The question is not “Can you make a difference?” You already do make a difference. It’s just a matter of what kind of difference you want to make during your life on this planet.
—Julia Butterfly Hill
I think all people would like to feel that they’re a necessary part of life. That they’re necessary in the world, and that life would be poorer if they weren’t in it. When you accomplish something, when you write good poetry, then I think you feel that the world would be slightly different if you weren’t in it. And that, I think, is part of what being needed is about.
—Kenneth Koch
If, every day, I dare to remember that I am here on loan, that this house, this hillside, these minutes, are all leased to me, not given, I will never despair. Despair is for those who expect to live forever. I no longer do.
—Erica Jong
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 importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
—Steve Jobs
Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life—think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.
—Swami Vivekananda
If you live in the past, you don’t enjoy what is happening right now because you will always wish it to be different than it is.
—Miguel Ruiz in The Four Agreements
Whatever life takes away from you, let it go.
—Miguel Ruiz in The Four Agreements
Our entire life consists ultimately in accepting ourselves as we are.
—Jean Anouilh
We change at least one person’s life just by being born.
—Samantha Sotto in Before Ever After
We must assume every event has significance and contains a message that somehow pertains to our questions. This especially applies to what we used to call bad things. The challenge is to find the silver lining in every event, no matter how negative.
—James Redfield in The Celestine Prophecy
A true soul mate is probably the most important person you’ll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave.
—Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love
Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.
—Soren Kierkegaard
The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think.
—Horace Walpole
The average man, who does not know what to do with his life, wants another one which will last forever.
—Anatole France
Life. It’s a funny thing. Some want it, some throw it away. Some cling, some have it stolen from them. It’s terrifying.
—Kelsey Sutton in Some Quiet Place