2018    

Not long ago, my oldest son asked me to send him one of his favorite books (now in college, he has always been a lover of books and treats his collection like a group of dear old and valued friends). The book he requested?  Frederick by Leo Lionni (one of my absolute favorites!). He had rediscovered it, just like a long lost friend, and was experiencing it from a whole new vantage point, with its meaning resonating that much more deeply. That’s sort of the beauty of books, as with everything-change/evolve/tweak/adjust your aperture-perspective just a little bit and voila, just like magic, you have a whole new understanding and appreciation of seemingly the same old thing.

The book tells the story of Frederick the Field Mouse.  We meet Frederick just as his other mouse friends are preparing for the long cold winter.  These mice are furiously collecting supplies-nuts, grains, fruits-any kind of sustenance that will help them survive the long cold winter under the stone fence.  As they frantically run around gathering their goods, they notice that Frederick is staring off into the sky, annoyingly not pulling his weight.  When they angrily confront him, asking what in the world he is doing, he calmly replies that he is gathering colors, words and thoughts.  Disgusted, the other field mice shrug, roll their eyes and return to the task of collecting and storing their food supplies.

As the cold sweeps in and the mice are hunkered under the stone fence, they rapidly eat through all of their supplies.  Now, they settle into the reality that they have nothing more to get them through the rest of the long, cold winter.  Suddenly, one of the field mice looks over to Frederick, and sarcastically asks, “what about your supplies Frederick?”  And at that moment, Frederick stands tall and begins to recite those words, describe those colors and thoughts that he had collected to tell stories of warm sunshine, green grass covered fields and bright blue skies.  As Frederick shared his supplies to weave his stories, the mice felt the warmth.  They were literally transformed.  Now filled with gratitude, they could not stop thanking Frederick for his gathered supplies.  For It was those words/thoughts/colors that lifted their spirits, shifted their energy and fed them with hope.

And just like Frederick, I have spent this last bunch of months gathering my new supplies- collecting words, quotes, ideas and stories from books, lectures, webinars, conferences and workshops.  They are my sustenance that help fuel my growth. And now it’s my turn to share some of these with you- to help lift your spirits, shift your energy and give you inspiration and hope. Enjoy!

1.     “Gratitude is a miracle…that shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see.” Robert Holden

2.     “What is done in the dark must be brought to the light if it is to be changed.” Michael J. Sorell

3.     “Choose the harder right over the easier wrong.” Michael J. Sorell

4.     “In times of darkness, we need to generate more light.” Dr. Beverly Tatum

5.     “No one has the power to hurt me….that’s my job.” (we cause our own suffering) Byron Katie

6.     “Self realization without action is meaningless.”  Byron Katie

7.     “When you grow a tree, if it does not grow well, you don’t blame the tree. You look into the reasons it is not doing well. You never blame the tree. If we know how to take care of it, it will grow well.”  Thich Nhat Hanh

8.     “You don’t get what you hope for, you don’t get what you wish for, you get what you believe in.” Oprah Winfrey

9.     “Surrender to the bigger dream that life has for you.” Oprah Winfrey

10.  “The question and challenge for us is how can we, in the midst of life’s hardship, turn one’s woundedness and limitations into aliveness and mastery.” Ganesh

11.  “I will bear my loneliness like a planet that cannot deny its orbit around the pull of what is true.” Mark Nepo

12.  “I have no special talent; I am just exceptionally curious.” Albert Einstein

13.  "If you can drive safely while you are kissing, you are not adequately paying attention to your kiss." Albert Einstein

14.  “You have to pay attention to your oneness and you have to know your social security number.” Ram Das

15.  “The quality of your life depends on the seeds you water. Thich Nhat Hanh

16.  “Pain is a part of life, suffering is optional.” Pema Chodron discussing Budha’s teachings

17.  “Judgment/attachment-It’s no exaggeration to say that they are a chronic, viral-like toxicity that prevents us from seeing things as they actually are and mobilizing our true potential.” Jon Kabat Zinn

18.  “Lead with a hard back and a soft front.”  Roshi Joan Halifax

19.   “If you really want to be a rebel, practice kindness.” Sharon Salzberg

20.   “If you’re searching for that one person who will change your life, look in the mirror.” Mel Robbins

21.   “We can always begin again.” Sharon Salzberg

22.   “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.” Henry Ford

23.    “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Eleanor Roosevelt

24.   “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” E.E. Cummings

25.   “Pressure is a privilege.”  Billie Jean King

26.   “Nothing will work unless you do.”  Maya Angelou

27.   “True success is attained only through the satisfaction of knowing you did everything within the limits of your ability to become the very best that you are capable of being.”   Coach John Wooden

28.  “You are responsible for the energy you bring into this space.” Jill Bolte Taylor

29.   “May I meet each moment fully and meet it as a friend.” Sylvia Boorstein

30.    “Make each day your masterpiece.” George Mumford quoting Coach John Wooden

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