I went through a phase, as I think most high schoolers do, where I collected quotes I thought sounded smart. This is not that list. These are the meditations I have returned to, one at a time, and great consideration through times of trauma. But it seems even transformative truths are just triteness unless they are currently, actively being absorbed into the heart. This simultaneously brings meaning to the silly, and reduces Truth to nursery rhymes.
So these are not the things which should be meaningful to you, or even the world’s most powerful quotes. But they are often the last thoughts I had before important shifts in my world view, or the last words I heard before a breakthrough. These are the silly, obvious truths that keep me grounded during chaos. What does that for you?
Depression / Motivation / Fear / Giving Up
All men dream but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible. -T.E. Lawrence
You have one life. It’s passing right now. Live it.
The suffering is in the story – Ryan Holiday
Dance with the fear.
This might be the good old days.
Get curious.
Plan, but don’t worry.
The obstacle is the way. – Ryan Holiday
Fall 7. Rise 8.
Don’t live into your failures.
Self-Compassion
This was not your best work. But now it’s about the future. So what did you learn? – Brett Weinstein
Grace only sticks to our imperfections. – Richard Rohr
This is not the end of your story. – Wendy Coller
You are an important part of God’s message to the world. – Richard Rohr
Mental Control
If you don’t pay rent, you don’t get a room [in my mind]. -Angie Taylor
it’s not healthy to spend too much time thinking about yourself. Man needs a more noble cause. – Victor Frankl
There is a space between stimulus and response where we have our freedom. Viktor Frankl
Honesty
The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it emotionally. – Flannery O’Connor
Nothing is more desirable than to be released from affliction, but nothing is more frightening than to be divested of a crutch. -James Baldwin
Relationship
We are drawn to the negative characteristics of our primary caretakers. The more of those negative traits they have, the more passion there will be. – Harville Hendrix, Getting the Love You Want
If love is conditional, it’s just some kind of manipulation masquerading as love. – Donald Miller