Hey everyone! Hope you are all doing well and are staying safe.
It’s so crazy to think that we are already in a new year. I mean, I’m glad that 2020 is over, but it went by so fast. I have a love/hate relationship with 2020, because as terrible as it was, I had a lot of great things happen that year. But it was also a nightmarish hell of a year, and I’m glad that we all have a chance to begin again with a fresh page.
A new year also means new goals, new plans, and new expectations. It can be both exciting and terrifying, and we could all use a little encouragement after the year we’ve had. So I wanted to give you ten quotes that can get you motivated for whatever you have coming this new year.
Let’s get right into it!
Start Over, My Darling. Be Brave Enough To Find The Life You Want And Courageous Enough To Chase It. Then Start Over And Love Yourself The Way You Were Always Meant To.
-Madalyn Beck
I think this quote definitely applies to the here and now. We all have a chance to start over. We have the chance to begin again each and every day. But it takes courage to try again, and even more courage to try something different. But starting over is sometimes the greatest thing we can do for ourselves, because it gives us that chance to try again; to try something different and to love ourselves. So starting over is the greatest thing we can do, and let’s be brave enough to try something new.
Keep Your Face Towards The Sunshine And You Can Never See The Shadow.
-Helen Keller
Helen Keller is one of my favorite people to look to for inspiration. So it’s fitting that I included a quote by her for motivation. She was a person who had a lot of difficulties in her life, and yet she worked through it and remained optimistic. And we all have had our share of difficulties this past year, but we can come out of it stronger. If we keep our heads towards the sunshine, keeping a positive mainframe if we can, then the problems we face won’t seem as daunting.
We Cannot Become What We Want By Remaining What We Are
-Max Depree
This quote really stuck with me when I read it. It made me think, and I love a quote that can do that. As humans, we like things that are certain. We grow used to the same routines, the same situations, and eventually develop what feels stable and comfortable. There is nothing wrong with being in a place that is comfortable. But sometimes, in order to get where we want to go, to reach those big dreams and ambitions, we have to change, we have to grow. We cannot get where we want to go by remaining in the same place forever. Sometimes you need to change, and that is okay.
I Never Lose. I Either Win Or Learn.
-Nelson Mandela
I got chills with this one. This was a year where a lot of people (including myself) didn’t feel as if they made any real progress. We might have had days where we felt as if we lost. And a lot of people even call 2020 “the lost year”. But I don’t think it was a lost year. I think there were a lot of small victories that we can celebrate- the very fact that we made it through the year is a victory. And even if we didn’t have as many victories, we can still learn from it. I’ve learned what is really important to me, and what I need to keep going at the end of the day. I learned who to rely on, and focused on what I could do. So we don’t lose, we just have our own victories and lessons learned.
In Every Heartache, Or Disappointment, Or Difficulty, Beauty Rushes In
-Victoria Erickson
Victoria Erickson is one of my all time favorite poets, and has inspired my writing in so many ways. This poem is taken from her book “Rhythms and Roads”, and is a perfect fit for this list. No matter what we face, the storms we weather, or trials we may encounter, there is always some beauty, even if it is small, to be found. For me, it has been the kindness of friends and family, receiving a card in the mail from someone to check in, or expressing myself creatively. I hope you have been able to find beauty as well. And I know that whatever 2021 throws at us, there will be such beautiful moments to look forward to as well.
Bravery Is The Audacity To Be Unhindered By Failures, And To Walk With Freedom, Strength, And Hope, In The Face Of Things Unknown.
-Morgan Harper Nichols
Morgan Harper Nichols is another one of my favorite creators, mainly because she isn’t afraid to dabble in different creative outlets. She has some of the best quotes, and makes amazing art. I decided on using this one, because it’s a great reminder to keep going in spite of our fears or doubts. We shouldn’t let the fear of failure prevent us from taking a chance. I know that’s something that I’ve always struggled with. But it’s something I’m learning to work on, and to know that even if I do fail, at least I gave it an honest try and did my best. And at the end of the day, I can live with that. It’s also all about our attitude. We can either go into it with fear and doubt, or we can hope for the best and give it our all.
Never Give Up On A Dream Just Because Of The Time It Will Take To Accomplish It. The Time Will Pass Anyway.
-Earl Nightingale
Okay, so as I was searching for quotes to include, I came across this one and thought: this is fantastic, I’m including this. Because most of us are still staying inside, so we have loads of time on our hands. Like seriously, way too much time on our hands. So we might as well start achieving those goals that are going to be time consuming, right?
Let’s Do What We Love And Do A Lot Of It.
-Marc Jacobs
This goes hand in hand with the previous quote. We all have some extra time, so why not use it to do what we love? Doing the things we love is the greatest way to feel better and practice self care. So take the time to do what makes you happy, and to be silly and creative and enjoy whatever it is you are doing. You will never regret spending time doing what is important to you.
Have No Fear Of Perfection- You’ll Never Reach It.
-Salvador Dali
Wow, this one hit deep. But after you get past what may seem like a negative sentiment, it’s actually really inspiring. I think we all have that need for things to be perfect at times. We may not think of ourselves as a perfectionist, but we still have that tendency from time to time. The truth is, we will never be 100% perfect. We will never please everyone, and things will never be exactly the way we want them to be. So if we know that, then we shouldn’t let that need for perfection in our life to hold us back. There is so much beauty in the process and the learning curve, so embrace it. I think that’s what Dali is trying to get across, that we will never be perfect, and things aren’t going to be exactly the way we want, so there’s no need to fear it. And once we let go of that fear, it will no longer hold us back. We can move beyond that need for perfection and that fear of failure, and then go on to achieve great things.
‘Cause Today Is Gonna Be A Brighter Day.
-T J Davis, Can You Feel The Sunshine, Sonic R Soundtrack
Okay so I may or may not have been listening to the Sonic R soundtrack while writing this post (I totally was). I figured there were so many deep and heavy quotes that I should end on something happier. I always feel happy when I think of Sonic because it takes me back to a simpler place and time. I’ll spare you my cringy sonic fangirl rants and just say that this is a good song and I totally believe that 2021 is gonna be a brighter year.
I hope that you were able to find motivation in these quotes. 2021 is gonna be a great year, even if we have to force it to be so. I hope that you are able to achieve your goals this year, and that you are staying safe. Just take a deep breath and a step forward. We’ve got this.
If you want something to help with further self exploration and to keep you focused during this winter, you can go check out my Winter Self Care Workbook. It’s a great way to get some ideas down on paper, and to have another resource for the winter season.
You can purchase your copy here!
Which quote is your favorite? What are some of your goals for 2021? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time 🙂
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