“Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard.”
?Anne Sexton
This morning I was picking up a few grocery items at a local convenience store when an elderly man with a guide dog came in, went to the aisle with the greetings cards, picked up a card, held it up extremely close to his face, and struggled to read it. Just as I was about to walk over to help him, a big, burly truck driver asked him if he needed assistance reading, and then proceeded to read him almost every single greeting card out loud until the elderly man smiled and said, “That’s perfect! My wife will love that one!”
As the elderly man checked out at the register, I walked up to the truck driver and said, “I admire your kindness.”
“Thank you, sir,” he replied with a smile. “Lately, I’ve just been letting my soul guide me. It would have been much easier to let that man struggle, or let someone else help him, but my soul knows the easy things in life aren’t always the right things.”
“That’s honestly beautiful,” I said.
“Well, all of our souls are equally beautiful,” he quickly added. “We just need to listen to what our souls want us to know more often.”
Don’t you just love that sentiment?
I’m sharing this story with you today because I think this man’s message is one we all need to be reminded of.
When it comes to living our lives, we spend too much of our time living as an egocentric avatar – overly attached to our perceived identity and societal opinions. We have an ego, a personality, a history, cultural viewpoints and experiences that overpower the intuitive messages our soul is telling us.
But our soul is timeless, eternal and infinitely wise, and it needs to be listened to. Our “intuition” is really just our soul whispering prudent insight into our ears, especially in busy, stressful or confusing times.
Here are 40 encouraging things your soul wants you to know:
- Some people talk with you in their free time, and some free their time to talk with you. Today, and every day, you can be the latter to the people you love.
- The smallest act of kindness is always worth more than the grandest intention.
- Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
- Sometimes you have to be kind to others, not because they’re nice, but because you are.
- If you want others to be happy, you can practice compassion. If you want to be happy, you can practice compassion.
- When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.
- It usually isn’t what you have or where you are or what you’re doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It’s how you think about it all.
- Happiness is not a reaction or a result. It is a choice made in the moment. Let it be yours. (Read The Power of Now.)
- Much of what holds you back is the fact that you keep negative experiences of the past alive in your mind. Let them GO!
- You may be tired, or disappointed, or annoyed, or uncomfortable. No matter what, your best option right now is to move positively forward.
- It costs nothing to be positive. And it changes things for the better.
- No matter how much time you feel you have wasted or lost, it’s never too late to make the very most of the moment you’re in right now.
- On particularly hard days when you feel that you can’t endure, remind yourself that your track record for getting through bad days is 100% so far.
- Your “I CAN” is more important than your IQ.
- Just focus on the step you’re taking now. Honestly, that’s all life is – small steps that you take every day, and then one day when you look back down the road it all adds up and you know you covered some serious distance.
- You will not fail. Either you get the result you desire, or you learn what works and what doesn’t for next time.
- Look at your problems as problems, and they will continue to hold you back. See them instead as opportunities in disguise, and they will be.
- Consider the possibility that the little obstacles in your life are not obstacles at all, but stepping-stones.
- Success is not the absence of failure. Success is what happens when you choose to take the next step and move on, beyond failure.
- It’s easy for people on the sidelines to doubt and judge you when they aren’t taking any risks themselves. Don’t let them get to you. They may call you crazy when you’re just getting started but they’ll label you a genius once you’ve succeeded.
- Don’t be afraid to provoke the status quo. Maybe some of your ideas are crazy. But crazy ideas are what shake the world.
- You can’t always wait for the ideal moment. Sometimes you must dare to do it because life’s too short to regret and wonder what could’ve been.
- Fear doesn’t exist anywhere except in your mind. It’s difficult to follow your heart, but it’s a tragedy to let the lies of fear stop you.
- The minute you understand that you can be weird and mold life your own way, you allow yourself to shake off the erroneous notion that life is just there, and that you’re just going to exist in it, rather than embrace it, change it, improve it, and truly live it.
- Decide this minute to never again beg anyone for the love, respect and attention that you should be showing yourself. (Angel and I discuss this in more detail in the Self-Love chapter of 1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently.)
- Open yourself up. Allow yourself to feel, to be mindful and authentic. Tear down any emotional brick walls you have built around yourself and experience every exquisite emotion, both good and bad. This is real life.
- Eat like you love yourself. Move like you love yourself. Speak like you love yourself. Live like you love yourself. Today!
- The curious paradox of life is that when you accept yourself just as you are, right where you are, only then can you change and grow.
- Don’t let the idea of being rejected stop you from affirming what’s important to you. The right people will respect you more and hold you in higher regard if you’re honest and rigorous about your principles and values.
- What you allow is what will continue. It’s better to be lonely for a while than allow negative people and their opinions derail you from your destiny.
- Let people take you as you are, or not at all. By being yourself, you put something beautiful into the world that was not there before. And this helps everyone who’s worth helping (including YOU).
- One of the very hardest parts of loving someone: You have to give things up for them. And sometimes, you even have to give them up.
- Never force anything. Give it your best shot, and then let it be. If it’s meant to be, it will be. Don’t hold yourself down with things you can’t control. (Read Loving What Is.)
- Consider the fact that being wrong is OK, and then admit that you are wrong when you are. Yes, it’s hard. Yes, it takes strength to admit it, but it makes you more humble and commendable. And even more importantly, realize that when you’re wrong, you’re meant to be wrong so that you may outgrow the things you need to outgrow.
- Old worries are down payments on problems you may never have. Let them go. Today is always a new beginning; take a deep breath and begin again.
- There comes a time when you have to stop thinking about your mistakes and move on. No regrets in life – just lessons that show you the way.
- Remember the good times, be strong during tough times, love always, laugh often, live honestly, and be thankful for each new day.
- If you are diligent and patient, everything you truly need in your life will come to you at the right time.
- Look at how far you’ve come. You have made progress. And now, imagine how far you can go.
- Everything will fall into place eventually. Until then, learn what you can, laugh often, live for the moments, and know it’s all worthwhile.
Your turn…
Please share this post with others who you think may benefit from it, and also share your thoughts with us in the comments area below. If you’re up to it, I’d love to know which of these reminders resonated the most with you. Anything else to add?
And finally, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to subscribe to our free newsletter to receive more powerful reminders and related life lessons.
Photo by: Beth Parnaby
J.J. says
I love these soulful reminders. Too many resonate to mention, but I will add this one that I picked up from one of your emails (or perhaps your book) awhile back:
“My happiness and peace of mind grows in direct proportion to my acceptance, and in inverse proportion to my expectations.”
Marc Chernoff says
Thanks, again, for supporting our work, J.J.. 🙂
Megan says
Oh, I love this! So many important points – but 6, 7, and 8 hit home in a major way right now. I really need to remember these.
And I love what J.J. shared too. Here’s another one I picked from one of your email newsletters – simple yet profound in my mind:
“The problem with us as human beings is we forget that most of the time it’s the small things that count.”
Amandah says
I really like the way you ended this post. The last few points remind me to love what is, without wishing things were different. And this reminds me of this quote I picked up from the top of an older blog post you published last year. I’ve had it pinned to my home office bulletin board ever since: The secret of lifelong happiness is not in doing what one likes, but in liking what one does.
Mohammad says
A very nice article. I liked all of the quotes, and also the story in the beginning. My most favorite one is:
One of the very hardest parts of loving someone: You have to give things up for them. And sometimes, you even have to give them up.
karowaki says
Thank you for sharing this; It makes my day brighter…
tony says
Absolutely wonderful! Keep ’em coming.. Bless you
Kim says
They are all great, but too many to contemplate for one day. I’m going to focus on one of them each day and incorporate them into my prayer time. Thank you.
Marc Chernoff says
Excellent idea! Digest one a day.
tan says
Every.single.point.
I have never commented here before but I wanted to tell you guys that your words and this site have changed my life. THANKYOU.
Marc Chernoff says
You’re welcome, Tan. Thank you for the kindness.
Lyndsleyluly says
“You may be tired, or disappointed, or annoyed, or uncomfortable. No matter what, your best option right now is to move positively forward.”
My personal mantra lately is ‘keep doing what moves you forward.’ I read this, my soul read this, as a little piece of encouragement that I am on the right path and doing the right thing. I am moving POSITIVELY forward.
Alizeh says
I love number 14 so much. It is so true. In an age where we have quantified so many aspects of human existence, we need to remember that we can break those laws and break those mathematical rules that have been written to describe us. We are not tied down by any numbers, any generalizations or by any kind of supposed genetic insufficiency that does not let us get where we want to be. You want to be a confident speaker? An artist? Clear on all the concepts and theories on a particular subject? You want to do the right things, and avoid what you know in your heart is harmful and wrong? Put in the effort! It’s all in your hands. It’s only 1 percent inspiration; and that is just a desire to achieve. The rest of the 99 percent is perspiration. And you can do it! Your effort is the only thing that counts, and it will shape your destiny.
I was speaking to someone a while back who was dwelling on negativity and on problems, and when I offered suggestions, they would respond with a ‘It just won’t work out’.
Negativity is toxic, and it is a complete and utter waste of time. You are born with a conscious choice to respond to problems and use your God-gifted power to correct them; and if you fail to do so, to move on, while keeping your face towards the sun. Keep looking on the bright side, and enjoy the beautiful things in your life before they are gone. There will always be beauty; but your mission in life is to taste, and experience, and appreciate all the different kinds of beauty that life presents you with so profusely.
Put in the effort to bring your mind onto a positive plane of thinking. And believe me, once you do this, you will be a ray of sunshine for yourself and for others.
One of the best posts I have read here so far; every point was poignant and absolutely liberating.
Thanks again! 🙂
Betsy says
Loved the story. So moving.
Everyone of these points resonate with me. It has been awhile since I have commented, but I am back.
I am growing, slowly, and reading your blogs and really putting your words into my life. It is a slow process, but I think I am getting there. My mantra is “one day at a time.” I do feel better about myself, and that is with much thanks to your words.
I am learning to love myself. New hair do and massage tomorrow. I do matter. I am loved. I love me.
Thank you so much.
Runway Ribbons says
No 29 resonates with me at this point in my life, but in general this list was magnificent.
Keep them coming Marc & Angel! xx
Jewel Dilworth says
This last weekend I felt uncomfortable at a family celebration and felt that I needed to leave when I found out the party did not include a grandparent and excluded other relatives too. I learned they were not invited out of spite. I felt that it was mean and distasteful so I left. Numbers #29, #30 and #31 affirmed that I did the right thing by leaving a toxic situation. Thanks for your timely post!
Joanne B. says
Sometimes I struggle with felling like I give too much to others while getting ‘crumbs’ back. And that saddens me. I try to turn my sadness and disappointment around by telling myself it’s THEIR problem and that I should be the better ‘soul’ and just continue being the soul I was meant to be. I try to be a mirror, hoping they will eventually ‘get it’. When they don’t, it continues to sadden and disappoint me and I realize these people are bringing me down from who I am meant to be and I then have the choice of eliminating them from my life or giving them too much attention for such a negative return. My soul starts to naturally ignore them and I listen to that voice that says ‘just don’t go there’, and I avoid the cause of irritation. Now I have made the choice and that makes me feel so much better than being at the whim of someone else who can’t guide my soul like I can. I will not sacrifice my inner happiness for anyone else.
Marc Chernoff says
It’s so good to hear you’re making progress, Joanne. Cheers to showing yourself some love and respect, too.
Melissa Chu says
Hi Marc,
I really enjoyed reading this post. #38 resonated with me – knowing that diligence and persistence are key to any success in life. If you keep on working on a goal, the fruits of your labor will show over time.
I have another to add:
41. Stop constantly comparing yourself to others. If you compare your success against your previous ones, you’ll always find yourself making progress.
Thanks again for a great post and I’m off to share this post with other people as soon as I hit “post comment.”
thanks again Marc,
Melissa
Marc Chernoff says
Excellent addition! Well stated, Melissa.
Berta says
I love how you find inspiration in everyday day people and events for your posts! It reminds me to look around myself and notice how beautiful my life is!!
Akshay says
I also enjoyed reading your thoughts like other readers. I am agreed with Melissa Chu who has added 41th point and if you like please add it to your list.
Celeste says
That intro story of the greeting card was just the best.
The other day I saw a young man walking with a toddler on my way home from dropping my daughter off at school. Something inside me said, “Offer them a ride.” I’m usually wary of offering strangers a ride but something just compelled me, so I made a uturn.
“Hey, do you need a ride?” He tried to turn me down. “Are you sure? I have a carseat.” He accepted the ride.
When I asked where they were going, he directed me to a daycare then his job that were both literally on my way home. It would’ve taken them 2 hrs to walk the 10 minute drive that wasn’t one bit out of my way.
Even though I was the one doing the helping, the experience left me feeling grateful all day.
Inspiring post, thanks, marc (and angel).
Marc Chernoff says
Thank you for sharing that story, Celeste. 🙂 You are an inspiring woman! Keep doing your thing.
Ruby says
I love #39. Thank you, you always know how to make people’s days better!!! 🙂
Emma says
Lovely comforting words. Thank you. I always feel better after reading. You guys are an inspiration.
Connie T. says
Loved the list! I would be hard-pressed to pick one single favorite.
malaya says
Great article! I love this one: “On particularly hard days when you feel that you can’t endure, remind yourself that your track record for getting through bad days is 100% so far.”
Yes, we’re still alive 🙂
Louise Anna says
I’ve been going through some really tough times in a job that is literally making me sick. The environment is so toxic it is just not a pleasant place to work. But amongst all of that I have your snippets of wisdom and positivity to get me through and I know that this is just temporary. I now choose how people’s comments make me feel and it makes such a difference. I am so glad that I stumbled upon your blog. I know I can get through this and I am a stronger person for it.
Marc Chernoff says
Sending prayers of strength your way, Louise.
Marc Chernoff says
Thank you everyone! So glad these quick reminders resonated with you.
YOLI says
I LOVE THIS!!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING
Iris Padron says
I love all of the encouraging things you said in this reading. thank you so much.
Rutuja says
Thank you for sharing this; It makes my day brighter…