Editor’s note:  This is a guest post from Carolyn Elliot on how to read poetry to expand your heart.

Carolyn is author of the book  Awesome Your Life: The Artist’s Antidote to Suffering Genius.   She won several awards for playwriting, fiction, and poetry, fresh out of high-school, and later, taught the courses Reading Poetry and Literature and the Contemporary. She is well read, and some of her favorite authors include Dickinson, Emerson, Goethe, Heidegger, Kierkegaard, Neruda, Nietzsche, Rilke, and Whitman. Carolyn did her undergraduate work in Creative Writing and English at Carnegie Mellon University, and in her dissertation, she investigated the relationship of literature to the soul as it is imagined in romantic aesthetics.

Given her background and passion, I asked Carolyn if she could tackle the following challenge:
How can anyone, without a poetry background, get started with poetry as a source of inspiration and insight in their day to day?

The result is a powerful recipe below for awakening your senses and dipping your toe into the evocative pool of poetry.  Without further ado, here is Carolyn …

Poetry isn’t just for folks in tweed jackets with leather elbow patches.  The greatest poetry is language infused with the wisdom of a powerful heart.  If we learn how to read that great poetry well, we can let that infusion soak into us and transform our own perception for the better.  Reading poetry sensitively can be a spiritual practice that gradually alters our consciousness so that we see our world with vast insight and love.

The mode of encountering poetry that most facilitates heart-expansion isn’t the kind of technical, critical reading that’s taught in most English classes (“The caesura in line 8 creates a tension that magnifies the alliteration within the ABDDC rhyme scheme, highlighting the hendiadys that follows in line 10….”).  That kind of reading can be interesting if you’re already a balls-to-the-wall poetry buff and you want to “get under the hood” of a poem.  But most of us don’t want to tinker with the engine of a fantastic car.  We just want to drive it.

The way to “drive” a wonderful poem so that it opens you up is through contemplative reading.  In contemplative reading, we meet a poem via our intuition and imagination rather than our analytic brain.

To get a feel for contemplative reading, try this exercise (I’ve used it with my Reading Poetry students at the University of Pittsburgh for years to great effect):

Entering the Aether

Select a poem that you want to meet deeply.  For those just starting out, I suggest the opening pages of “Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman, “Ode to a Lemon” by Pablo Neruda, and “I Dwell in Possibility” by Emily Dickinson.

For the purpose of this example, we’ll use a magnificent lyric, “The Orchard” by H.D.  Sit comfortably with the poem within easy-reading reach.  Read the poem once, not bothering to “figure it out,” just getting a sense of what’s there.

Now close your eyes.  Settle in by breathing deeply and slowly.  Imagine that you see swirling all around you a very fine, very silvery substance called aether.  Aether is the material of the imagination and spirit, thought to be a basic element by classical and medieval philosophers.  The aether is fluid like silk, and moves around you in spiraling eddies.

The aether is extremely sensitive.  Whatever words or images you bring to it, it will amplify by means of all the senses and emotions available.  In a moment, you’ll bring a line from your poem into the aether, and the aether will respond by creating visions, sounds, scents, touches and feelings.  You might see whole scenes unfold.  You might hear music.  What you experience may or may not directly relate to the words you bring in.  The aether offers its response from a place of deep wisdom beyond the conscious mind.

Bring into the aether the first lines of the poem, “The Orchard”: “I saw the first pear / as it fell.”

Now close your eyes again and observe how the aether responds to just these lines.  What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel?  Sit in contemplation for a few moments, allowing the aether to fully unfold its response to these lines.

After observing the response of the aether to your satisfaction, write down what you witnessed in terms of every bodily sense.

Here are responses my students have recorded:

“I caught a scent of lemon mixed with black coffee, and felt overwhelmed.”

“I saw Versailles, with rows of round pear trees and a huge blue sky.”

“I saw Adam and Eve under the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden.”

“I saw a giant primeval forest, with a huge pear falling slowly, bursting with juice.  I heard the sound of quick-beating drums.”

“I felt a woman’s cold hand on my shoulder.”

You’ll notice that some of these responses pertain directly to the words of the poem, and some don’t.  That’s perfect.  The point is not to find what the lines “mean” but instead to discover what they do.

Repeat this process of bringing lines from the poem into the aether, observing the aether’s response and writing it down until you complete the poem or until you feel full (like you’ve eaten all you want from a delicious meal).

The wonder of this mode of reading is that it requires no background knowledge, no technical terms, no “expertise” at poetry.  And yet again and again, I find that when my students partake of it, they intuitively and immediately discover all the rich mythological and historical resonances that a poem has to offer, often finding more depth than the most highly-trained critics offer in their essays on the same poem.

Reading contemplatively by entering the aether with a poem gives you a way to create a meeting space between the wisdom of poetry and the wisdom of your own imagination.  Over time, this practice of reading feeds your deep self and renders you capable of seeing from your calm heart rather than your frantic mind.  It accomplishes what the great poet John Keats called the work of “soul-making,” a process of being able to discern the profound truth beneath disturbing appearances, so that bliss rather than worry becomes your default experience.

Love!

Carolyn

“Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I read an article on Stepcase Lifehack on Why You Should Start Your New Year in February.  The main idea is to use January to recover from the holidays and make February your focus for getting down to business.

So, if you didn’t get the start you wanted in January, then don’t sweat it.  Instead, get ready to make things happen in February.   Use January as your time to plan things out, decompress from the holidays, and get clear on what you want out of the year.

I like this idea on multiple levels.   For one thing, it’s a forward-looking mental model.  Instead of trying to play catch up or worry about how you missed your great start in January, plan your great start for February. Rather than feel behind on things, you can feel on top of things.  It’s along the lines of, “If you miss the train, catch the next one.”, or, “I’m not late for today, I’m early for tomorrow.”

It’s this forward looking view on life that helps you rise above the noise, and take advantage of windows of opportunity.

To make the most of my months, I use 30 Day Improvement Sprints, a practice from Agile Results.  I pick a theme for the month, and I do a little something each day towards the goal.  It’s a simple way to keep taking action, a day at a time, and achieve big things.   I’ve used 30 Day Improvement Sprints to change habits, tackle tough challenges at work, work on personal projects, explore new interests, and learn new things.

If you’re looking for a way to make this year different, consider 30 Days of Getting Results.   It’s a timeless collection of little lessons you can use to get a fresh start and bring out your best.

Photo by Jack Bachelor.

You’ve probably come across several quotes attributed to Buddha over the years. I’ve always enjoyed the precision, profoundness, and pragmatism of his quotes.

His words of wisdom have stood the test of time on a number of broad topics.   For this collection of Buddha quotes, I’ve arranged them by key themes including: Action, Anger, Fear, Health, Life, Love, Mind, Personal Development, Self-Reliance, Speech, and Truth.

As you read through the quotes, see if his words, inspire new insight or echo your experience, or challenge your beliefs in some new way.

Top 10 Buddha Quotes

1. “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
2. “It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.”
3. “It is better to travel well than to arrive.”
4. “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
5. “The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.”
6. “The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.”
7. “There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills.”
8. “Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”
9. “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”
10. “What we think, we become.“

Action

• “A jug fills drop by drop.”
• “An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.”
• “Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence.”
• “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.”
• “However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?”
• “I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act.”
• “I never see what has been done; I only see what remains to be done.”
• “To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent.”

Anger, Forgiveness, and Compassion

• “Hatred does not cease through hatred at any time. Hatred ceases through love. This is an unalterable law.”
• “Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike; each has their suffering. Some suffer too much, others too little.”
• “In a controversy the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves.”
• “Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.”
• “To understand everything is to forgive everything.”
• “You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.”

Fear

• “Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.”
• “The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed.”
• “When one has the feeling of dislike for evil, when one feels tranquil, one finds pleasure in listening to good teachings; when one has these feelings and appreciates them, one is free of fear.”

Health

• “Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.”
• “Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.”
• “The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”
• “To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.”
• “To keep the body in good health is a duty … otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”
• “Without health life is not life; it is only a state of languor and suffering an image of death.”

Life and Living

• “He who experiences the unity of life sees his own Self in all beings, and all beings in his own Self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye.”
• “Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.”
• “Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.”
• “Life is suffering.”
• “On life’s journey faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are a shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him.”
• “The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground.”
• “There has to be evil so that good can prove its purity above it.”
• “To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one’s own in the midst of abundance.”
• “When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.”
• “You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself.”
• “Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.”

Love, Connection, and Unity

• “All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else.”
• “Ambition is like love, impatient both of delays and rivals.”
• “He who loves 50 people has 50 woes; he who loves no one has no woes.”
• “Unity can only be manifested by the Binary. Unity itself and the idea of Unity are already two.”
• “You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.”
• “You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

Mind, Thought, and Thinking

• “All wrong-doing arises because of mind. If mind is transformed can wrong-doing remain?”
• “An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.”
• “Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.”
• “He is able who thinks he is able.”
• “It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.”
• “The mind is everything. What you think you become.”
• “Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace.”
• “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”

Personal Development

• “Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.”
• “The virtues, like the Muses, are always seen in groups. A good principle was never found solitary in any breast.”
• “To conquer oneself is a greater task than conquering others.”
• “Virtue is persecuted more by the wicked than it is loved by the good.”
• “We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.”

Self-Reliance

• “No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”
• “Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others.”

Speech

• “A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker.”
• “Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.”
• “The tongue like a sharp knife … Kills without drawing blood.”
• “The wise ones fashioned speech with their thought, sifting it as grain is sifted through a sieve.”
• “Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.”

Truth

• “In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.”
• “There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.”
• “Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.”

Photo by UggBoy / UggGirl.

This is a collection of Confucius quotes to put his wisdom at your finger tips. Confucius was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher with a knack for nailing some big ideas for life.

Confucius tackled topics like anger, character, failure, happiness, intelligence, truth, virtue, and more. The beauty of Confucius’s quotes is how elegantly they express ideas and get you thinking. For example, Confucius said, “No matter where you go – there you are.” This reminds us that we always bring ourselves to any situation, baggage, beliefs, and all. It helped me realize early on in life, that you need to be your own best friend, or, life will be a rough ride.

Another thing I like about Confucius’s quotes is how they are sticky in the mind.   I’ve come across a lot of Confucius’s quotes throughout life and they stuck with me.  Partly it’s because of how they ring true, and partly it’s because of how they are expressed.  Great quotes echo in the mind.

Enjoy these quotes by Confucius and may they serve you well in the journey of life.

Top 10 Confucius Quotes

1. “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
2. “Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”
3. “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”
4. “If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.”
5. “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
6. “Men’s natures are alike, it is their habits that carry them far apart.”
7. “No matter where you go – there you are”
8. “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do.”
9. “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”
10. “Worry not that no one knows of you; seek to be worth knowing.”

Ability

• “Ability will never catch up with the demand for it.”
• “The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.”

Alertness

• “The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come.”
• “When in a state of security he does not forget the possibility of ruin. When all is orderly, he does not forget that disorder may come. Thus his person is not endangered, and his States and all their clans are preserved.”

Anger and Blame

• “If a man be under the influence of anger his conduct will not be correct.”
• “It was by music that the ancient kings gave elegant expression to their joy. By their armies and axes they gave the same to their anger.”
• “To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.”
• “When anger rises, think of the consequences.”

Character

• “Earnest in practicing the ordinary virtues, and careful in speaking about them, if, in his practice, he has anything defective, the superior man dares not but exert himself; and if, in his words, he has any excess, he dares not allow himself such license.”
• “Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage.”
• “Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.”
• “Great as heaven and earth are, men still find some things in them with which to be  dissatisfied. Thus it is that, were the superior man to speak of his way in all its greatness, nothing in the world would be found able to embrace it, and were he to speak of it in its minuteness, nothing in the world would be found able to split it.”
• “Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. Then no friends would not be like yourself.”
• “I will not be concerned at other men’s not knowing me;I will be concerned at my own  want of ability.”
• “In archery we have something like the way of the superior man. When the archer misses the center of the target, he turns round and seeks for the cause of his failure in himself.”
• “It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get.”
• “Look at the means which a man employs, consider his motives, observe his pleasures. A man simply cannot conceal himself!”
• “Never give a sword to a man who can’t dance.”
• “Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.”
• “Respect yourself and others will respect you.”
• “Sincerity is that whereby self-completion is effected, and its way is that by which man must direct himself.”
• “The man who in view of gain thinks of righteousness; who in the view of danger is prepared to give up his life; and who does not forget an old agreement however far back it extends – such a man may be reckoned a complete man.”
• “The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his action.”
• “The superior man cannot be known in little matters, but he may be entrusted with great concerns. The small man may not be entrusted with great concerns, but he may be known in little matters.”
• “The superior man has nothing to compete for. But if he must compete, he does it in  an archery match, wherein he ascends to his position, bowing in deference.   Descending, he drinks the ritual cup.”
• “The superior man is all-embracing and not partial. The inferior man is partial and not all-embracing.”
• “The superior man is aware of Righteousness, the inferior man is aware of advantage.”
• “There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothing more manifest than  what is minute.” Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.”
• “What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others.”
• “Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men.”
• “Without an acquaintance with the rules of propriety, it is impossible for the character to be established.”
• “Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?”

Failure, Mistakes, and Flaws

• “A man who has committed a mistake and doesn’t correct it, is committing another mistake.”
• “Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes.”
• “Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.”
• “If you make a mistake, do not be afraid to correct it.”
• “In all things success depends on previous preparation, and without such previous preparation there is sure to be failure.”
• “The cautious seldom err.”
• “The faults of a superior man are like the sun and moon. They have their faults, and everyone sees them; they change and everyone looks up to them.”
• “Things that are done, it is needless to speak about … things that are past, it is needless to blame.”
• “When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.”

Friends and Friendship

• “I do not want a friend who smiles when I smile, who weeps when I weep, for my shadow in the pool can do better than that.”
• “It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them.”
• “Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself.”
• “Silence is a true friend who never betrays.”

Goals

• “When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.”

Habits

• “To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue; these five are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.”

Happiness

• “If a man has no humaneness what can his propriety be like? If a man has no humaneness what can his happiness be like?”
• “If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.”
• “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
• “The wise find pleasure in water; the virtuous find pleasure in hills. The wise are active; the virtuous are tranquil. The wise are joyful; the virtuous are long-lived.”
• “They must often change who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.”
• “We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression.”
• “With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my bended arm for a pillow – I have still joy in the midst of these things. Riches and honors acquired by unrighteousness are to me as a floating cloud.”

Heart and Love

• “Can there be a love which does not make demands on its object?”
• “If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?”
• “Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.”
• “The superior man examines his heart, that there may be nothing wrong there, and that he may have no cause for dissatisfaction with himself. That wherein the superior man cannot be equaled is simply this — his work which other men cannot see.”

How to Live

• “Although your father and mother are dead, if you propose to yourself any good work, only reflect how it will make their names illustrious, and your purpose will be fixed.”
• “At fifteen my heart was set on learning; at thirty I stood firm; at forty I had no more doubts; at fifty I knew the mandate of heaven; at sixty my ear was obedient; at seventy I could follow my heart’s desire without transgressing the norm.”
• “Being in humaneness is good. If we select other goodness and thus are far apart from humaneness, how can we be the wise?”
• “”Consideration for others is the basic of a good life, a good society.”
• “Death and life have their determined appointments; riches and honors depend upon heaven.”
• “Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.”
• “He who will not economize will have to agonize.”
• “How great is the path proper to the Sage! Like overflowing water, it sends forth  and nourishes all things, and rises up to the height of heaven. All-complete is its  greatness! It embraces the three hundred rules of ceremony, and the three thousand rules of demeanor. It waits for the proper man, and then it is trodden. Hence it is  said, ‘Only by perfect virtue can the perfect path, in all its courses, be made a fact.’”
• “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.”
• “If we don’t know life, how can we know death?”
• “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”
• “Old age, believe me, is a good and pleasant thing. It is true you are gently shouldered off the stage, but then you are given such a comfortable front stall as spectator.”
• “Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked for little; by these three steps thou wilt go near the gods.”
• “Study the past, if you would define the future.”
• “The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.”
• “The Path is not far from man. When men try to pursue a course, which is far from the common indications of consciousness, this course cannot be considered The Path.”
• “The superior man does what is proper to the station in which he is; he does not desire to go beyond this. In a position of wealth and honor, he does what is proper to a position of wealth and honor. In a poor and low position, he does what is proper to a poor and low position.”
• “The superior man honors his virtuous nature, and maintains constant inquiry and study, seeking to carry it out to its breadth and greatness, so as to omit none of the more exquisite and minute points which it embraces, and to raise it to its greatest height and brilliancy.”
• “The way of the superior man may be compared to what takes place in traveling, when to go to a distance we must first traverse the space that is near, and in ascending a height, when we must begin from the lower ground.”
• “There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth … lust.   When he is strong … quarrelsomeness.   When he is old … covetousness.”
• “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.”
• “When one cultivates to the utmost the principles of his nature, and exercises them on the principle of reciprocity, he is not far from the path.”
• “When the Superior Man eats he does not try to stuff himself; at rest he does not seek perfect comfort; he is diligent in his work and careful in speech. He avails himself to people of the Tao and thereby corrects himself. This is the kind of person of whom you can say, ‘he loves learning.’”
• “When you are laboring for others let it be with the same zeal as if it were for yourself.”

Humility

• “A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.”
• “He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good.”
• “The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability; he is not distressed by the fact that men do not recognize the ability that he has.”

Influence

• “All things are nourished together without their injuring one another. The courses  of the seasons, and of the sun and moon, are pursued without any collision among  them. The smaller energies are like river currents; the greater energies are seen  in mighty transformations. It is this which makes heaven and earth so great.”
• “Among the appliances to transform the people, sound and appearances are but trivial  influences.”
• “Sincerity becomes apparent. From being apparent, it becomes manifest. From being manifest, it becomes brilliant. Brilliant, it affects others. Affecting others, they are changed by it. Changed by it, they are transformed. It is only he who is possessed of the most complete sincerity that can exist under heaven, who can transform.”

Intelligence

• “When we have intelligence resulting from sincerity, this condition is to be ascribed to nature; when we have sincerity resulting from intelligence, this condition is to be ascribed to instruction. But given the sincerity, and there shall be the intelligence; given the intelligence, and there shall be the sincerity.”

Knowledge and Learning

• “By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”
• “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
• “I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there.”
• “If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.”
• “Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star.”
• “Learn as though you would never be able to master it; Hold it as though you would be in fear of losing it.”
• “Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.”
• “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”
• “Reviewing what you have learned and learning anew, you are fit to be a teacher.”
• “The scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.”
• “Things have their root and their branches. Affairs have their end and their beginning. To know what is first and what is last will lead near to what is taught in the Great Learning.”
• “To be fond of learning is to be near to knowledge. To practice with vigor is to be near to magnanimity. To possess the feeling of shame is to be near to energy.”
• “To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous.”
• “When you know a thing, to hold that you know it, and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it – this is knowledge.”
• “You cannot open a book without learning something.”

Personal Development

• “The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.”
• “When we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
• “When you meet someone better than yourself, turn your thoughts to becoming his equal. When you meet someone not as good as you are, look within and examine your own self.”

Revenge

• “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.”

Truth

• “The object of the superior man is truth.”
• “The superior man does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow.”
• “The superior man, even when he is not moving, has a feeling of reverence, and while he speaks not, he has the feeling of truthfulness.”
• “They who know the truth are not equal to those who love it, and they who love it are not equal to those who delight in it.”

Uniqueness

• “The way of Heaven and Earth may be completely declared in one sentence: They are without any doubleness, and so they produce things in a manner that is unfathomable.”

Virtue

• “Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.”
• “Go before the people with your example, and be laborious in their affairs.”
• “I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or one who hated what was not virtuous.  He who loved virtue would esteem nothing above it.”
• “Is virtue a thing remote? I wish to be virtuous, and lo! Virtue is at hand.”
• “The determined scholar and the man of virtue will not seek to live at the expense of injuring their virtue. They will even sacrifice their lives to preserve their virtue complete.”
• “The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue.”
• “The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first interest; success only comes later.”
• “The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort.”
• “The virtuous man is driven by responsibility, the non-virtuous man is driven by profit.”
• “Virtue is more to man than either water or fire. I have seen men die from treading on water and fire, but I have never seen a man die from treading the course of virtue.”
• “Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors.”
• “Virtuous people often revenge themselves for the constraints to which they submit by the boredom which they inspire.”
• “What the great learning teaches, is to illustrate illustrious virtue; to renovate the people; and to rest in the highest excellence.”
• “When a man’s knowledge is sufficient to attain, and his virtue is not sufficient to enable him to hold, whatever he may have gained, he will lose again.”

Photo by Ivan Walsh.

Oprah is a wealth of wisdom and a great source of inspirational quotes.

You can learn a lot about Oprah and her insights through her quotable quotes.  Oprah is a great example of driving life from the fundamental questions, “Who do you want to be?” and, “What experiences do you want to create?”

What comes across for me is that Oprah built strong pillars in determination, gratitude, and growth to support her through life.   Maybe, perhaps, the most significant thing we learn from Oprah is how empowering or limiting your belief in yourself can actually be.  For Oprah, she believed she was destined for greatness and that’s exactly the path she chose to drive her life from.

Enjoy.

Top 10 Oprah Winfrey Quotes

Here are my top 10 favorite Oprah Winfrey quotes:

1. “Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.”
2. “Every time you suppress some part of yourself or allow others to play you small, you are in essence ignoring the owner’s manual your creator gave you and destroying your design.”
3. “I knew there was a way out. I knew there was another kind of life because I had read about it. I knew there were other places, and there was another way of being.”
4. “The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.”
5. “The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but significance – and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning.”
6. “Turn your wounds into wisdom.”
7. “We are each responsible for our own life – no other person is or even can be.”
8. “What I know is, is that if you do work that you love, and the work fulfills you, the rest will come.”
9. “What I know for sure is that if you want success, you can’t make success your goal.  The key is not to worry about being successful, but to instead work toward being significant, and the success will naturally follow.”
10. “You know you are on the road to success if you would do your job, and not be paid for it.”

Choice

• “Be more splendid, more extraordinary. Use every moment to fill yourself up.”
• “Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself.”
• “I believe that every single event in life happens in an opportunity to choose love over fear.”
• “I believe that uncertainty is really my spirit’s way of whispering, “I’m in flux. I can’t decide for you. Something is off-balance here.”
• “I believe the choice to be excellent begins with aligning your thoughts and words with the intention to require more from yourself.”
• “It’s much easier for me to make major life, multi-million dollar decisions, than it is to decide on a carpet for my front porch. That’s the truth.”
• “My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.”
• “Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not.”
• “Understand that the right to choose your own path is a sacred privilege. Use it. Dwell in possibility.”
• “With every experience, you alone are painting your own canvas, thought by thought, choice by choice.”

Dreams / Destiny / Purpose

• “Before you agree to do anything that might add even the smallest amount of stress to your life, ask yourself: What is my truest intention? Give yourself time to let a yes resound within you. When it’s right, I guarantee that your entire body will feel it.”
• “Excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism.”
• “I believe that everyone is the keeper of a dream – and by tuning into one another’s secret hopes, we can become better friends, better partners, better parents, and better lovers.”
• “I knew there was a way out. I knew there was another kind of life because I had read about it. I knew there were other places, and there was another way of being.”
• “I know for sure that what we dwell on is who we become.”
• “I trust that everything happens for a reason, even when we’re not wise enough to see it.”
• “I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint – and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.”
• “It isn’t until you come to a spiritual understanding of who you are – not necessarily a religious feeling, but deep down, the spirit within – that you can begin to take control.”
• “Often we don’t even realize who we’re meant to be because we’re so busy trying to live out someone else’s ideas. But other people and their opinions hold no power in defining our destiny.”
• “The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.”
• “The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but significance – and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning.”
• “Use what you have to run toward your best – that’s how I now live my life.”
• “You can have it all. You just can’t have it all at once.”

Giving / Gratitude

• “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
• “I don’t think you ever stop giving. I really don’t. I think it’s an on-going process. And it’s not just about being able to write a check. It’s being able to touch somebody’s life.”
• “I finally realized that being grateful to my body was key to giving more love to myself.”
• “Living in the moment brings you a sense of reverence for all of life’s blessings.”
• “The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”
• “What I know for sure is that what you give comes back to you.”

Growth

• “Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a different way to stand.”
• “I am a woman in process. I’m just trying like everybody else. I try to take every conflict, every experience, and learn from it. Life is never dull.”
• “Getting my lifelong weight struggle under control has come from a process of treating myself as well as I treat others in every way.”
• “The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were intended to be.”
• “You are built not to shrink down to less but to blossom into more.”

Fear / Failure

• “Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it.”
• “Every one of us gets through the tough times because somebody is there, standing in the gap to close it for us.”
• “I believe that one of life’s greatest risks is never daring to risk.”
• “I don’t believe in failure. It is not failure if you enjoyed the process.”
• “I have a lot of things to prove to myself. One is that I can live my life fearlessly.”
• “It is confidence in our bodies, minds and spirits that allows us to keep looking for new adventures, new directions to grow in, and new lessons to learn – which is what life is all about.”
• “So go ahead. Fall down. The world looks different from the ground.”
• “The thing you fear most has no power. Your fear of it is what has the power. Facing the truth really will set you free.”
• “Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.”
• “You can take from every experience what it has to offer you. And you cannot be defeated if you just keep taking one breath followed by another.”

Identity / Individuality

• “All these years I’ve been feeling like I was growing into myself. Finally, I feel grown.”
• “As you become more clear about who you really are, you’ll be better able to decide what is best for you … the first time around.”
• “Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.”
• “I always knew I was destined for greatness.”
• “I don’t think of myself as a poor deprived ghetto girl who made good. I think of myself as somebody who from an early age knew I was responsible for myself, and I had to make good.”
• “I still have my feet on the ground, I just wear better shoes.”
• “I’m black, I don’t feel burdened by it and I don’t think it’s a huge responsibility. It’s part of who I am. It does not define me.”
• “If you come to fame not understanding who you are, it will define who you are.”
• “In every aspect of our lives, we are always asking ourselves, How am I of value? What is my worth? Yet I believe that worthiness is our birthright.”
• “Let your light shine. Shine within you so that it can shine on someone else. Let your light shine.”
• “Partake of some of life’s sweet pleasures. And yes, get comfortable with yourself.”
• “Though I am grateful for the blessings of wealth, it hasn’t changed who I am. My feet are still on the ground. I’m just wearing better shoes.”
• “What we’re all striving for is authenticity, a spirit-to-spirit connection.”

Opportunity / Possibility

• “Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.”
• “Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.”
• “Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance.”
• “Every time you state what you want or believe, you’re the first to hear it. It’s a message to both you and others about what you think is possible. Don’t put a ceiling on yourself.”
• “If you want your life to be more rewarding, you have to change the way you think.”
• “When I look into the future, it’s so bright it burns my eyes.”

Passion / Energy

• “Energy is the essence of life. Every day you decide how you’re going to use it by knowing what you want and what it takes to reach that goal, and by maintaining focus.”
• “I define joy as a sustained sense of well-being and internal peace – a connection to what matters.”
• “If you neglect to recharge a battery, it dies. And if you run full speed ahead without stopping for water, you lose momentum to finish the race.”
• “Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”

Relationships

• “I think that when you invite people to your home, you invite them to yourself.”
• “Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.”
• “My idea of heaven is a great big baked potato and someone to share it with.”
• “Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.”
• “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”

Success

• “For every one of us that succeeds, it’s because there’s somebody there to show you the way out.”
• “I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity.”
• “If you want to accomplish the goals of your life, you have to begin with the spirit.”
• “I’ve learned that you can’t have everything and do everything at the same time.”
• “The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.”
• “There’s no easy way out. If there were, I would have bought it. And believe me, it would be one of my favorite things!”
• “Unless you choose to do great things with it, it makes no difference how much you are rewarded, or how much power you have.”
• “What material success does is provide you with the ability to concentrate on other things that really matter. And that is being able to make a difference, not only in your own life, but in other people’s lives.”

My Related Posts

• Lessons Learned from Oprah Winfrey

Dr. Seuss had a wonderful way with his words.  He managed to say, in a sentence or two, how to live with more life, or how to be more like you.

This is my collection of Dr. Seuss quotes to put his wisdom and words at your finger tips.

Top 10

1. Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.
2. Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.
3. Only you can control your future.
4. So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.
5. The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.
6. Today is gone. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.
7. Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.
8. Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.
9. You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself, any direction you choose.
10. You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.

Aloneness

• All alone! Whether you like it or not, alone is something you’ll be quite a lot.
• I’m afraid sometimes you’ll play lonely games too, games you can’t win because you’ll play against you.
• You can get help from teachers, but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself, sitting alone in a room.

Balance

• So be sure when you step, Step with care and great tact. And remember that life’s A Great Balancing Act.
• Words and pictures are yin and yang. Married, they produce a progeny more interesting than either parent.

Be Yourself

• Be awesome! Be a book nut!
• If you’d never been born, then you might be an Isn’t! An Isn’t has no fun at all. No, he disn’t.
• Why fit in when you were born to stand out?
• You are you. Now, isn’t that pleasant?
• You’re in pretty good shape for the shape you are in.

Challenges

• I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I’ve bought a big bat. I’m all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!
• I’m sorry to say so but, sadly it’s true that bang-ups and hang-ups can happen to you.
• It’s a troublesome world. All the people who’re in it are troubled with troubles almost every minute. You ought to be thankful, a whole heaping lot, for the places and people you’re lucky you’re not.

Christmas

• Christmas doesn’t come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more …

Everybody Deserves a Shot

• A person’s a person, no matter how small.
• I know, up on top you are seeing great sights, but down here at the bottom we, too, should have rights.
• Kid, you’ll move mountains!  Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!”

Fun

• Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.
• From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.
• I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.
• If you never did you should. These things are fun and fun is good.
• I’m glad we had the times together just to laugh and sing a song, seems like we just got started and then before you know it, the times we had together were gone.
• It is fun to have fun, but you have to know how.
• Look at me! Look at me! Look at me NOW! It is fun to have fun, but you have to know how.

Life Happens

• If things start happening, don’t worry, don’t stew, just go right along and you’ll start happening too.
• I’m sorry to say so but, sadly it’s true that bang-ups and hang-ups can happen to you.
• Things may happen and often do to people as brainy and footsy as you.

Make Things Happen

• Oh, the things you can find if you don’t stay behind!
• There’s no limit to how much you’ll know, depending how far beyond zebra you go.
• Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So… get on your way.
• Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.

Positivity

• And will you succeed? Yes indeed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed!
• If you keep your eyes open enough, oh the stuff you will learn. Oh the most wonderful stuff.
• It’s opener, out there, in the wide, open air.
• Just tell yourself, Duckie, you’re really quite lucky.
• You’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut.

Simplicity

• Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.

Thinking

• Think and wonder, wonder and think.
• Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!

Time Flies

• How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon. December is here before its June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?
• They say I’m old-fashioned, and live in the past, but sometimes I think progress progresses too fast!
• Think and wonder, wonder and think.

My Related Posts

• Lessons Learned from Dr. Seuss

This is a collection of gratitude quotes.  If you want to get your thanks on, or flex your attitude of gratitude, these quotes should help you out.

With these gratitude quotes, you have a collection of wisdom at your fingertips.   This collection includes words of wisdom from a variety of sources including Aesop, Cicero, Paige, Oprah, and more.  While the quote may vary, they teach us a few key things about gratitude.  They teach us that appreciation is a deep need within us.   They teach us that a little thanks can go a long way.  They also teach us that there is always something to be grateful for, or, on the flip side, that things can always be worse.  They teach us that gratitude can be tough to express, as we struggle to find the right words.  Perhaps the most important lesson of all, is that they teach us that gratitude is the key to our own joy and happiness.  If you don’t have enough joy or happiness in your life, just maybe, gratitude is the missing ingredient.

Top 10 Gratitude Quotes
Here are my top ten favorite gratitude quotes:

1. “At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” — Albert Schweitzer
2. “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” — William Arthur Ward
3. “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” – Cicero
4. “Gratitude is one of the least articulate of the emotions, especially when it is deep.” — Felix Frankfurter
5. “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.” – Buddha
6. “Gratitude is one of the sweet shortcuts to finding peace of mind and happiness inside. No matter what is going on outside of us, there’s always something we could be grateful for.” — Barry Neil Kaufman
7. “One regret dear world, that I am determined not to have when I am lying on my deathbed is that I did not kiss you enough.” — Hafiz of Persia
8. “Silent gratitude isn’t very much to anyone.” — Gertrude Stein
9. “Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving.” — Kahlil Gibran
10. “What you focus on expands, and when you focus on the goodness in your life, you create more of it. Opportunities, relationships, even money flowed my way when I learned to be grateful no matter what happened in my life.” — Oprah Winfrey

A – Z Gratitude Quotes
Here is my collection of gratitude quotes organized A – Z:

1. “Act with kindness, but do not expect gratitude.” – Proverb
2. “A man’s indebtedness is not virtue; his repayment is. Virtue begins when he dedicates himself actively  to the job of gratitude.” — Ruth Benedict
3. “Ambition breaks the ties of blood, and forgets the obligations of gratitude.” – Sallust
4. “Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.” — Margaret Cousins
5. “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” — John F. Kennedy
6. “Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” — Brian Tracy
7. “Don’t pray when it rains if you don’t pray when the sun shines.” — Satchell Paige
8. “Every professional athlete owes a debt of gratitude to the fans and management, and pays an installment every time he plays. He should never miss a payment.” — Bobby Hull
9. “Friendship based solely upon gratitude is like a photograph; with time it fades.” — Carmen Sylva
10. “Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy — because we will always want to have something else or something more.” — David Steindl-Rast
11. “Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.” — John Milton
12. “Gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer
13. “Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you.” — Eileen Caddy
14. “Gratitude is a burden upon our imperfect nature, and we are but too willing to ease ourselves of it, or at least to lighten it as much as we can.” — Philip Stanhope
15. “Gratitude is a duty which ought to be paid, but which none have a right to expect.” — Jean-Jacques Rousseau
16. “Gratitude is one of those things that cannot be bought. It must be born with men, or else all the obligations in the world will not create it.” — Edward F. Halifax
17. “Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.” — Henry Ward Beecher
18. “Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.” — Henry Van Dyke
19. “Gratitude is the most exquisite form of courtesy.” — Jacques Maritain
20. “Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.” – Aesop
21. “Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.” — Lionel Hampton
22. “Gratitude isn’t a burdening emotion.” — Loretta Young
23. “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” — Melody Beattie
24. “Gratitude to gratitude always gives birth.” – Sophocles
25. “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” — Melody Beattie
26. “Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.” — Denis Waitley
27. “Happiness is itself a kind of gratitude.” — Joseph Wood Krutch
28. “If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.” — Meister Eckhart
29. “It’s a sign of mediocrity when you demonstrate gratitude with moderation.” — Roberto Benigni
30. “Joy is a heart full and a mind purified by gratitude.” — Marietta McCarty
31. “Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.” — Karl Barth
32. “Kindness trumps greed: it asks for sharing. Kindness trumps fear: it calls forth gratefulness and love. Kindness trumps even stupidity, for with sharing and love, one learns.” — Marc Estrin
33. “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” — Marcel Proust
34. “Maybe the only thing worse than having to give gratitude constantly is having to accept it.” –William Faulkner
35. “Next to ingratitude the most painful thing to bear is gratitude.” — Henry Ward Beecher
36. “No one who achieves success does so without acknowledging the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.” — Alfred North Whitehead
37. “One can never pay in gratitude: one can only pay ‘in kind’ somewhere else in life.” — Anne Morrow Lindbergh
38. “One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.” — Carl Jung
39. “One of the surest evidences of friendship that one individual can display to another is telling him gently of a fault. If any other can excel it, it is listening to such a disclosure with gratitude, and amending the error.” — Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton
40. “Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.” — Henri Frederic Amiel
41. “The debt of gratitude we owe our mother and father goes forward, not backward. What we owe our parents is the bill presented to us by our children.” — Nancy Friday
42. “The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated.” — William James
43. “The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.” — Friedrich Nietzsche
44. “The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.” — Eric Hoffer
45. “There is as much greatness of mind in acknowledging a good turn, as in doing it.” – Seneca
46. “To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course. Everything originates in a will for the good, which is directed at you. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude.” — Albert Schweitzer
47. “We are told that people stay in love because of chemistry, or because they remain intrigued with each other, because of many kindnesses, because of luck. But part of it has got to be forgiveness and gratefulness.” — Ellen Goodman
48. “When you are grateful fear disappears and abundance appears.” — Tony Robbins
49. “You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.” — G. K. Chesterton

Please feel free to share your favorite quote, insight, or action on gratitude.

Photo by Zitona.

I wanted a visual that could express one of the idea of Sources of Insight.   I think the Yin and Yang is a good model.  According to Wikipedia, the Yin and Yang expresses how seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent.

I think this is true of work and life.  I think this is also true of soft skills and hard skills.

One of the things I like to do is to inject more “life” into work.  By that, I mean using work as self-expression.  I also mean using work as an arena for personal growth.  I also mean living your values at work.  So rather than see work as a task you do, I see work as a way to grow your skills, challenge yourself to new levels, express your best, and contribute your unique value to the world.

I also like to inject more “work” into life.  I learn a lot of skills that apply well beyond the workplace arena.  We’ve learned a lot about business skills.   Those same business skills can serve you in life.  A sustainable business has a vision, mission, and values.  It creates unique value.  It plays to its strengths and limits it’s liabilities.  It knows who it serves.  It considers the economic realities and it’s contribution to the world.  A successful business is adaptable, and it knows the market.  All of these same skills apply to “life.”

I think we get better at life when we borrow skills from the world of business.  For example, executive thinking skills can help us frame problems better, or make more effective decisions, or prioritize in a more deliberate way.  Strategy skills can help us better differentiate and be our own best self, in a world of too many “Me-Too’s.”  Project management skills can help us get things done in a more predictable way, and bring order to chaos.  And basic business skills can help us fund our life styles so that we can take care of the basics as we find our way forward.

So I really do like the blend of work and life and the possibilities that creates.  But that’s not all.  I also chose the Yin and Yang because I’ve always been a fan of blending hard and soft skills.  I think in this case, what this means for me is that to thrive in the world, we need hard and soft skills for work, as well as hard and soft skills for life.  I plan to bring more hard skills to life, and more soft skills to work, and Sources of Insight is my arena for sharing what I learn.

I’m always a fan of understanding how somebody defines a word, or how they make meaning from it.  For example, Covey says that success is when the response equals the challenge.  John Maxwell teaches us that leadership is influence.  This helps me gain perspective, or find a new way at looking at an old word, concept, or idea.

I was reading Success magazine, featuring Dr. Oz on Steps to Living Large and Living Longer.  Dr. Oz had this to say on “significance”:

“’Significance means service’, he says, ‘doing things that impact people, hopefully in a beneficial way.  It’s not just going out there and bragging about a certain thing you’ve done, but showing people how they can apply it to their lives and improve something.  That to me is what significance is all about.’”

My take away is, significance is service.  I like the simplicity of that.

Photo by marcalandavis.

“A man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life.” — James Allen

We don’t get away unscathed.   As we make our way through life, life leaves its marks.  The marks we bear can make our lives deeper and more meaningful.  Or they can sour our view, and make us bitter and cold.  It’s all in how we respond.

The hurts, the scars, the wounds weave part of our story.

In the book, It’s Not About You, by Bob Burg and John David Mann, the authors share insight into how to use your pain to lead a richer life, and to avoid turning cold.

We are Not Unblemished

Life happens.  We get scraped along the way.  Life leaves a mark.  Burg and Mann write:

“‘It shows dear,’ she said gently.  ‘Life leaves a mark.  None of us passes through the experience of our days unblemished or pristine.  We all suffer tragedies and disappointments, struggles and failures.  Losses great and small, and every one of them hurts.  Life leaves a mark,’ she repeated.”

Embrace Who We Are

You can lead a richer life, or you can harden your heart and become jaded.  To lead a richer life, don’t deny your pain.  Instead, embrace it.  Burg and Mann write:

“‘We can try to cover it up, although if we do, we just tend to grow bitter on the inside.  Or we can embrace who we are — that is, who we are in the process of becoming.  Embrace the hurt and it deepens you, makes you a richer person.  Deny it, reject it, hold it at bay, fight it off, and it simply hardens you.  Either way, it engraves itself onto your soul.’”

Photo by MzPromise.