Often when I see something that is supposed to be inspiring or motivational, I look at it and almost immediately think how clichéd it is, often because these things end up being clichéd on their own, and as the demand for these things increases with our desire to 'improve' ourselves, I don't envisage that this will change any time in the near future. This means that me finding something that I see as motivational is a rare occasion, which I suppose has given me a bit of a pessimistic view on many things.
However, on these rare occasions that I find something inspiring, I usually save it somewhere. This has lead to a large pile of quotes sitting on my computer like:
However, on these rare occasions that I find something inspiring, I usually save it somewhere. This has lead to a large pile of quotes sitting on my computer like:
All knowledge is stored somewhere. Be it in books, heads or deep under glaciers. And when we find it, we make it ours. Faith is bricks; knowledge is mortar. -- From The Book of Cataclysm
or,
Nature is busy creating absolutely unique individuals, whereas culture has invented a single mold to which all must conform. It is grotesque. -- U. G. Krishnamurti
These get left in the WSOGMM of quotes that I find interesting due to their humour or their views on the world.
I recently found a letter that Stephen Fry sent to someone who was suffering from depression which I found to be quite thought provoking. Having lived through it, he wrote to her, not with specific advice, not by telling her how much she was loved (in fact he said that he didn't want to do that), but with understanding. The link to see the letter is here. He likened human emotion (in some cases) to the weather in what I think is one of the most insightful metaphors around. In essence, he said that, Yes sometimes it rains, Yes sometimes it rains for a long time, yes at the end of the rain, the clouds go away and the sun comes out, no you can't control the rain, and yes life can be crap. I highly recommend reading it in its entirety just for the gentle way he says it.
I recently found a letter that Stephen Fry sent to someone who was suffering from depression which I found to be quite thought provoking. Having lived through it, he wrote to her, not with specific advice, not by telling her how much she was loved (in fact he said that he didn't want to do that), but with understanding. The link to see the letter is here. He likened human emotion (in some cases) to the weather in what I think is one of the most insightful metaphors around. In essence, he said that, Yes sometimes it rains, Yes sometimes it rains for a long time, yes at the end of the rain, the clouds go away and the sun comes out, no you can't control the rain, and yes life can be crap. I highly recommend reading it in its entirety just for the gentle way he says it.
Happiness is not achieved by the conscious pursuit of happiness; it is generally the by-product of other activities. -- Aldous Huxley
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