It’s been a long time since I did my monthly quotes of inspiration. Those of you who’ve been following my blog for a while might’ve remembered this series.
I used to love writing these. I looked forward to it every month. It helped me process whatever happened that month and got me excited for what was coming. Even the most mundane events seemed interesting when I wrote about them. I loved searching for the right quotes to match the theme of that particular month. It felt like I was the curator of a magazine which is something I’ve always wanted to be.
As I sat down to write this month’s list of inspiring quotes I remembered when I really got into writing these. My husband and I were newly together, living in a small apartment in Potts Point. I spent most of my weekend mornings writing in the study. We’d wake up lazily and talk about getting breakfast somewhere local. However, once I sat down and started writing it was hard to stop. “Can we go now?” my husband would ask, waiting way longer than I promised him. “5 more minutes!” which inevitably took another half hour. He was always so patient with me (and still is). Life looked completely different in those days. I had a constant stream of inspiration. Something was always tugging at me wanting to be written. I remember my daily walks to work, passing through the botanical gardens, watching the different species of birds gather in the trees, listening to music or podcasts, feeling excited about a new idea. I remember the problems I had then are so different than the problems I have now. Not worse or better necessarily, just different.
Nowadays there are no more lazy mornings. When the day begins, I’m on. I’m a mother now and these waves of inspiration come in different frequencies. Sometimes I feel guilty that I’m not writing as much or not making the effort to write. Didn’t JK Rowling write Harry Potter while barely making ends meet, dealing with a failed marriage, and having to feed her kids? Surely I can find a bit of time to pull it together and write. But then a compassionate voice comes in reminding me that sometimes in life there are times of output and other times of input. Right now, I’m in a period of input. There’s a lot to take in. Being someone’s mother is huge, and it’s a role I take seriously. For now, my goal is to immerse myself in motherhood and be the best I can be. I know that one day I’ll get back into a rhythm, there will be more time for me. For now, I’m ok with the bursts of inspiration here and there.
With that, here are some quotes that have filled me with hope, courage and strength recently. I hope they do the same for you.
“Happiness is not the absence of problems but the ability to deal with them.”
Steve Marabol
This quote reminds me that I don’t need to search for the path without problems because there is no such thing. The point is to know and accept that challenges and difficulties will arise no matter which path I chose. Life will always be tough, I will be tested, but that’s ok. I can rise to each difficulty because I know I can handle it. Should I forget in my strength, I can always call on a trusted confidant, or book an appointment with a therapist to remind me or help me navigate through. Everything is “overcome-able”. Trusting I can deal with any challenge in life allows me to live more fully in the present moment.
“Books taught me how to notice things, how a moment can be a whole story. I notice everything these days – the dust bunnies swirling into far corners, the long blades of grass living between the cracks in the sidewalk. These things, if you stop and take note, remind you that you’re alive, make you feel that you still count. They silence all the worries for a moment.”
Selma Blair
One of the highlight’s of this month was finding a memoir by Selma Blair on the fast reads book shelf at my local library. It was destiny (yes, I believe that happens with books!) I normally avoid fast reads because it stresses me having a deadline but it was just the therapy I didn’t know I needed. Her story brought me to tears. Her resilience, vulnerability and determination is so inspiring. She’s also an excellent writer. It was one of those books that connected me back to being alive, being a person in the world. It showed me the full spectrum. In a social media one-dimensional world it’s rare to see the entire spectrum. It was revitalising.
“Most of us have been raised to believe that the road to a happy life is paved with pleasure, and that the pursuit of pleasure is the path to fulfilment. But as we grow up, we begin to realise that life is not always easy or pleasurable. In fact, much of it is difficult and painful. And yet, we cling to the idea that happiness is found in pleasure and the avoidance of pain. We try to avoid our painful experiences by numbing ourselves but the more we try to avoid the basic reality that all human life involves pain, the more we are likely to struggle when it arises, thereby creating even more suffering. The truth is that happiness is not found in the avoidance of pain, but in the willingness to face and accept our pain. It is in the willingness to experience our painful thoughts and feelings, to acknowledge them without judgment, and to take action in line with our values and goals. It is in the willingness to be present in the moment, to connect with our senses and our environment, and to find joy and meaning in the simple things in life.”
Russ Harris
I love this. It’s so limiting to believe that happiness is about getting what we want and avoiding all that we don’t want. If we really think this way then every minor inconvenience is a strike against our happiness. Life does not revolve around us and our wishes. Avoiding pain will not bring happiness.
“The moment you try to change someone else is the moment you begin to suffer.“
This was a quote I learned in a podcast and it really struck a cord with me. Often I am trying to change my parents and end up deeply frustrated. I feel like I know better, I know what will make them happier. But then I remember what business do I have to try and change someone else? I cannot change people, I can barely change my own unhealthy ways. Maybe its better to just accept them as they are. Even if I think I know better. That is how they are. Worrying and stressing changes nothing.
Art Therapy with Kimberly 