I, like most people, go on Pinterest to find things that inspire me. Whether it be a recipe or a workout plan, there's always something on the website that can spark my interest and get me motivated to do something. Anything. Maybe even everything.
I have never been too fond of inspirational quotes.
My freshman year of high school, my soccer coach had an inspirational quote for everything. Did we lose a big game? She had a quote for that. Are you distracted because of a significant other? She had a quote for that, too. You're throwing up because you ate too much before conditioning practice? Yeah, she even had a quote for that. I grew so tired of someone speaking to me with stolen words that I began to dislike the idea of inspirational quotes in general.
As I've aged, of course, I've learned a few things that have changed my way of thinking. I've learned that change is good, that I don't mind cats, and that sometimes an inspirational quote is just good for you. There's an element to quotes that make us feel like someone is telling us what to do. Someone wants us to succeed, and they're telling us how to go about getting where we want.
That being said, I'm very picky about the quotes I choose to live by. I don't really like sports quotes or bible verses or anything too short or too long. I don't like anything oddly specific or anything super-duper vague. For me, the ideal quote is something specific enough that I know what I'm aiming for, but vague enough that I can apply it to my everyday life.
And I think I finally found one.
Movies have always been a passion of mine, and recently I have been researching other people who share this passion. One person who stands out is the late Roger Ebert, a famous and well-respected film critic who was popular in the '80s and '90s.
While I admire Roger Ebert's work in film, I found that his outlook on life was one that I hope to one day have.
A quote of his that I really enjoy is this:
"Your intellect may be confused, but your emotions will never lie to you."
I think way too much, and I get bothered by the things that I spend my time thinking about. I become anxious. I get worried about everything, and I find myself becoming confused and stuck.
This quote, to me, means letting go of my anxieties and focusing on how I feel. It means making sure that I'm doing what I feel is right, not anything I'm pressured into or unsure about.
One of my general life goals is to overcome my anxiety and to be able to live a better and more functional life; one where I can be happy all the time as opposed to worrying.
I hope that everyone finds a quote that suits them and that helps them to better themselves, just as this quote has done for me.