Paging through the my social feeds, I'm often looking for something to inspire from. Something to motivate me and those that listen or follow me through the media. I may not have millions of followers or get over 100 likes on a picture, but I'm constantly looking to learn and to add to both my soul and my reputation as a person. I'm 100 percent trying to inspire a community, a state, a nation and hopefully the world. I often share because I don't believe in "reinventing the wheel." People are providing outstanding thoughts into the world, like "If they don't make you feel good, get rid of them, they're only holding you back" or "Actions speak louder than words." Yet somehow I feel like I'm not sharing enough. Somewhere there are these feelings of courage and emptiness. These statements speak to me and others, but there's something I think we're missing. There's a void in understanding what we say, and I'm about to tell you why.

I love quotes! Love love love them! I read as many as I can. Some I remember, and many I do not always retain. They are quick little pick-me-ups that seem to capture a very complex world with only a few words, making something so big seem so simple. They're just spectacular insights from quick moments in time. Their ability to be spot on is also their danger.

Many quotes, because they are from moments in a speech or in a conversation, are often misunderstood and misused. For example, the quote I used, "If they don't make you feel good, get rid of them, they're only holding you back." This statement, when used in the purest of intentions for those that are emotionally and physically mistreated or for those people who refuse to join a vision at work, is exactly the way react. People who use mean words to demean and hurt should be left behind. However, I've seen and met many people who use this phrase to very specifically avoid uncomfortable situations, to run away from people who call them beautiful, spectacular and show kindness in the face of doubt. In these cases, people are using this quote and others similar to it to run from themselves. It becomes dangerous because they share this information with their circle of people only to misinform them of its real need. They, in turn, only avoid the real problem inside themselves and share the toxic behavior with others.

I'll dissect the second quote, "Actions speak louder than words." It's such a powerful statement, and it's something people use all the time to create action out of people. When people are always saying they'll be on time but then they're always late, then this is a perfect time to make this statement. Yet, for some reason I've had clients tell me they asked their significant others to open a door for them or have a specific TV show on for them, then when the action occurs, they get mad they took the step to get it done. They have then come to me to say, "Well, actions speak louder than words." As if to say they asked for poor behavior because they hadn't been doing it for so long. My reply to them is usually, yes, your actions after receiving what you asked for spoke volumes to your significant other.

In short: Quotes are awesome! They are great! But, like all forms of information and knowledge when used without wisdom, they can be dangerous. If someone is telling you they care for you by showing kindness and you're running because they make you feel bad, it's a you problem. You may want to look inward to find out why someone who cares for you makes you feel bad. If you're getting what you asked for through action, questioning their motive will only divide further, instead of realizing they were doing it for you. I've seen many other examples of misuse; these are just a few. My message is to use quotes, as intended, to inspire! Don't take for granted the ones that truly care by using quotes to avoid or run; there's usually more to the story than just the one line.