Sometimes words are difficult. Trust me, I have found myself in many instances where the perfect word or phrase exists in my mind, but simply refuses to project itself out into the world. That's why we have good 'ol quotes - they allow us to put on the page the knowledge we are sometimes unable to or reluctant to spit out. That being said, I truly believe that an individual's favorite quote or quotes say a lot about him or her as a person. Be it a verse from a spiritual text, a wise quote from a friend or family member, or even a famous and commonplace quote, I have a lot of respect for those who allow themselves to be inspired by the words of others. It is un-selfish and beautiful act to respect another's words enough to use them to better your own life and expand your horizons. I hope that through discussion of the quotes that are most meaningful to me, you will be able to gain some more insight into who I am as a person and a writer.

1. "Everything happens for a reason."

I know, you're probably laughing at how cheesy this one is, but there is no way I could leave it out of the mix. "Everything happens for a reason" has been my mantra since the day I heard it discussed in a YouTube video about positivity that completely changed my life (I even wear a bracelet with this quote on it! That's when you know). Those who believe that everything happens for a reason believe that although they will experience setbacks and hardships in their life, that these difficult times happen in order to propel them towards success and growth. For example, Joe might say "everything happens for a reason" if the reason he met his wife was because she worked at the insurance agency he visited after crashing his car.

Those who live by this mantra, such as myself, are able to focus on the positive aspects of every situation, therefore preventing excessive anxiety or concern about what is going on or even what happened in the past. I like to think of everything that happens in my life, be it good or bad, as a learning experience that will help me to develop into the person I was always meant to be. If, say, I experience a toxic friendship that crashes and burns, sure I will be upset for a bit, but I know that this experience will lead me to the right friends; those I was meant to interact with and learn from. Making the conscious decision to be optimistic will set you free, trust me!

2. "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone."

During the darkest period of my depression and anxiety, I did not leave my house. Because I was most secure and comfortable in my home environment, I truly thought that staying numbed in my little hole away from all anxiety-triggering elements would help me to heal. Little did I know at the time, staying stagnant in a comfortable mindset is the opposite of what to do if you aim to achieve personal development. Nothing changes if nothing changes! Think about a big transitional period in your life - be it for better or worse, everything you endured during this transition made you feel alive, like a new chapter of your life was unfolding right in front of your eyes.

This quote is beyond applicable in my case, as I am currently experiencing a huge transition; the transition to life on a college campus. Had I chosen not go to college, or even to commute to school from home, I would not be feeling as alive and full of light and opportunity as I do in this current moment. I can literally feel a new chapter unfolding right in front of me and I could not be more happy with my decision to take the leap of faith into a fresh and new college life. Now, this is just my case - your leap of of faith doesn't have to be the massive jump from high school to college, it could simply be looking someone in the eye while talking to them, if this is something you had been to afraid to do in the past. Anything! My best advice is to always say yes to new opportunities, and never stop learning.

I hope you learned a thing or two about me, or even yourself, from this article - definitely feel free to leave me a comment about your favorite quote or quotes!