We are our thoughts. We cannot change anything
if we cannot change our thinking.
You have a train of thought on which you ride when you are alone and quietly thinking. The self-worth you feel, as well as the happiness your life brings, depends upon the direction in which this train is moving, the baggage it carries and the emotional space through which it travels. Between life’s stimulus and your reaction is where this space exists; within it is your power to choose how you react, and in your reaction lies your growth, freedom and happiness.
If you truly want to change your life, you must first change your mind. You must free it from the restrictive thinking that holds you back.
Here are 50 thought-provoking quotes gathered from our sister site, Everyday Life Lessons, and from our blog archive that will help tweak your thinking and set your mind free.
- You are only destined to become one person – the person you decide to be.
- Do good and feel good. Do bad and feel bad. It’s that simple.
- You are what you do today, not what you say you’ll do tomorrow.
- We all make choices, but in the end our choices make us.
- Ultimately, it’s not what you do every once in a while; it’s what you dedicate yourself to on a regular basis that makes the difference.
- Stay true to yourself. Never be ashamed of doing what feels right. Decide what you think is right and stick to it.
- If you don’t stand for anything, you will remain forever on your knees.
- No amount of money will make you happy if you aren’t happy with yourself.
- You know you’ve made the right decision when there is peace in your heart.
- Don’t worry if your goals seem crazy to other people; oftentimes the crazy ideas are the ones that have the greatest impact.
- If you’re thinking like everyone else, then you aren’t thinking. (Read Thinking, Fast and Slow.)
- Control your own destiny or someone else will try for you.
- Sometimes standing up to your friends can be just as difficult as standing up to your enemies.
- The unhappiest people in this world are the people who care the most about what everyone else thinks.
- When people undermine your dreams, predict your doom, or criticize you, remember, they’re telling you their story, not yours.
- There is a huge amount of freedom that comes to you when you take nothing personally.
- No one in the world was ever you before, with your particular gifts and abilities and possibilities.
- Your greatest task isn’t to find love, but to discover and destroy all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.
- A loving, happy person lives in a loving, happy world. A hateful, miserable person lives in a hateful, miserable world. The world around you reflects YOU.
- Worry gives small things a big shadow.
- Focus your conscious mind on things you desire not things you fear. Doing so brings dreams to life.
- It’s not the mistakes and failures you have to worry about, it’s the opportunities you miss when you don’t even try that hurt the most.
- It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one over and over again.
- To get something you’ve never had, you must do something you’ve never done.
- The harder thing to do and the right thing to do are usually the same thing.
- Our problems are really our blessings if we use them to grow stronger. (Read 1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently.)
- Anyone can run away; it’s super easy. Facing problems and working through them, that’s what makes you strong.
- When you have two good options, always go with the one that scares you the most, because that’s the one that’s going to help you grow.
- Courage is being scared to death, and then taking the next step anyway.
- Sometimes our greatest insight comes from our failure, not from our accomplishments.
- You need to screw up to learn. You need to experience it all to create greatness.
- Just because you don’t understand something now doesn’t mean the explanation doesn’t exist.
- Not knowing everything about your future is a good thing.
- Don’t worry about what you can’t control and you may liberate yourself.
- People of average ability often achieve outstanding success because they don’t know when to quit. Most people succeed simply because they are determined to.
- Temporary happiness isn’t worth long-term pain.
- Patience can be bitter, but the seeds you plant now will bear sweet fruit.
- The less you expect, the more pleasant life gets.
- The more you are in a state of gratitude, the more you will attract things to be grateful for.
- The things you take for granted, someone else is praying for.
- It usually isn’t what you have or where you are or what you’re doing that makes you happy. It’s how you think about it all.
- Do not dwell so much on creating your perfect life that you forget to live.
- You are not in competition with anybody except yourself; plan to outdo your past not other people.
- To admit that you were wrong is to declare that you are wiser now than you were before.
- Humans see what they want to see.
- If you spend too much time judging yourself, you won’t have any time to love yourself or anyone else. (Read The Mastery of Love.)
- At the end of the day, you can either focus on what’s tearing you apart or what’s holding you together.
- Look through the front windshield and not the rearview mirror.
- You don’t get to choose how you are going to die, or when. But you can choose how you are going to live, right now.
- Be done with regrets; they are an excuse for people who have failed. You still have a chance.
Your turn…
What’s one quote or personal thought that has helped free your mind from negativity and restrictive thinking? Please share it with us by leaving a reply below.
Photo by: Martin Gommel
araraptor says
A life without meaning is a meaningless life.
Caroline says
We all have greatness in us. We do have it within us to choose how we are going to live our lives.
Live each and every day, minute, second, to the fullest.
Be happy even though you feel empty and hurt inside.
Be ready to serve at all times.
Vishal says
To be king of the world you must be a slave to your heart.
Karen Velasco says
one of my favorite quotes :
“Don’t care about what is lost, just be thankful of what still remains.”
Miguel says
You are who you believe you are.
selena mcqueen says
“The front foot leads the back one.”
Dev says
From the mode of goodness, real knowledge develops; from the mode of passion, greed develops; and from the mode of ignorance develops foolishness, madness and illusion.
Don’t be upset by the results you didn’t get with the work you didn’t do.
Sherri says
This too shall pass. Brings a smile every time.
Debbie says
“Never place a period where God has placed a comma” – Gracie Allen
Travis says
You are never alone, someone or something is always there with you= be yourself.
Marlene says
Learn from your mistakes, Thrive for your dreams and always count your blessings!
#keeplifesimple
Che23 says
Thank u…superb quotes..:)
Em Szu says
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
rand says
Life is not a game of chess, no kings and no pawns. Always remember the GOLDEN RULE.
Caroline says
Just because you don’t understand something now doesn’t mean the explanation doesn’t exist.
The hardest things to do and the best things to do are often the same things.
Deb says
What matters is who will remember you and for what.
Arnold Babasa says
I really really love these. They have made my life better.
morris says
I haven’t read such a beautiful article like the ones Marc and Angel share… that was motivating.
My little massage is: “Keep on digging harder and you will find more water to drink”…thanks.
Sammy says
@Jonathan (April 19th 2013)
I was so moved when I read your quote, “It’s not my fault but it is my problem” that I couldn’t finish the rest.
There is something to be learned from every difficult issue we’re confronted with even if we did nothing to cause or provoke it. We can blame and complain, we can react rather than respond, we can perpetuate the problem with revenge rather than solution. I have some difficult issues at my job that I did not cause but have not always responded to in a constructive, problem solving way and I have been working on my attitude about it. This quote nails it. Thank you so much.
Ashwin Soni says
Excellent quotes..
Cortesa says
These were all so amazing! Two of my favorites…
“To be is to do.” – Immanuel Kant
“When one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear.”
Rob says
There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest. -Elie Wiesel
Lynne Tallberg says
“Worrying is not an activity and it accomplishes nothing.” ~Me
Thom Heywood says
Communication is very important and every opinion is valuable wether its write or wrong . This is how we learn .
Kidzloo says
Quote no #20 made my day. Really inspiring for all of them. I suggest we all read all of them once we wake up in the morning. So it will bring the spirit all the day rest.
sahil pathan says
My thinking is :- You never understand life completely, so stop understanding and start living..!!
james says
Just one think about your self ” I am a supper hero & there are no other copy..!”
stsinner` says
Question everything.
Amy says
The hero of my life, my Dad died just 7 weeks ago. I am 33 weeks pregnant with all sorts of complications. He was really trying so hard to hold on and meet his first grandchild, he was only 62
Dad used to always say …..
Don’t be afraid to cry, it washes out the eyes so you can see your world more clearly
It comforts me somewhat
Ozzy says
“If you want happiness for an hour — take a nap.
If you want happiness for a day — go fishing.
If you want happiness for a year — inherit a fortune.
If you want happiness for a lifetime — help someone else.”
Mike says
I watched my amazing father pass away in October and as he was passing he said he would just play the cards he was delt and be happy with the life he has to live. Everyday is a gift and not everyday is good but there is good in everyday. Attitude often changes gratitude.