Inspiration for the Mind, Body & Soul
A BLOG DEVOTED TO SHARING POSITIVE AND ENCOURAGING MESSAGES FOR THE HUNGRY HEART
“The only person who can pull me down is myself, and I’m not going to let myself pull me down anymore.”
― C. JoyBell C.
I believe we are each our own worse enemy. You say you’re stuck because of your circumstances- job, friends, significant other, society, etc. But your circumstances are merely obstacles and roadblocks placed in your path . . . and it is you and your choices alone that prevent you from moving past them. The only thing stopping you from moving forward is yourself.
“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.”
― Gautama Buddha
I truly believe there are two fundamental lessons each of us must learn before we can experience pure joy and happiness in this life. We must learn to unconditionally love and accept ourselves – imperfections included. When you unconditionally love and accept yourself, there is this inner calm and peace that envelopes your soul like a protective shroud. You are no longer afraid to be alone with just your thoughts and you radiate love to everyone near. Burdens you have carried for so long disappear and you are free. Free of self-recrimination. Free of self-doubt. Said simply, you are free to break from the chains that bind you and learn what it means to fly with your own wings.
“I have come to accept the feeling of not knowing where I am going. And I have trained myself to love it. Because it is only when we are suspended in mid-air with no landing in sight, that we force our wings to unravel and alas begin our flight. And as we fly, we still may not know where we are going to. But the miracle is in the unfolding of the wings. You may not know where you’re going, but you know that so long as you spread your wings, the winds will carry you.”
― C. JoyBell C.
Life isn’t about having all the right answers or having a roadmap to follow with turn-by-turn instructions. It’s meant to be a journey of discovery. One where you are meant to blindly choose a door and open it not knowing what lies on the other side. You can analyze a decision backwards and forwards but at some point you must take a leap of faith. Trust in yourself, spread your wings and let the winds take you where they may.
“No one can make you ‘better’ emotionally, mentally, spiritually or physically. You have to find this for yourself. You have to taste that brutal moment when you’re crying in a corner of the room, curled up on the floor and you think this is your end. You have to fight to stand up, literally. And you have to walk over to your reflection and scream, scream it all out. Then you have pick up your sword and fight and never quit. This is your life. Don’t let those bastards win.”
― Crystal Woods, Write like no one is reading
No one else can fight your battles. No one else can bring you peace or happiness. All of these things you have to learn to do for yourself because it comes from within. For when you’re standing alone on the edge of a precipice, surrounded by darkness, broken and defeated…only you can decide that although the battle was lost and the winds threaten to overtake you, you will not give in – you will never give up the fight.
“A bad beginning does not keep you from a good ending.”
― Matshona Dhliwayo
You know the old adage that when it rains it pours. It often feels like things are doomed before they really start. But it is at these times you have to remind yourself that although you cannot change what has already been written, you can change what has yet to come….at any moment in time you have the power to decide this IS NOT how your story will end.
“Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing.”
― August Wilson
You can hide from everyone but yourself. No one is perfect. We all have flaws. We all have darkness within ourselves. The key is not to ignore these facets of our soul; rather, you must confront the dark parts of yourself and work to overcome your personal demons. You must work each day to be your highest self.
“Disappointment to a noble soul is what cold water is to burning metal; it strengthens, tempers, intensifies, but never destroys it.”
-Eliza Tabor
We are all faced with disappointment in our lives. You cannot have hope without disappointment – as they are opposite sides of the same coin. So, even though it hurts when you allow yourself to hope for something, for it not to happen, your spirit will not be destroyed. Your spirit is more resilient than any disappointment or letdown you may face. And each time you manage to stand up in spite of a setback, you become a little stronger and a little wiser.
“A ship doesn’t sink because it is in the ocean in the midst of a storm. It only sinks when the hull is breached, and the ocean gets inside it.”
― Arthur Jackson Jr., Out of the Darkness
The storms we encounter throughout life do not in and of themselves destroy us. It is when we allow the rains and heavy winds to seep inside our very soul that our spirits take a beating. Never forget that we may not be able to choose what storms we face in life, but we do control whether we allow ourselves to succumb to the darkness.
“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.”
– Mary Anne Radmacher
When we hear the word courage, many of us automatically envision some hugely dramatic or over the top action like David taking on Goliath. But, true courage is something far greater and more complex than this one-dimensional definition. Courage takes on many forms and means something very different for each and every person. And often in this cruel and unforgiving world, the most courageous act is to fail, repeatedly, and still say “I’ll try again tomorrow.”
“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”
-Arnold Schwarzenegger
Often in life, you get knocked down on your ass, repeatedly. Sometimes it feels like the harder you try, the more things go wrong. And the old adage of when it rains, it pours has new meaning. When you find yourself stuck in these ruts, it’s so easy to throw in the towel and say I’m done – I’m tired. I’m tired of fighting an uphill battle. I’m tired of always finishing last or second best. I’m tired of feeling like I’m not good enough. I’m simply tired of being tired. But, it is during these moments of utter desolation that you have to find that fire within you to not give up, to not surrender and to stand back up and say, “This is not how my story is going to end.” And, it is in these moments that true strength is forged.