I am a Pinterest fanatic.Ffrom fashion to bucket list ideas, Pinterest is my go-to. For anyone out there just like me, though, we all have the board full of quotes that simply speak to you and give a sprinkling of inspiration to your present life. Some may use it as print-outs for a vision board and others may use them as wallpapers. I, however, love to write about them. That’s why today, I have chosen five of my favorite quotes that simply inspire me to do more and be more, and I hope they do the same for you.
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“Stop measuring days by degree of productivity and start experiencing them by degree of presence.”
– Alan Watts
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Sometimes, we get so caught up in the idea that each day is not worth it unless you’re being productive – working for your future goals and accomplishing things that need to be done. Unpopular opinion: a productive day doesn’t always mean a day well-spent. Rather, it depends on how much of “you” was present in the day. Was your nose always in front of a screen, or were you always worried about tomorrow? Did you take any time to enjoy yourself with friends or family, or be in the moment while you were cooking dinner? Life is about the moments, big or small. You must always learn to live in the present moment.
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“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”
– Anthony Bourdain
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Anthony Bourdain was a beloved TV star who was known for traveling the world cooking and trying new foods. So, if there was anyone that was knowledgeable enough to speak on travel, it was Bourdain. I’m someone who personally loves to travel the world and open my eyes to lives that are different from mine. In this particular quote, I don’t necessarily believe he meant only physical travel, but the journey of life as well, as we travel from one stage of life to another. It can be a rocky road; the process is never easy, but it isn’t meant to be. It’s such a beautiful one, not “pretty,” but the ups and downs, the valleys and mountain render it are a beautiful journey and your suitcase can never be packed enough.
- “There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.” – Aristotle
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This is the truth more than truth itself. There is no way to avoid criticism or negativity from others in our lives. There will always be people who are against you and find wrong in everything that you do, but it’s up to you in how you react and you should do it with grace. You’d have to be a potato in order for people to not find wrong with you, but you’re not. So, as long as you believe in yourself and your goals, then go ahead. If your heart and your conscience don’t condemn you for your actions, then people will always be people.
- “My goal is to build a life I don’t need a vacation from.” -Various authors
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It’s always important to have goals in life. Even if they don’t always happen the way you want them to, each person should have something they strive for, and it’s important to strive for the things that make you happiest. In that way, you’ll look forward to each day and you won’t carry it as a burden on your shoulders.
- “Life itself is a privilege, but to live life to the fullest – well, that is a choice.” – Andy Andrews
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We didn’t ask for life, we didn’t have a choice. The day that we were born wasn’t up to us, it was up to God. One thing that we do have to make a decision in is how we decide to live this life. How we decide to handle obstacles thrown our way, or how we react to the joys that are handed to us. Life is full of decisions and we must allow every choice we make to be for the best of our lives, to embrace life and everything that it is, good or bad.