I keep a page of lines that bring me back to what matters. The quotes below, from The Light in the Heart by Roy T. Bennett, are the ones I return to. They are short, direct, and surprisingly practical. If you are in a season of change, choose one and let it shape your next small decision.
Choice and direction
Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.
Don't be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.
Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.
Take responsibility of your own happiness, never put it in other people’s hands.
Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.
Courage and self-belief
Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine.
Live the Life of Your Dreams: Be brave enough to live the life of your dreams according to your vision and purpose instead of the expectations and opinions of others.
Do not fear failure but rather fear not trying.
Do Not Lie to Yourself. We have to be honest about what we want and take risks rather than lie to ourselves and make excuses to stay in our comfort zone.
It's never too late to change your life for the better. You don't have to take huge steps to change your life. Making even the smallest changes to your daily routine can make a big difference to your life.
People and boundaries
Even if you cannot change all the people around you, you can change the people you choose to be around. Life is too short to waste your time on people who don’t respect, appreciate, and value you. Spend your life with people who make you smile, laugh, and feel loved.
Surround yourself with people who believe in your dreams, encourage your ideas, support your ambitions, and bring out the best in you.
Strong people have a strong sense of self-worth and self-awareness; they don’t need the approval of others.
The outer world is a reflection of the inner world. Other people’s perception of you is a reflection of them; your response to them is an awareness of you.
Always remember people who have helped you along the way, and don’t forget to lift someone up.
When your mind gets noisy
More smiling, less worrying. More compassion, less judgment. More blessed, less stressed. More love, less hate.
The past is a place of reference, not a place of residence; the past is a place of learning, not a place of living.
Do not let the memories of your past limit the potential of your future. There are no limits to what you can achieve on your journey through life, except in your mind.
Once you realize you deserve a bright future, letting go of your dark past is the best choice you will ever make.
Sometimes you have to lose all you have to find out who you truly are.
How to show up
Do what is right, not what is easy nor what is popular.
Success is not how high you have climbed, but how you make a positive difference to the world.
Start each day with a positive thought and a grateful heart.
Be grateful for what you already have while you pursue your goals. If you aren’t grateful for what you already have, what makes you think you would be happy with more.
Life is about accepting the challenges along the way, choosing to keep moving forward, and savoring the journey.
Words that help
Keep Going Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Keep going. Tough situations build strong people in the end.
Patience is not the ability to wait. Patience is to be calm no matter what happens, constantly take action to turn it to positive growth opportunities, and have faith to believe that it will all work out in the end while you are waiting.
Listen with curiosity. Speak with honesty. Act with integrity. The greatest problem with communication is we don’t listen to understand. We listen to reply. When we listen with curiosity, we don’t listen with the intent to reply. We listen for what’s behind the words.
Happiness depends on your mindset and attitude.
Top 15 Things Money Can’t Buy: Time - Happiness - Inner Peace - Integrity - Love - Character - Manners - Health - Respect - Morals - Trust - Patience - Class - Common sense - Dignity.
If one of these quotes stayed with you, turn it into a small practice. Copy it into a notebook, add two lines on why it matters right now, and choose one small step you can take today. If you like this kind of quiet reflection, there is more on Mind & Becoming: notes, reading lists, and simple writing tools.
