“Beauty exists in the mind which contemplates them”
For the second time, I am starting the year by sharing a collection of quotations that appeal to me or that I find moving or thought-provoking. There are so many people who have said so many wise things. See if they inspire you!
- Beautyexists in the mind which contemplates them. David Hume, Scottish philosopher and economist
- Give every daythe chance to become the most beautiful day of your Mark Twain, American writer
- Gratitude is the memory of the heart. Jean-Baptiste Massilou, French theologian
- If I could live my life again, I’d make the same mistakes. But a little earlier, so that I have more of it. Marlene Dietrich, German actress
- Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt. William Shakespeare, English writer
- The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. Nelson Mandela, the first black President of South Africa and an Anti-Apartheid campaigner
- Too many people live too much in the past. The past must be a springboard, not a sofa. Harold MacMillan, British politician
- Time’s pace is threefold: The future approaches with hesitation, the present flies off as fast as an arrow and the past remains silent forever. Friedrich Schiller, German writer
- We must be the change we wish to see in the world.Mahatma Gandhi, Indian resistance fighter and publicist
- If you want to see a result this year, sow seeds. If you want to see a result in ten years, plant trees. If you want to see a result all your life, then cultivate people. Zhuangzi, Chinese philosopher
- It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change. Charles Darwin, British naturalist
- The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new. Socrates, Greek philosopher
- Heaven has given human beings three things to balance the odds of life: hope, sleep, and laughter. Immanuel Kant, German philosopher
- Learning is like rowing against the current. As soon as you stop, you drift back. Laozi, Chinese philosopher
- If you keep talking yourself, you don’t discover anything. Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach, Moravian-Austrian writer
- There are lots of roads to happiness. One is to stop complaining. Albert Einstein, German physicist
- When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this – you haven’t. Thomas Edison, American inventor and entrepreneur
- Pay attention to your thoughts, for they become words, pay attention to your words, for they become deeds, pay attention to your actions, for they become habits, pay attention to your habits, for they become your character! From ‘The Talmud’ Jewish writings
- You’ll have bad times, but it’ll always wake you up to the good stuff you weren’t paying attention to. From the film ‘Good Will Hunting’
- Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck. Dalai Lama, Buddhist monk
- Life is not a dress rehearsal. Rose Tremain, English writer
- It is not things thatdisturb us, but our interpretation of their significance. Epictetus, ancient philosopher
- Trust is like an eraser – the more mistakes you make, the smaller it gets. Unknown source
Here are last year’s quotes for those of you who missed them: https://www.stressandbalance.ch/en/2019/01/08/we-cant-direct-the-wind-but-we-can-adjust-the-sails/
Do you also have favorite quotes? If so, please send them to: claudia.kraaz@stressandbalance.ch.
I can then begin a new collection that I will publish at the start of 2021. Thank you!
