Inspirational quotes
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True Nature
“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” ~Vincent van Gogh Like many other parts of the country, we were hit with a major snowstorm this weekend. Luckily, our neighborhood didn’t suffer through a power outage, nor did we get quite as much snow as our local meteorologists predicted. Still, after an exceptionally mild winter start, the weekend storm was a big blast of reality. Watching the blizzard outside our windows Friday night, I couldn’t help but admire the beauty of our first snowfall of the season. In the morning, however, after discovering that we’d lost some tree branches, it didn’t look so pretty. Regardless, as today’s quote…
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The power of our thoughts
“We become what we think about.” ~Earl Nightingale (1931-1989) Today’s quote stops me in my tracks every time I read it. The author of this gem, Earl Nightingale, was a popular American radio host and author who focused on character development, motivation, and human behavior. During the early 1950s, he was also the voice of Sky King, the hero of an historic radio adventure series. Nightingale believed that our beliefs can be self-fulfilling prophecies. Just for starters, if we see ourselves as victims, we will remain victims. If we perceive ourselves as fortunate, good fortune will find us. If we see ourselves as capable or attractive, it’s likely that others…
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Happy New Year!
“No, this is not the beginning of a new chapter in my life; this is the beginning of a new book. That first book is already closed, ended, and tossed into the seas; this book is newly opened, has just begun. Look, it is the first page — and it is a beautiful one!” – C. JoyBell C. I love fresh starts, don’t you? Last year, I faced, reconsidered, challenged, or changed some things that I’d been putting off or neglecting for a while — including health issues, relationships, and even my attitude. I still have more work to do, of course, but I’m feeling excited about the possibilities ahead and…
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Shine on!
“To shine your brightest light is to be who you truly are.” ~Roy T. Bennett The neighbors across the street keep adding to their holiday lights display. Rising in the dark each morning, I see a brilliant show of twinkling icicles and glittering tree branches when I sip my first cup of coffee in my home office, which overlooks our neighborhood. Late November in Michigan is notoriously bleak — and these holiday light displays are a lovely way to cheer things up. I’ve often wondered why people remove them so soon after the new year. The holiday season is the perfect time to talk about shining. Remember: You don’t have…
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Take a breather
“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.” ~Etty Hillesum Are you the person who needs to be running 24/7 in order to feel valuable? Are you ever ashamed to admit you need a nap? Is your conversation typically peppered with references to how “busy” you are? Does silence make you uncomfortable? Rest is good for body and soul, and wonderful things happen when we allow ourselves to unwind. Our muscles recover, our stress levels drop. We’re more receptive to fresh ideas when we sit still, breathe deeply, and welcome the silence. When we’re relaxed, we’re also more fun to…
