Top 10 Inspirational Phrases

I hope this image makes you smile! It reminds me of being free, being a child, not being afraid to take risks, and learning how to recapture more of that in my life now.

We all need a little inspiration from time to time. And sometimes we find it in the most unexpected of places - 

an image, a well-timed call from a friend, a favorite quote from a book. This week I was particularly inspired by the words of Maya Angelou. I am grateful that she shared her words with us so I start and end my list in memory of her. She had so many incredibly inspiring words. Here are some of my favorite inspirational phrases for this month. I wanted to share them with you and I would love to hear yours!

1. "My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style." – Maya Angelou
2. "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." – I am not sure who said this first (though it is often attributed to Einstein. The bottom line is, if it's not working, try something else!
3. “I’m tough, ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay.” – Madonna (Because it sort of reminds me of my childhood and because it is so important to not care about what others think but to go out and do what is right for you.)
4. "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
5. "Stand tall, stand tall, even if you fall get up." – Ziggy Marley (That's right. Get up. Stand tall. Keep going. You can do it!)
6. "We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize." – Thich Nhat Hanh
7. "Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery; none but ourselves can free our minds." – Bob Marley, Redemption Song (This reminds me that we are responsible for taking control of our life path and so much of it comes from mental strength.)
8. If you are not passionate about what you are building, it is the first and most immediate step to failure. Everything else is secondary." – Leora Kadisha, founder, StyledOn (I think you can find passion for what you do by committing to it and recognizing the value you add to the process.)
9. "Set good habits, do one thing every day that matters, and keep a positive attitude." – Monica Phillips, coaching mantra
10. “I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.” – Maya Angelou (Thank you, Ms. Angelou, for living an incredibly inspiring life!)

And, don't you just love the image of the little boy pretending to be a pilot. Every time I see it, it inspires me to do more. When you were a kid what were your dreams? Close your eyes and picture that place were you would most like to go. Imagine what you would be doing if you were completely fulfilled and happy. What would it take to live that life everyday? If you could do one thing everyday that matters, what would it be?

Rock on!