10 Truths That Will Never Change

Ever notice how we human beings have the same conversations over and over again? I'm not complaining. Some ideas are so timeless and expansive that they find willing hearts and minds to seed and nurture them year after year. For the most part, that's a good thing. Seven times, seven ways...you know the drill. This repetition got me thinking about a few timeless truths, and why they continue to resonate with us. Because there's no such thing as too much inspiration, I'm sharing my thoughts here.

1. It is never too late to be what you might have been. - George Eliot

Basically, it doesn't matter how old, tired, or defeated you feel at any given moment. As long as you have breath, you can be more of what you envision than you were yesterday. Don't ever "lay it down", friends. It's never too late (or too early) to be the person you admire! Good news, right?

2. What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. - Henry Stanley Haskins

You are not your circumstances or your mistakes. You are not where you've been, or even where you're going. And you are certainly not what other people think about you. You are an amazing, one-of-a-kind compilation of thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and talents. We love this idea so much because we need to believe it. And we should. It's true.

3. I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that don’t work.- Thomas Edison

Don't be afraid to make mistakes; they often lead to significant growth if we commit to learn from them and do better next time. Since all human beings get it wrong once in awhile, it gives us peace to know that even our missteps can become steps up. Risk-taking is essential for progress. If you trip, brush yourself off and try again. (That's Aaliyah, by the way.)

4. You must be the change you want to see in the world. - Mahatma Gandhi

You can't wait for "them" to transform your experience. You are the designer of your life. This doesn't mean there aren't barriers...but nothing meaningful ever changed for the better just because someone wished it would. What role will you play in your own story? We love this idea because it empowers us, and holds us accountable.

5. Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. - Anonymous

Isn't this so true? It's the same concept as forgiveness being for you and not the other person. Anger is a disease that ravages the heart and the body. It destroys relationships and adds years to your life. This idea speaks to us because while we know it's not helpful to stay angry, we often need reminding.

6. Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right. - Henry Ford

Your mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Possibilities begin in your mind, then become feelings, then actions, and ultimately results. There is no tool more powerful than the thoughts you think, so choose them wisely. Can today be the first day of the rest of your life? I don't know...what do you think?

7. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? ― Marianne Williamson

This is a favorite among women. Humility is a beautiful thing, but women are notorious for extending our humility into self-deprecation. They are not the same thing. We adore this quote because it gives us permission to love ourselves...and at the same time reminds us that we never needed permission in the first place.

8. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. - Martin Luther King, JR.

This quote is so poignant, especially now. I'm not sure if society is more fragmented than it was ten years ago, or if we're just more exposed to the fragmentation. Either way, there is only one solution. Love...which encompasses trust, forgiveness, hope, faith...all the good things. The change is in our hands. Which tools will we use to shape it?

9. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

In an attempt to be funny, my father would always cut the United Negro College Fund slogan short and say, "A mind is a terrible thing." The monsters created by our fears are the most terrifying of all. Life will go on. Good things will happen, and so will bad, but worry is another way of borrowing trouble. Fear can wreak such havoc on our well-being.

10. The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why. - Mark Twain

We are purpose-driven creatures, aren't we? We want to make a difference. To leave a person, situation, or entity better than we found it. We spend a good part of our twenties and thirties and sometimes longer trying to discern why we're here and how we will contribute to society beyond our personal needs and wants. If we're fortunate, we figure it out...and life completely expands at our feet. There's hardly a more timeless idea than this one right here.

Of course, this list is subjective. What did I miss? Feel free to add more in the comments!

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