It's hard to sum up some of life's most important lessons in a sentence or two. Sometimes, however, quotes hit the nail right on the head. Here are a couple of my favorites and why I like them so much.
"The best things in life are on the other side of fear."
These words from Will Smith remind us that life offers incredible opportunities and that it can just take a push past worry to reach them. Try thinking of fear like a door- all you have to do is open it. It could be heavy or require the twist of a key, but it could also be cracked open already. You just have to make the effort to get through.
"You're never going to be 100% ready and it's never going to be the right time, but that's the point. It means that every moment is also the right moment."
As a notorious worrier, sometimes I get stuck waiting until I'm ready for things. Thinking about this quote, though, helps me just go for it more often. There's no use in waiting if has to happen anyway, right?
"Let yourself be loved."
The cover of the book where this quote came from.
Sometimes, it's too easy to be hard on yourself within your relationships. This is especially true if you know two-faced people- whether they impacted you directly or not. If you get nervous and doubtful over others' intentions or opinions because of that, you're not alone- and that's why this quote from Benjamin Alire Sáenz means so much to me. If there are people in your life who take time to show how much they genuinely care, recognize that and combat the voices that try to get in the way. You are loved. You can let that in.
"The perfect is the enemy of the good."
Try thinking of life this way: if you spend too much time on perfectionism, you'll be so set on fixing problems that you'll never stop noticing them. Pay attention to what makes life good, too! You'll never see how much your work pays off, how well your relationships develop, or how beautiful the world can be if you put all your energy into fighting every flaw. Don't sweat the small stuff.
"You cannot find peace by avoiding life."
Hiding doesn't get rid of monsters. It just makes them wait for you to come out, if they don't grow impatient and find you first. That's the gist of this saying from Virginia Woolf. It's a nudge to face problems- because if you don't, they'll never actually leave. You'll be so relieved if you stop avoiding them and anyone involved, especially if it inhibits you from living freely and fully. Like Will Smith said- get to the other side. (Great minds really do think alike!)
"Don't despise what you feel."
Similarly to the last quote, this lyric from the musical "Falsettos" reminds us not to push away our feelings. Removed from what it specifically references in the show, this can apply to any feeling you don't want to admit. Personally, I've been working on staying positive all the time for a while, but only recently did quotes like this begin to stick (primarily because of this TED talk clip). If you shove your emotions down, you sacrifice the ability to process them and learn from them.
"You are not supposed to be anything more or less than the person you are right now."
Whether in work, school, or life in general, it's not unusual to compare yourself to others and or even your own strict expectations. I love this quote because it's a gentle reminder that you don't have to. Everyone is in a different place in life and that's okay.
"I don't need you to love me. I don't need you to love."
If you were to ask me what songs changed my life, "I'm Here" from "The Color Purple" would be number 1. The character who sings it has had a harsh, difficult life, but is now overcoming her struggles and building her confidence despite losing an important relationship. If she, after so much tragedy, can stand on her own without this person in her life to love or validate her, so can you.
"What's the worst that could happen?"
This phrase has been repeated so much by so many people, but if you put a different spin on it, it can actually be really valuable. If you pinpoint the worst thing legitimately possible, you'll often find that whatever you're facing isn't so scary after all.
All of us are a work in progress, trying to figure out how to move through life, but the help of quotes like these can help push us in the right direction.
