Living Life Instead of Dreaming About Life

(On the ferry from Inverrie, in Scotland.)

The Power of Inspirational Life Quotes

Inspirational life quotes are a powerful source of inspiration. A family member recently sent me a link to some that I found spectacular. (Click Here to see the link!) As I read the list, I had this surreal experience. Usually, I read inspirational life quotes and they make me think, “Hell yes! I should do that and I’m going to!” In other words, they are words that inspire me to become, or to do or to be, something I don’t feel I am now. This time, however, I read many of them and realized I AM. So, the quotes suddenly made me feel re-wired instead of simply inspired. I realize I’ve made some profound changes and grown a lot. It was a huge moment of awareness that I already am living some of this inspiration rather than just hoping to!

Though there were many quotes on the list that grabbed me, here are the ones that really caught my attention:

“If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.” – Bruce Lee

This one made me think of all the limitations I’ve put on myself – thinking I couldn’t do what I wanted with my life because I had to conform to some societal and parental expectations of who I should be and what I should do. And, this did spread into other areas of my life, like my ex-marriage, my friendships and more. Funny, the plateau part hits me now too – Inbetween trips, it’s all to easy to feel comfortable and stable and want to hold on to that, but I prepare to move ahead!

“Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.” – Rumi

I not only bothered a bull till it came over, I even got kisses from the bull! I’m not afraid. 🙂

From the moment I decided to go on this adventure, it’s been all about the pull of what I love – finding that pull and following it. It hasn’t always been easy, but I’ve committed to honor myself this way. Even as I choose places to go, it’s by pull of the heart much more than what a guidebook recommends or a person says.

“Normal is an illusion. What is normal for the spider is chaos for the fly.” – Morticia Addams

This is the epitome of my life! I’ve had my own quote for normal:

“Normal is weird. Weird is normal. And I like musteard on my hotdearg.” That made perfect sense to me since I created it around age 8. Yet, I wasn’t living it until now. You see there is no normal – and we all perceive normal differently anyway, so trying to be normal just makes no sense. Trying to be me, however, makes a lot of sense. 🙂

“The real question is not whether life exists after death. The real question is whether you are alive before your death.” – Osho

Well, bowl me over. I think I was sleepwalking through my life for most of it. I knew I didn’t want to die having never lived. I finally feel like I am living, and alive!

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Harold Whitman….

Decked out in my favorite bull poncho!

Exactly! I didn’t realize it till now, but this is exactly what I am DOING! How powerful.

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

I’m finally doing what I want, and it’s not what most people do. Even though many, or even most, will dream about it, think about it, want it, they won’t do it. I am and it’s against the grain, and there is no clear path. I’m figuring it out as I go.

And so, here’s my life quote, from today, channeling my inner 8-year old:

“Figure it out as you go. Life is not lived by standing on your toe. Follow your heart and you’ll be the most beautiful version of yourself in the sun, the rain, and the snow. The important thing to remember is not all the answers to know, but to take the time to ponder and grow.” – Heather Markel