Hang in There, Baby

Inspirational quotes, sayings or words of wisdom; no matter what they’re called, I love them ‘em all. I’m sure some Freudian-type scholar will correct me, assuring me of their proper definition and naming convention, but I don’t care what their appropriate ‘term’ is. They can brighten my day, put an inspired spring in my step, and shed light and hope during a dark time. So really, who cares what the proper name is – I’m not exactly ‘proper’ most of the time, anyways. For me they all fall under the same category – they all serve the purpose to inspire and motive. I can only learn from others’ words and experience.

If I had my own way, my whole house would be plastered with those posters showcasing either a kitten hanging from a branch or a hiker climbing a mountain, with inspirational words in bold encouraging the reader on.

If I had my own way, that is. But I’m not the only one who lives in my house, so I have to be unselfish and think of others. (To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one’s own in the midst of abundance. – Buddha)

Some folks downright hate stuff like inspirational posters and such, but each to their own, I say. Whatever makes you tick – whatever makes you happy – is all that matters. (The talent for being happy is appreciating and liking what you have, instead of what you don't have. - Woody Allen)

I dream of one day having my own BIG office where I can do all the stuff I’ve been dreaming about like plastering the walls with every inspirational/motivational poster, saying, and quote I can find – even the kitten/branch one (yes, even that one). (Dreams are necessary to life. -Anais Nin)

So for now I make do and jot down favoured sayings in my notebook. My bathroom (which serves as my office) mirror serves as a post-it board for sticky-notes with meaningful found quotes. That perfect one-liner of wisdom cut from a magazine is taped to the glass – a perfect place for daily reminders. My actual corkboard, which is near my mirror, is overflowing with treasured words of wisdom But sometimes those sayings that were pertinent at a certain time in my life lose their poignancy as I change and grow (older but not ‘older’), and eventually one is replaced with another, just to keep things fresh and inspiring. (I actually think there's an incredible amount of self-knowledge that comes with getting older. - Jamie Lee Curtis)

Why the obsession with those words of wisdom? Why do I love them so much? Some remind me of where I have been, how far I have come, and where I have yet to go – and they keep me grounded and moving forward. They pick me up when I fall (cliché, I know). They inspire me to move in a direction I had never thought possible, and steer me back in the right direction when I get blown off-course. (I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship. – Louisa May Alcott)

Again, I know this is all so corny and cliché – I know many despise inspirational sayings and quotes, but I think of it like this: like many medicines, they were made for a reason, by folks who had ‘been there/done that,’ first.

The best one-lines are, for me at least, found in the most unexpected places. Like a much-needed surprise they appear in my life at just the right time, just when I need them the most. Fortunes from fortune cookies, despite them being ‘fortunes,’ often have words of wisdom that have meant a great deal to me. I saved one for years that read ‘Sun always shines after a downpour.’ As these things are open to interpretation, and again I know the Freudian-type scholar will likely disagree with me, I took it not to mean the ACTUAL sun and rain but (in my interpretation at least) meaning that brightness always follows dark and dreary times. And I have always found that to be true.

By my favorite ‘surprise’ words of inspiration are found on the wrappers around Halls© throat lozenges. Those guys over at Halls sure were smart when they started putting little ‘pick-me-up’ one-liners – usually three or four words - on the wrappers of their lozenges; they always are a boost for me. One day when I was feeling a little under the weather, both from a lingering cold and from feeling a little overwhelmed and down, I grabbed a Halls (great promo, I know) and when I unwrapped it, the two words printed on the wrapper were just what I needed to pick me up: ‘Be Unstoppable.’ I had a lot going on in my life right at that moment, and self-doubt and uncertainty were roadblocks in changes I was trying to make in my life. Those were just the words I needed to push me forward.

Then there are then many much-cherished wise words that remain ‘anonymous.’ Someone, somewhere, had a stroke of genius and penned some of my most favored quotes, many of which are the ones plastered all over my bathroom/office.


‘Passion is what separates those who achieve their goal from those who simply dream about it.’
‘Remember, dreams are goals with a deadline.’
‘A writer is someone who has written today.’ (J.A. Jance)

So whether you think them silly, corny, cliché or downright useless, maybe

I figure we all gotta get through this thing called life – which is full of ups and downs. So whether these sayings are thought of as cliché or corny, these little gems might be just what the doctor ordered to see you through.

Hang in there, baby.

Thanks for reading,
Lisa

(note: I researched to give proper credit for the 'anonymous' quotes above, and couldn't find the correct, original author. Apologies all over to the author whose credit has not been given.)