Inspirational Life Quotes - part one

Years ago I discovered the joy and wisdom of the sayings of other people, known, unknown, famous, rank and file, from all over the world

These sayings can be used in many ways. I like to use them as inspirational quotes, as teachers and as a way of getting a new look on life. I have a huge collection of them, and it keeps growing. It seems that every word, every saying from everybody has something to share with us and teach us, if we are only willing to look inside and see if it is true for us or not.

I use them in many ways in my teaching, guiding and coaching including my blog Lessons of Life Coaching

Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors
African proverb

It is in the adversity that we receive our greatest learning. High seas will make better sailors. Life can be looked upon as one great sea. Have you ever heard the expression "sea of learning"? I wonder if the same person came up with the two sayings.

Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.
Marie Curie

Whoever told us that life should be easy? But what does easy mean? Smooth sailing? Then were is the learning, the deeper understanding? I'd rather have some rought seas, and keep learning.

Life is not a garden of roses
Unknown

Yes it is. It most definitely is a garden of roses. Roses are beautiful, most types have scent and aromas to intensify their beauty. But roses also have thorns.

Quotes on Self and Reality

The most damaging phrase in the language is: “It has always been done this way”
Grace Hopper

I wonder if you would be where we are today if all the great minds had thought like that? Actually, I know they did not. If that was the case, we would still think tha the earth is flat, squashed inbetween heaven (paradise) and hell. I am happy we have moved forward.

Why not adopt this into our personal lives? Why should be keep living and doing what we have always done.

That reminds me of the definition of insanity:
Insanity is doing what you have always done, and expect different results.

What you see in yourself is what you see in the world
Afghani proverb

I know anything Afghani may not be too popular, but there has been a long and beautiful culture there. Only now are coaches and mentors in the personal development world truly teaching this aspect. Reality is not what you see it, reality is how you see it.

God has entrusted me with myself.
Epictetus

No comment. Self-explanatory I think.

Life Quotes on Moods and Attitudes

The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up
Mark Twain

Trust Mark Twain to come up with something like this. If ever you are down and sad, lift up you head, look at the sun or the stars. There is just no way you can be down with you head held high.

Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today
James Dean

I feel that when we dream and follow our dreams, we will live forever in the legacy we leave behind. James Deam did that. He also lived as if he would die today. And how do you know that you will be here tomorrow. It's the here and now that counts, whether you can see the sun shining or not (because it is raining).

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine
Anthony J. D’Angelo

When I grew up there was a song with a refrain of something like "and above the clouds the sun is always shining".
Maybe I like sayings like this because I am an optimist. Or maybe I became an optimist, because of sayings like this. I don't really care. I see the sun even in the darkest house. There is always that light at the end of the tunnel. And yes I have been in the dark tunnel, or deep well.

The only disability in life is a bad attitude
Scott Hamilton

The video ending these inspirational quotes raised a question for me: whose attitude?