Things people have said that stuck with you

[Corneliusthecamel]

Was recently chatting to a colleague - a lovely, kind, cheery woman who is always smiling. I asked her what her secret was, how she’s always so cheerful and upbeat. She shrugged and said ‘if you keep waking up and don’t love the thought of your plans, try something else!’

Honestly, it was such a simple statement (and obviously hugely unpractical in reality sometimes, haha) but she had a point!

Also reminds me of when my Nan gave up smoking after 50 odd years - I asked her how she’d managed it as it must be so tough after all that time, she just said ‘I just tell myself that I simply mustn’t have one, and that’s that’

Brilliant! What’s yours?

"It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness"

and "Don't count the days, make the days count"

Make many friends, trust few, always paddle your own canoe. (said to me by my Senior Manager when I was starting out in my career)

”An ex is an ex for a reason.” My Mum.

”Don’t waste your time worrying about the things you can’t control. Use that energy to change the things you can.” My Mum.

I love “there’s no such thing as a stupid question, only a stupid answer”. It’s a mantra I repeat all the time at work. I encourage everyone I work with to be bold, embrace curiosity, don’t be afraid to ask the obvious question. So often it’s surprising the discussion that the “stupid” question sparked and it amazes me how frequently you aren’t the only one wondering about the same thing.

I work in Risk Management, so love the Mark Twain quote “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” It perfectly summarises the blind spot and arrogant conviction people can have that something is a fact, when it’s actually just a strongly held opinion.

I also love the two below as I think we learn the most about ourselves from how we respond to setbacks and challenges, and being resilient enough to persevere on:

Winston Churchill’s “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Henry Ford “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.”

Don't overthink the unknowable.

I love this advice but as a perpetual worrier, I find it very hard to follow.

Also, 'it's not time to worry yet' which I think is Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Nice isn't it, helped me through a pretty tough break up, and made me see things in a positive light!

You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.

Recovery related:

You can have alcohol - or you can have everything else.

Play the tape forward.

Everything you put before sobriety, you stand to lose.

Whenever anyone complains about the weather- be grateful you're alive to feel the rain, wrap up warm, experience sunshine!

There's no such think as bad weather - just bad clothing!

I find this fascinating. Does she only do things she likes? How does she live by it?

My close friend died 2 months ago. Whenever someone complains about their age I remind them ‘growing old is a privilege denied to many’.

Every journey begins with one small step

When something looks too huge just start the first bit

Life is too short to hate

Your mindset is everything. Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.

Dont be distracted by criticism. Remember, the only taste of success some people get is taking a bite out of you.

Its OK to say no.

The phrases I often remind myself of :

'Everything is a season.' - I love this, it reminds me to try and find the beauty in any season and remember that seasons are always changing.

' Say what you mean and mean what you say. '

' They will never be this little again. ' - when I'm knackered I look at them and say this to myself. Shifts everything into perspective.

Your current situation is not your final destination.

❤️👆

Here is something I read recently that has really left me pondering;

You are the architect of your own happiness.

“You may be disappointed if you fail but you are doomed if you don’t try” . This powered the first half of my working life. Got from
the worst possible position in my profession (lost my first job as firm I worked at folded as boss was a crook) to the top (senior associate at top City law firm) by a combination of being ballsy and luck.

😂

If there’s a bad/ scary/ difficult situation looming and you’re worrying about it:
you can either worry about it and feel horrible or just simply not think about it in the run up to it. It’s not going to change the fact the thing is coming and one path to it (the ‘not thinking about’ it path) makes you feel so much better than the worry path.

Also many years ago in a guidebook about Thailand it said the Thai people say that thinking gives them headaches so they prefer not to think too much. At the time we thought it was hilarious but 20 years on we remind each other whenever one of us is worrying too much about something.

Everything is temporary. I think I read it in a book about Buddhism.

Another one I like is from Ruby Wax, talking about over thinking:

Thoughts are not facts.

And may I add to that “what other people think of you is none of your business”.

I’m always spouting the thoughts one on threads on here! See also feelings aren’t facts they are information.

one which I love which I think is Philippa Perry is between guilt and resentment choose guilt every time.

Get another job!

yes!

Getting older is a PRIVILEGE.

Every birthday I think - yesss MADE IT hahaha