Your Approach

“To complain is always nonacceptance of what is. It invariably carries an unconscious negative charge. When you complain, you make yourself into a victim. When you speak out, you are in your power. So change the situation by taking action or by speaking out if necessary or possible; leave the situation or accept it. All else is madness.”

Eckhart Tolle

It is so easy to find yourself complaining over and over about the people in your life or difficult situations you find yourself in. It often is easier to point out all the negative that is stressing you out rather than figuring out how you’re going to move forward. Indeed, each of us have been guilty of subjecting a loved one to constant complaints about our work, friends, family, etc. Instead, maybe it’s time to try something else because I find myself even more worked up, frustrated, and stressed out after one of these dare I say rants ….Trying to look at these situations objectively I can admit that perhaps a change in strategy may be needed. My new approach is to say my opinion regarding a situation, then step back and see how things will play out.  This allows you to gain perspective by distancing yourself from the situation. Sometimes the right action/choice may be completely removing yourself from a situation or environment. It may mean limiting contact with certain people. Or, the situation may resolve itself without you doing anything but allowing time to work it’s magic. 

Embrace Your Truth

“Be true to yourself, stay focused and stay you, take advice from other folks, use what you can, but never mind what is not for you. For the most part, trust yourself and believe in what you are doing.”

– Musiq Soulchild

            It is so easy to allow your voice to be drowned out by those around you and to lose sight of your vision. This is something that I’ve found myself struggling with lately. I’ve found it difficult to stay true to who I am and not hold back in my daily interactions. It’s such a difficult balance to know when to push hard for something you’re passionate about and when to temper it to not alienate everyone around you. It’s a fine balance and I’m learning that going to the other extreme of not speaking up for fear of being stung is not the answer. No, you must fight for your voice to be heard, to stay true to yourself, and to trust your instincts. However, giving a voice to what you believe in doesn’t mean you have to talk over others or belittle an opinion that differs from your own.

What Motivates You

A/N. Some of you may have noticed that I’ve been sporadic in my posting the last few weeks. To be honest, I’ve been losing my inspiration of why I  started doing this blog almost two years ago. I didn’t feel the connection and then what a friend told me gave me pause for reflection. He basically told me that my blog felt a little impersonal. And I don’t disagree. Each day I strived to find an inspirational quote that resonated with me and with what I was going through at the time. However, I didn’t share any of these personal reflections of why I chose the quote; rather, I chose to give my thoughts from a more general, broader perspective. But I’m ready to change things up and try a different approach by sharing more of my personal thoughts and feelings behind each quote. So, thank you, my friend, for inspiring me to do better and reminding me what it means to be The Eternally Hopeful.

Please note because these posts will be more focused, I will begin posting once a week, likely at the end of the week as a reflection of how my week went. I hope you enjoy, continue to follow my blog, and be inspired to make changes in your own life! I invite you to search for the better part of yourself each and everyday!

“The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.”
Walter Bagehot

               This quote pretty much sums up a common thread in my life story. I’ve been repeatedly told that I’m not good enough or can’t do x, y, or z. And, I feel like I’ve spent my entire life trying to prove the naysayers wrong and that I am good enough…that I can achieve the impossible.  However, I feel there is a caution warning that should be applied to this quote. Yes, it’s good to use other people’s negativity as motivation to do that and more. But you have to be careful that at the end of the day, you’re doing this for you and that you don’t let these negative people make you bitter, jaded, and demoralized in your approach to life. It’s so easy to become that woman with a chip on her shoulder and this has become my daily struggle. Where’s the line? I’m starting to realize that there is no easy, clean cut answer. Rather, it is yet another battle we must wage with ourselves each day. I try to ask myself at the end of each day, am I doing this for myself or just to prove someone else wrong. I then try to disassociate my actions and gains from the negativity that was attached to my original motivations for doing something. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I believe it’s okay to use someone else telling you that you can’t do something as motivation to succeed, but your end reasons for continuing along the path should be for you and you alone.

 

Follow Your Path

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

– Steve Jobs

          Live your truth. Don’t get trapped by the expectations and judgment of others. Make sure that every decision you make and every step you take leads you forward down your path. Be bold, be brave, and follow your heart and intuition.

Make it Happen

“Infuse your life with action. Don’t wait for it to happen. Make it happen. Make your own future. Make your own hope. Make your own love. And whatever your beliefs, honor your creator, not by passively waiting for grace to come down from upon high, but by doing what you can to make grace happen… yourself, right now, right down here on Earth.”

– Bradley Whitford

          You can’t spend your entire life waiting for life to happen to you. No, if you want to change and move forward, then you must get up and make it happen. Or, you may very well spend your entire life waiting instead of living. So, decide the type of life you want and then go out there and make it a reality. The only person holding you back is you.

Do What Feels Right

“Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you’ll be criticized anyway.”

—Eleanor Roosevelt

        At the end of the day, you should do what you feel is right. Don’t concern yourself with the opinions of others. For no matter what decisions you make, there will always be someone there to judge and criticize. So, focus on making choices that are good for you and your family and the rest will work itself out.

 

Plant Your Garden

“Plant your garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.”

—Jose Luis Borges

      If you have a dream, you must do the hard work to make it a reality. You can’t just sit back and wait for life to happen or for things to be handed to you. No, you must plant the seeds for your own garden and tend to it until the flowers bloom.

Be You

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”

—Dr. Seuss

          At the end of the day, don’t shy away from who you are. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind and stand up for what you believe. Ignore the naysayers and haters. They aren’t for you and aren’t worth your time. Those who are true will support you no matter what. So, proudly stand up and show the world who you are.

Work Hard

“Work hard for what you want because it won’t come to you without a fight. You have to be strong and courageous and know that you can do anything you put your mind to. If somebody puts you down or criticizes you, just keep on believing in yourself and turn it into something positive.”

– Leah LaBelle

           Nothing worth anything in this life comes easy. You will have to fight for what you believe in and have the unrelenting determination to go after your dreams. There will always be people around you who try to bring you down with their criticisms and negativity. But it is in these moments that you must believe in yourself when no one else does and keep singing your song. Don’t let others silence you or take your smile away.

Walk Your Own Path

“If you’re always following the crowd, you will never truly know who you are. Walk your own path.”

― Julian Pencilliah

          At the end of the day, each of us must walk our own path. In order to grow, you must strike out on your own journey of self discovery and seek your truth. Don’t allow yourself to get lost in the crowd. Choose instead to take the untrodden path and pave your own way.