What is your favourite inspirational quote? Or do you have more than one? I’m somewhat of a ‘quote fiend‘. If I find a good quote, I save it and use then apply it in all walks of life.
When life is becoming too much of a battle, it helps to be able to look at a motivational or inspirational quote.
Pinterest is my go-to for anything ‘quote‘ related. I just can’t get enough of it! There are so many excellent boards and quotes to choose from!
-
“The bravest thing I ever did was continuing my life when I wanted to die.” Juliette Lewis.
I have a friend who has this tattooed on her left shoulder. Being the tattoo-lover that I am, I think I would have to opt to have this eternally pinned to my body in a place I can see.
It’s so brave to continue to live when all we want to do is die. When getting up in the morning is a struggle when lifting the kettle is a fight; through it all, we choose to live. And what a beautiful thing, in a dark and twisted way.
2. “We accept the love we think we deserve.” The Perks of Being a Wallflower; Stephen Chbosky.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of my favourite novels. I have read this on numerous occasions from teenage to adulthood. There is any number of quotes I could have taken from this wonderful book, but chose the above because it resonates with me on a different level.
We accept what we think we ought to accept, and ignore any additional love or success that we received because we feel that we don’t deserve it.
I’ve done this, you’ve no doubt done this, and it’s such a damaging thing. To accept only what we think we deserve and to disregard all the rest.
3.”In three words I can sum up everything I have learnt in life; It goes on.” Robert Frost.
I’ve developed a odd coping skill as of late for when things get tough. I don’t necessarily mean ‘life’ things, but even something like struggling with plank pose in yoga.
You can stand anything for 10 seconds.
I count to ten in my head, then again and then again until whatever it is I am struggling with is over. I can survive it, and life goes on.
4. “I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my own ship.” Little Women; Louisa May Alcott.
Isn’t this exactly what we’re doing every time we enter therapy or every time we put a new coping skill into practice? We’re taking charge of our own ships over the rocky oceans we have come to know as life.
5. “I’m sick of not having the courage to be an absolute nobody.” The Catcher in the Rye; J.D. Salinger.
Throughout my whole life, I have felt like an outsider and a nobody. This thought terrified me. So I pushed myself to be somebody. I pushed myself in school and I got grades surpassing anyone’s expectations of me. I pushed myself in Uni and showed them further. I got my certification for my NEBOSH and, oh look, I’ve done it again.
I got the job, I got the partner, I got the house; I had it all.
Then I didn’t know how to stop pushing, and the pressure pulled me apart from the inside (literally) out. I put all this pressure on myself to be somebody to the point where I became just another broken person in the system.
Now, although hesitantly and with a lot of guilt, I am learning not to be afraid to be nobody. I am learning to embrace my sensitivity as a joyful thing, and I’m allowing my emotions to come to the surface again. I’m willing to take a step back so my mind and body can heal, and if that leaves me as a nobody (no job, no career), then so be it.
How far do we need to push ourselves to be something before we say enough is enough?
What are some of your favorite quotes? Do they inspire you in recovery?
