As I'm writing this article, it is February 11th. I feel like I literally just walked into my dorm room, all excited after a long and relaxing winter break. Crazy enough, 4 weeks have gone by, and they've been filled with a range of emotions and a busyness like no other. I figured I'd share with you all some inspirational quotes that I lean on when life gets to be too much.

1. "She believed she could, so she did."

Those who know me know how obsessed I am with this quote, it is my go to in all I do. As someone who is a firm believer in just BELIEVING, remembering this quote reminds me that I am powerful beyond measure. Whether we realize it or not, it is our own minds that hold us back most of the time, so just believe you can do things!

2."Never let anyone take away your joy."

In my article, "Why 2018 Is The Year Of Fearlessness", I wrote about how this would be my life motto for 2018. Reminding yourself that you are the owner of your joy, and that nothing anyone says or does, or even anything you yourself say or do, has the power to take away that joy is so important. Why should life be anything other than joyful?

3. “Work for a cause, not for applause. Live life to express, not to impress.”

This is something I continually am working on. In a world where it seems we are constantly pushed to live for others, to live for approval, it is crucial to take a step back and realize this is not the case. Your life is to be lived for you, in a way that honors your authentic self and pursues your passions.

4. “Let all that you do be done with love.” - 1 Corinthians 16:14

In an earlier article, I wrote about there is no such thing as loving too much, because everything we do is either an act of love or related to love. This Bible verse puts this idea into words in a way that it is easy to understand how simple one's life goal can be, if one focusing on acting always with love.

5. “Wherever you are, be all there.” – Jim Elliot

I have to admit, I am not the best at following this quote, however, I realize how much of a difference it makes when you live your life presently, as opposed to worrying or regretting or just not "being where your feet are". For me, I always find myself wanting to work on being on my phone less when I am with other people, because the people I am with, who are giving me their time, are who matter most in that moment.

6. “Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness.” – Iain S. Thomas

This quote comes from one of my favorite poetry books, I Wrote This For You. Like many of the other quotes, this one reminds us to stay true to ourselves, to stay sweet, open, and soft to whatever life brings you.

7. “Listen to silence. It has so much to say.” – Rumi

I think, nowadays, silence has taken on a negative connotation. We find ourselves always wanting to fill silence. But silence is not bad, in fact, sometimes it is necessary and contains a meaning more powerful than words. Be mindful of where silence occurs in your life, and consider what this silence is trying to tell you.

8. “You, yourself, as much as anyone else in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha

A few articles back, I wrote about self-love, and this is an idea this quote encompasses. Yes, it is important to do all our actions with love, as the Scripture verse from quote 4 suggests, but in all this, remember that you deserve that love as much as anyone else!

9. “I began to realize how important it was to be an enthusiast in life. If you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it full speed. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good.” – Roald Dahl

Life is not meant to be a bore. It is so easy to fall into the trap of monotony and routine, but if we can somehow find something that makes us excited to get up in the morning and pursue that passion with our whole selves, then we will all see how being an enthusiast in life makes all the difference.

10. “Love the life you live. Live the life you love.” – Bob Marley

Bob Marley's lyrics are to the point and really hit home. It's all about creating and living a life you love!

11."Never let anyone dull your sparkle."

This quote is similar to the second one, yet I wanted to include it because it's important to remember that, as cliche as it sounds, just like we are always in possession of our own joy, we also all have a "sparkle", or something about us that sets us apart from everyone else. This is something that no one should be able to change or dull, even when it seems like that sparkle is slipping.

Hope you all enjoyed these quotes!

Sam