10 Things You Need to Know; Quotes About Life

Every once in a while, I need a boost of motivation and inspiration, but also a reminder that I am but a human. We all have troubling times, illnesses, financial issues, internal struggles, and worries. (Naturally so, as we are emotional beings.)

However, if only for the few moments that it takes for you to read this, remember that you have a place in this world, and that that place is an important, intricate part of humanity and history. You are invaluable and unique. You are the best and only version of yourself.

I sometimes need reminding that I am human. Quotes, books, and sticky notes help. Here, I have compiled a list of "10 Thing You Need to Know" mainly for myself... Things that I need help remembering from time to time.

Look in the mirror, take a deep breathe, let it out, and smile. You, my friend, are alive.

1. You have a name. A unique name that someone felt you worthy of; wanted to share with and/or pass down to you. You have a name that has an amazing history. Embrace it, live up to it... own it.
2. "Today is the first day of the rest of your life" (a philosophy of the drug rehab group Synanon). You are privileged in that you awoke at some point today. Today is what you make of it; a new day; all yours.
3. "Today starts now" (one of my own). Your day does not have to start at 12:01 am, when you wake up, when you really wake up, or when you get to the office. You can start your day over at any time. Ate something not within the realm of your diet? Start over. Said something negative to your spouse? Start over. Were you sluggish and unmotivated this morning? Start over.
4. "You are the captain of your ship; the master of your sea." A soccer coach of mine told the team that over and over again during one particular season, and it has stuck. You decide what you do on a moment-to-moment basis. Most importantly - what you make of yourself and your life. You can not always account for storms, high tides, and holes in the sails, but you are the only one that has control of the ship's wheel, and in what direction it is steered.
5. "This is your life. Are you who you want to be?" (from "This is Your Life" by Switchfoot) Along the same lines as the last two things that you need to know, remembering that this is your life is vital to reducing stress and anxiety, and maintaining control. Are you who you want to be? Self-discovery can be a very interesting, exhilarating, and refreshing journey. Start today... start now. If you are perfectly satisfied with who you are, I applaud you. Give yourself a hug, and keep track of what it is that you are doing that you love, and foster it. If not, explore why and what to do about it.
6. You are only human. There is not a person alive today that is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. Its what you do with the mistakes that defines you. Stay calm. Learn. Evaluate. Research. Fix. Making mistakes can be a humbling experience, but should never deter you from reaching your goals. When you fell off of your bike, did you get back up? When you failed (that one and only time, right?) that test, did you continue learning? Think back at past mistakes. You got through it. Why stress now?
7. We are what we do. Another version of this is "We are what we repeatedly do." (Aristotle) Stealing makes you a thief, teaching makes you a teacher, etc. Habits are hard to break, but what if it is changing you for the worse? What if others define you by your habits? Think of what you repeatedly do (habits, hobbies, sayings, attitudes, rituals, work, etc). What does it say about you? How does it make you feel? Remember, actions speak louder than words.
8. Honesty starts within. Be honest with yourself... about everything. Get back to the basics of your own, personal temple. As you continue to be honest with and about yourself, you will more easily be honest with and about others. Are you the first to cast a stone?
9. You are not going to wake up tomorrow 20 pounds less. I know, I know. This one is a bit rough to to accept. Negative things seem to happen quickly; positive, not so much. Work towards your goals. Understand that some things take time and effort, but it will be worth it. Bill Gates did not open his door one day to find a fully-built computer and business empire on his doorstep. Or did he...
10. Gravity is not going anywhere. Hmm... What I mean is that aging is a part of life. I cannot sugar coat it, you will (if not already) most likely develop a few wrinkles, probably start wearing an overly powdery perfume or musky cologne, and may need the diapers you started out with (but a bit bigger, of course). Are your parents and grandparents absolutely deprived? Are they horribly depressed? Exactly. They're still living life. In fact, they're living differently than they did years ago. There are different stages of life; different and new opportunities and experiences. I see myself fully embracing age. I will gladly go for an all-over whitish-gray hair color, and tell kids stories starting with "When I was your age..." I honestly am not scared of aging. I know that if I live as fully as possible, my elder years will be full of wonderful memories and even more new and exciting things to experience.

Again, this is your life. You are alive. Today begins the rest of your life. You are the captain. You have a name to be proud of. Reaching goals is not an effortless task. Practice what you preach. Be honest with yourself. Learn from mistakes. Embrace age.

"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." - William Arthur Ward

"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." Mae West

"In three words, I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." Robert Frost

"Every man dies. Not every man really lives." William Wallace

"I have not gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul

"I'm not afraid of death. I just don't want to be there when it happens." Woody Allen

"Life must be lived as play." Plato

"The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it." Henry David Thoreau

"You cannot find peace by avoiding life." Virginia Woolf

"You can't choose how you will die, but you can choose how you will live." Jenny Young (from her wise fortune cookie)

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