Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Quotes for A Down Day, Collection 1

All of us have those down days, the ones where we question our abilities. Or we think that we may be pretty good, but we'll never be as good as _______. Or things just aren't going our way for whatever reason, either in our personal life or our writing life. Sometimes, you just need someone else's thoughts to grab on to until your own thoughts can be more positive. Here's a collection of some of those thoughts for me.

"Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose." —Helen Keller

"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you."--Ray Bradbury

"The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt." ~Sylvia Plath

"I'm not a very good writer, but I'm an excellent rewriter." ~James Michener

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart." ~William Wordsworth

"You write to communicate to the hearts and minds of others what's burning inside you. And we edit to let the fire show through the smoke." ~Arthur Polotnik

“Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.” ~Unknown

"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.” ~James Dean

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~Nelson Mandela

Do you have any quotes that pick you up on a down day?

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Wonderful quotes! I have a couple listed on my blog that really pick me up.

Katie said...

The James Dean one has always been one of my favorites. Great quotes! :)

Shannon O'Donnell said...

Awesome post!

"Relax into things, exactly as they are." Marianne Williamson

Talli Roland said...

Love the 'drunk on writing' quote!

This is a great collection - thank you. I don't have any particular quote, really, to buoy me up when I'm down. I find watching 'Friends' usually does the trick!

Tana said...

Ray's quote is the best! My fav? "While they were saying it couldn't be done, it was done." Helen Keller

Krista Van Dolzer said...

Thanks for these, Kayeleen. I needed them today.

Krista Van Dolzer said...

P.S. I noticed your ad over on Mary Kole's blog:) I'd be happy to read for you anytime.