7 Life-Changing Quotes I Wish I Knew 10 Years Ago
When the Right Words Mean Everything
There’s been 2 times when nothing could cheer me up. Deep in a rut, I stopped relating to this thing called life.
It didn’t really matter the circumstances, because it was my reaction to events that mattered, not the circumstances themselves.
The important part is I emerged to discover what truly helps “the helpless.”
So, when I found some precious “Life Lesson Quotes” on Goodreads, I could attest first hand that they actually work.
Roy T. Bennett, author of The Light in the Heart, dominates the list with 7 of the top 10 quotes voted by thousands of readers.
Let’s journey through “Life Lesson Quotes” that actually work
I only discovered these quotes recently, but they’re the exact sentiments that later lifted me from my own doom and gloom.
In fact, when first emerging from my own depression amid the lockdowns of 2020, I wrote how Happiness is a Choice.
This realization was like a ladder to climb out of my rut. I started choosing bright thoughts over bleak ones, putting the power of my imagination into wishes instead of fears.
To my delight, Roy’s top-voted quote echoes this exact sentiment:
“Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.”
During those first months of lockdown, when we were pushed around by fear and dystopian speculation, I wish I saw this quote from Roy:
“Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.”
Like many during that time, I wrestled with how I could keep my family safe, my neighborhood safe, my country safe, my world safe. It was safety overload, so much so that I had just about lost my mind (not very safe)… Let’s cue Roy:
“Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.”
Bam! Roy nails it again… I really did want to start making the world brighter, which is the perfect sentiment for Roy’s next zinger:
“Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness in people.”
What better motivation for a struggling writer? But there were still hurdles, like my own regret. My thought too often lingered in the past.
In fact, many remember those early pandemic days as a time of gritty introspection. Roy’s quote would’ve helped:
“Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.”
Fear seemed to weigh the whole world down. But I kept choosing happiness and seeking fearlessness, and I made more headway. Speak it, Roy:
“Be brave enough to live the life of your dreams according to your vision and purpose instead of the expectations and opinions of others.”
In the end, the last quote from Roy could help prevent future descents into darkness, and even inspire a life lived in light.
“Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine.”
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