Quotes to Make you Think
/I don’t remember when I got my first diary. I do remember it was white and it had shiny colored objects on the cover, but I don’t remember what the objects were. What I DO remember is that it had lock. Looking back on it, it was a cheapo lock, and I’m sure one jab of a bobby pin would have let any would-be-intruders (aka little sisters) in on my secrets in 3.5 seconds. That’s why I also cleverly hid it under my mattress.
Bless my 9-year old self.
When I was a little older I started collecting quotes. I wrote them everywhere. In notebooks, on scraps of paper, and the very special ones… in a special notebook just for my favorite quotes. I’m not sure what it was that triggered my love for quotes, but I even asked for a quote thesaurus for a gift once. Yes, quote thesauruses exist. And I got one. An entire big, beautiful book of quotes… about music.
I still love a good quote. I love how a few sentences can inspire, make me laugh, or put me into a tailspin as I ponder everything I’ve ever believed about the world (no, I’m not dramatic at all. Ever.)
These are some of my current favorites. They challenge, inspire, and push me. I hope they can do the same for you!
They say in your 30s things get a lot better because you no longer worry about what people think. Well, I don’t know who “they” are, but I want some of whatever they’re drinking!
No, I haven’t found the magic “I don’t care what you think” pill, but I have realized that living my life worrying about what other people think isn’t productive. And, besides that, it’s not a very kind way to treat myself.
While it’s hard for me too, I’ve made it my goal this year to really practice what I preach and spend some time in self-care and developing more self-love. I’m working on disagreeing with my inner critic and being okay with the fact that I will never, ever be everyone’s cup of tea. And that’s okay.
You will never be a person who everyone likes, and that is okay. But you have to like yourself. After all, you’re the only one who has to live with you, so you should probably like you.
The other day I heard someone say something along the lines of, “you either make excuses or find solutions,” which gave me a slightly squishy feeling in my stomach. This quote does the same thing.
Instead of placing the responsibility of our current situation on things outside our power (our boss, our families, our genes), we have to take control of our own lives and be honest with ourselves. Really honest. Is it really our genes that make us 40 pounds overweight or is it our tendency to default to fast food and a nightly glass (or two) of wine… with a side of cheese, crackers, and chocolate? Is it really our boss that’s holding us back, or the fact that we’ve never asked for a raise?
Don’t get me wrong, I love wine, cheese, and chocolate. And I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with it. I also realize how hard it can be to ask for something like a raise. However there’s something both beautiful and challenging by realizing that our lives are a reflection of the choices we’ve made. And if we want something different, we have to choose different.
Analysis paralysis anyone? I know I’ve been in that situation before.
Honestly, it’s more comfortable to continue over-thinking things, trying to figure out the “right” or “perfect” way rather to do something rather than put it out there and move forward.
One of my mentors says regularly, “Make it messy, but make it done”, which is really hard for me to wrap my brain around. But she’s right. I’m not making progress by not finishing. That book I’m writing will never get finished if I continue agonizing over every detail.
The most effective way to do it, is just to do it. It’s time to stop thinking and start doing. Do it before your brain realizes what you’re doing if you have to. But just do it.
Can I tell you a secret? I totally admire all the amazing bada$$ women who stand up for what they believe and don’t take nonsense from anyone. Especially right at the “moment of impact.” I wish I was more like that.
Me on the other hand? When someone says something hurtful to me instead of standing up for myself I often stand in shock, shame, and dismay. Instead of replying to what’s being thrown at me, I find myself spinning it around in my head, crying, raging, or (insert embarrassed face here) eating.
I’m getting better at not engaging in those self-destructive habits, but I’ve got years of unlearning to do. This quote helps me remember that it can be learned. That you can learn to not stand and get hit, but catch, and when necessary, throw back.
This is everything I need right now.
Please excuse the language, but I can’t be the only “recovering people pleaser” out there.
I’m working on it. But it’s a work of labor and love. Through a lot of soul-searching (and therapy!) I’ve realized that I’d rather shy away from disagreements and “fix things” on the back-end rather than deal with conflict.
Because of this desire to just “fix it” and make everyone happy, I consider myself a recovering people-pleaser. Unfortunately, in trying to keep everyone happy and smooth things over the one person who ends up unhappy is often me.
I’m realizing that I need to stop compromising my own happiness to make everyone around me happy.
And that includes hiding my light, undervaluing my worth, and not admitting that I do know what I want.
I know that by pushing for my dreams I can help more people and make a bigger impact. And if knowing what I want and pushing for those dreams means I step on some toes and get some side-eyes, okay.
Now I just need to remind myself of that. Every. Dang. Day.
As I said at the beginning. These are quotes that are currently challenging me. They give me that squishy-feeling in my stomach and make my heart drop about a half an inch. While I don’t love the struggle, I appreciate the growth that thinking about why my stomach squishes and my heart drops brings over time.