These are a few of the quotes that always stand out to me whenever I’m scrolling through Pinterest.
“You have been assigned this mountain to show others it can be moved.”
I saved this quote back when I was going through a hard time dealing with major house issues. It was relevant to that time in my life but also to a death in the family a few years before that. It reminds me that the difficulties I face are not there just for the sake of making life harder. And if they are, at least if I can help someone out by sharing my experience, then it wasn’t for nothing. I like the way this quote is worded, as if your problems are not just a random accident and there IS a solution if you are willing to look for it.
“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.”
This is a reminder that you can handle a lot more than you think if you can find the right way to do it. Or at least a good way. I’m still figuring this out myself but I believe it has a lot to do with organization, prioritizing, discipline, focus, and mental clarity. I like to read this when I’m feeling overwhelmed by too many things to remind me that it’s not as bad as I might think it is.
“Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic.”
I’ve known of this quote the longest out of all of these. I found it inside the lid of an iced tea bottle and held onto that lid as a reminder. I am someone that likes the idea of trying new things but can become anxious when actually attempting to do them. Adding in terms like “professional” and “amateur” only make it worse. But this reminds me that things are not black and white. Pros fail. Amateurs sometimes make amazing things. You won’t know if you don’t try.
“If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
If you are struggling with something why stop and sit around in whatever your hell is? Whatever is ahead has got to be better (hopefully). And if you find another version of hell ahead, again, keep going. Eventually you’re gonna find something good, or you’ll die, and if that’s the case, then you’ve still escaped hell.
“I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.”
This speaks to that part of me that is passionate and has waaay too many interests but realizes life is short. I won’t be able to do everything because a human lifetime is just too short to contain all the imagined possibilities. This is where I can get stuck trying to decide what to focus on. Maybe just taking a taste of each thing I’m interested in and figuring out what I like best is the answer. I dunno. Or just accepting it for the truth that it is.
“Normality is a paved road: It’s comfortable to walk, but no flowers grow.”
This is newer to me but the idea is what I needed in order to understand why my life has been stagnant. I have to stop getting stuck in a rut, continuing on with the same patterns. It’s knowing that there is a current me and a potential me and the path between them is a matter of change.
“Tell the story of the mountain you climbed. Your words could become a page in someone else’s survival guide.”
Like the first quote I listed here, this is a reminder that your struggles have a purpose. Someone out there might need to know what you went through and how you managed it in order to get through their own shit. When I first saved this, it was with the idea of writing a book, but really it can be done in any medium. Even just talking to people. The important part is connecting with whoever is in need of what your experience has to offer.