A Beautiful Ripple Effect » Courage

The Courage to Continue: 26 Quotes to Help You Regain Confidence When You Feel Defeated

Carolyn — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:53 +0000

Do you ever feel as if you’ve hit rock bottom? Maybe you’ve taken a leap of faith and the wings you had hoped would appear on the way down never developed. You followed a calling, listened to a burning passion, and hoped the results would be stunning. You bet on Plan A working, but it didn’t. The results are less than miraculous. You feel defeated. The hardest part of being in this state of defeat is not the public humiliation or the blood, sweat, and tears you fed this calling. Rather, the hardest part of feeling defeated is the difficulty associated with dreaming again.

In order to dream again, really dream—bigger than big dreams, you must believe in yourself—in your ability to make your dreams a reality. There is no easy fail-proof way to regain your self-confidence. However, there are steps you can take to begin to rebuild your self-confidence. The goal is to avoid becoming your worst enemy—criticizing yourself at every time. It’s okay to feel defeated, but it’s not okay to BE defeated.

To rebuild your self-confidence, begin to notice when your inner critic takes the stage. Rather than feed this critic, redirect your attention. Below are quotes I’ve collected to help you with this redirection. Find the words that resonate for you and write them in your journal or bookmark this post to easily find words to focus on when your inner critic vies for your attention. Little actions, such as reading a few quotes, can create large changes in your life. The key is to make these little actions very simple for you to actually do. I hope these quotes provide restorative nourishment as you move forward on your journey.

You may have a fresh start any time you choose, for this thing we call “failure” is not in the falling down, but in the staying down. —Mary Pickford

I was inspired to create my own opportunity and not to let others determine what my life could be. —Laura Nelli in Rue Mag (Jan 2012)

Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure. —Oprah Winfrey

Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark. In the hopeless swamp of the not quite, the not yet, and the not at all, do not let the hero in your soul perish and leave only frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. The world you desire can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours. —Ayn Rand

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen. —Elizabeth Kubler Ross

We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope. —Martin Luther King

When you walk to the edge of all the light you have and take that first step into the darkness of the unknown, you must believe that one of two things will happen: There will be something solid for you to stand upon, or, you will be taught how to fly. —Patrick Overton

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. —Eleanor Roosevelt

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. —Maya Angelou

Fall seven times, stand up eight. —Japanese proverb

We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations. —Charles Swindoll

Prosperity is not without many fears and disasters; and adversity is not without comforts and hopes. —Francis Bacon

Keep in mind that neither success nor failure is ever final. —Roger Babson

It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation. —Herman Melville

Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle. —Christian D. Larson

Mistakes are a natural part of life. We learn by experimenting; mistakes and failure can be important parts of our learning process. Einstein flunked grade-school mathematics. Edison tried over 9,000 kinds of filaments before he found one that would work in a light bulb. Walt Disney went bankrupt five times before he built Disneyland. If we accept setbacks, we can continue to risk, learn, and move on with excitement and satisfaction. —California Task Force to Promote Self-Esteem and Personal and Social Responsibility

You are enough. —@happyolks via twitter

This too shall pass. —@aboundlessworld via twitter

The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests. —Epictetus

In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on. —Robert Frost

The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache. —Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor. —Truman Capote

There comes a point when you either embrace who and what you are, or condemn yourself to be miserable all your days. Other people will try to make you miserable; don’t help them by doing the job yourself. —Laurell K. Hamilton

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. —Winston Churchill

It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed. —Theodore Roosevelt

Just because you fail once doesn’t mean you’re gonna fail at everything. —Marilyn Monroe

The past has no power over the present moment. —Eckhart Tolle

What quote resonates for you? Do you have a quote to add to this list?

image: kikki-k

daily quote inspiration (i’m addicted to quotes!): quote art on pinterest + short quotes on twitter (#quote)

Surprises and Rituals

Carolyn — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:58:35 +0000

This post is part of Reverb11. Through January 15th, I will be sharing my responses to the remainder of the prompts. My Reverb11 responses are a bit different than usual—more vulnerable, less polished, more frequent, and probably more interesting!

25. Surprises
What was one thing that surprised you in 2011?

There were a lot of surprises in 2011. In particular, one surprise hurt a lot and is something I’m still trying to work through. For me, to “work through” means to unravel the lesson(s) from within this surprise and maybe even possibly turn this negative into a positive (time is going to be an important ingredient in making this happen). It was a hard surprise because it made me question my faith in those I intrinsically trust. Trust is not something that I give to others freely and when I do give it, I give it 100%. I need to learn to be more giving with my trust but to hold back from trusting to the point that I don’t listen to my intuition. It boils down to gaining more confidence in myself and in my intuition.

Now, let’s turn this around and look at a positive surprise from 2011! I am surprised at my resilience. And I am proud of this incredible resilience. It takes A LOT for me to give up—that’s something I just don’t do. If I believe in something, I will not give up. Throw me obstacle after obstacle, and I’ll keep showing up and giving my all. I guess you could say I’m one tough cookie who can’t be pushed down :)!

26. Rituals
What ritual(s) would you like to introduce into your life?

In 2012, my focus is on happiness + self-care. I want to introduce rituals that will allow me to regain a sense of wellness. My body has been under so much stress over the past few years and I need to take care of it and take care of “me.” I believe in introducing new rituals through tiny actions (over time these actions create tremendous change).

Currently, I’m eating breakfast with my hubby every morning and celebrating this time together. We’re making an effort to really pause for breakfast (no electronics) and begin the day on a clean slate.

Other rituals I would like to introduce: daily meditation, weekly exercise routine (yoga, pilates, strength training, cardio), tea and journaling in the evening, restart daily gratitude practice.

Are there any rituals you’ve recently added into your life? Or rituals you would love to add to your life?

image: cygne noir

The Courage to Write: 23 Quotes to Help You Overcome the Fear of Writing

Carolyn — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:00:18 +0000

Whenever I sit down to write, I am prepared to meet my loyal companion: fear. Regardless of what I’m writing, I can almost always count on fear being present. So what do I do with this fear of uncertainty? Most of the time, I choose to deflate its presence by putting pen to paper. However, there are times, when I don’t want to experience the fear and choose not to show up. But I’m really trying to minimize the “write or flight” response of not showing up by creating a safe space for the fearful writer within. One way I do this is to keep a journal of quotes for the moments when I need a little nudge of encouragement to be present and forge ahead.

I’ve chosen 23 quotes from my journal to share here for others who need encouragement when approaching the blank page. I hope that some of these words will resonate with you (and particularly the fearful writer within).

Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way. —E.L. Doctorow

Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure our what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer. —Barbara Kingsolver

Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who cannot attain it in anything. —Gustave Flaubert

The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair. —Mary Heaton Vorse

I’m writing a book. I’ve got the page numbers done. —Stephen Wright (this one is for a chuckle!)

I have never thought of myself as a good writer. Anyone who wants reassurance of that should read one of my first drafts. But I’m one of the world’s great rewriters. I find that three or four readings are required to comb out the cliches, line up pronouns with their antecedents, and insure agreement in number between subject and verbs…My connectives, my clauses, my subsidiary phrases don’t come naturally to me and I’m very prone to repetition of words; so I never even write an important letter in the first draft. I can never recall anything of mine that’s ever been printed in less than three drafts. You write that first draft really to see how it’s going to come out. —James A. Michener

Writing is thinking on paper. —William Zinsser

If you haven’t got an idea, start a story anyway. You can always throw it away, and maybe by the time you get to the fourth page you will have an idea, and you’ll only have to throw away the first three pages. —William Campbell Gault

Resistance is fear. But resistance is too cunning to show itself naked in this form. Why? Because if Resistance lets us see clearly that our own fear is preventing us from doing our work, we may feel shame at this. And shame may drive us to act in the face of fear. —Steven Pressfield (The War of Art)

A great deal of talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage. —Sidney Smith

There is no satisfactory explanation of style, no infallible guide to good writing, no assurance that a person who thinks clearly will be able to write clearly, no key that unlocks the door, no inflexible rules by which the young writer may steer his course. He will often find himself steering by stars that are disturbingly in motion. —E. B. White

There is always the risk that you may disappoint yourself. That risk is there even for productive writers, as most writers don’t write as often as they would like. Because of this reality, you will need to practice self-forgiveness. —Eric Maisel

By writing much, one learns to write well. —Robert Southey

If we had to say what writing is, we would have to define it essentially as an act of courage. —Cynthia Ozick

Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up. —Jane Yolen

Don’t feel guilty about being afraid of the blank page. Don’t think you aren’t a writer if you don’t rush to the computer first thing when you get up in the morning in order to face the empty page. Writing is hard work. Filling up an empty page with your thoughts, your pains, your joys, and your creative ideas takes immense courage. —Rachel Ballon

Inspiration doesn’t descend like a lightning bolt from the gods. Inspiration comes instead from a steady breath, a solid foundation, and a commitment to the process. —Laraine Herring

Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere. Start by getting something—anything—down on paper. —Anne Lamott (Bird by Bird)

Work inspires inspiration. Keep working. If you succeed, keep working. If you fail, keep working. If you are interested, keep working. If you are bored, keep working. —Michael Chrichton

Once we are aware of our fears, we are almost always capable of being more courageous than we think. Someone once told me that fear and courage are like lightning and thunder; they both start out at the same time, but the fear travels faster and arrives sooner. If we just wait a moment, the requisite courage will be along shortly. —Lawrence Block

A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than for others. —Thomas Mann

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. —Agatha Christie

At some point we must stop anticipating our journey and set sail. Willa Cather said that she wrote best when she stopped trying to write and began simply to remember. —Ralph Keyes (The Courage to Write)

Do you have any favorite quotes or words of wisdom about writing?

image: pinterest via glitter guide (photographer: bonnie tsang)

A Letter For You and Me

Carolyn — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:46:20 +0000

Dear Sweet Friend,

I am grateful for you—all of you. Even when you may be mean and bitter, jealous and cruel, lazy and self-loathing. Those emotions show me that you’re struggling and to struggle, dear friend, is to live. In the midst of struggle, you may lose sight of all the beauty you’ve created in your life and in the life of others—but I haven’t so I’m here to remind you.

You inspire me. I admire all of the little things you do that go unnoticed and your fierce protection of your character and integrity. You have walked along some rocky paths, but you did so with determination. Many times, others have noticed only when you tripped along this path. But I saw the journey — the incredible way you kept your balance while struggling to stay upright on the path. And when you’ve tripped, you got up and kept going. I admire that in you.

You are incredible, just the way you are—right now in this moment. I know you may not think so and are likely going through a mental list of things that you’ve either done wrong or need to do until you become that incredible person. But those things don’t determine your worth—you do. Imagine how much easier the hard times would be and how much better the good times would be if you knew deep within that you are incredible, always, just the way you are. Do you feel the weight lift a bit off your shoulders? Do you see a glimmer of light in the darkness?

I want you to be kind to yourself. Can you do that for me, for you?

You are worthy of kindness and happiness.

I am grateful for you,
me

- – -

image: pinterest via onesidewalks

On a High Dive: Inspiration from Steven Spielberg & My Dad

Carolyn — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 07:54:17 +0000

Last week, my parents came to visit me in Boston — to support me as I continue to swim uphill. I’m so grateful to have such a supportive family — regardless of distance, we are there for each other, whenever — wherever. And lately, it’s been me needing the most support. And they have stuck by me, giving me strength and wisdom to keep pushing forward in whatever direction I feel is best — no pressure, just love and encouragement to follow my heart. That is priceless. My parents are filled with so much wisdom that a mere few minutes with them is enough food for thought for months. But last week, I was nervous about taking a big step — putting myself forward for criticism and rejection. And I felt alone — like I was the only person to ever feel like this, especially strange for someone who tends to reach towards these situations that make me feel very vulnerable. I used to be stronger (or maybe naive?) — to feel completely confidently in all that I did, to know that I was giving all that I could give and that was enough. But the bar has been moved higher and what I’m giving, even if that is 200%, is often not enough. So it’s becoming harder to keep pushing forward, to think that maybe next time, enough will truly be enough? It’s hard to trust and believe that I am worthy and good enough — all of the work I’ve put into worthiness, authenticity, vulnerability is being tested BIG TIME!

Now back to this wisdom from my dad via Steven Spielberg. My dad shared with me a poster that Steven Spielberg keeps in his office (possibly the only poster in his office). And it was a huge eye opener for me. We are all scared — truly frightened — before we put ourselves out there, even if we’ve done it 1,000 times before.

“Boy on a High Dive” is usually in Spielberg’s office.

When asked if it were his favorite Rockwell painting, Spielberg said, “Well, let’s put it this way: This is the Rockwell that, every time I’m ready to make a movie, every time I’m ready to commit to direct a movie, that’s me – that’s the feeling in my gut, before I say ‘yes’ to a picture. Because every movie is like looking off a three-meter diving board, every one.”

Do you feel like you are constantly on a high dive, being tested? If so, how do you persevere? How do you know (and trust) that when you jump, you will land safely — especially if you haven’t landed safely in the past? The high dive is set — it’s not moving — so how do you approach the dive differently time after time? How do you maintain faith and optimism that this dive may be different from previous dives? Or if you’re like me, do you find it difficult to maintain that optimism after a multitude of previous failed attempts?

So I asked my dad this question. I told him that I’m good at diving, I’m a great diver BUT I’ve been falling on my head even after my greatest attempts. And so he said, well you have to check to see if there is water in the pool before jumping. Simple, right. I brushed this comment off. But it makes sense. We get consumed with where we are, what we are doing – on the fear of the dive, that we forget to see the big picture — to see things like, am I setting myself up to fail (i.e., jumping into an empty pool)? When you take a scary leap, it feels like you are alone, but in reality, the support (e.g., the support of water — or family, or mentors, or resources, etc.) that you receive after you jump is critical to the success of that jump. It’s important to realize that while the jump is scary, you can cushion the fall.

Case in Point: When I take a big leap and don’t prepare for after that leap, I crumble. I’m overwhelmed with the emotion of the leap itself and haven’t prepared support for after the leap. So whether the outcome is good or bad, I typically end up totally isolating myself and having a mini (or major) meltdown. I isolate myself and lose perspective, underestimating the importance of creating a safety net for either outcome. The focus must shift from “taking the leap” to “taking the leap and creating a post-leap action plan.” And that shift is tough because merely thinking about the leap itself is somewhat paralyzing, but could this paralysis be in part due to our all-or-nothing focus?

Image and Quote: CBS News via my dad

Learning As You Go and The Itty Bitty Check-In List

Carolyn — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:00:07 +0000

Today’s post is a little different… no sage advice or aha! moments to share (still there?)… instead I want to talk with you about blogging and how I’m trying to learn as I go. I crave structure and beautifully created project plans; however, when it comes to blogging, structure and plans don’t work for me. I find that as soon as I turn blogging into a project with a start and an end, it quickly becomes another obligation in my already obligation heavy life. And if blogging feels like an obligation, I don’t show up as my essential self. Instead, I enter with expectations and rules to follow — no longer enjoying the process.

Recently, I’ve been telling myself that I am in a blogging rut! I’m not even sure what that means, but my mind has really stuck onto this concept. Something is missing, but I can’t put my finger on what that “something” is just yet. I think the “rut” is a combination of various factors: comparison and judgment (my posts aren’t good enough = I’m not good enough = well, what am I doing? = and around we go again!), personal factors (how much I can share on here about what is happening in my day-to-day life, while maintaining clear boundaries between my personal, professional, and online life), and learning (what is working for me and what isn’t working for me). Now, that’s a lot to process! Rather than berate myself for not having everything figured out, I’m focusing on letting go of the need to know. Uncertainty is scary when we choose to let it take the reigns, but letting go of the desire to create a state of certainty enables us to reestablish a sense of control.

I am learning to show up and acknowledge what is. Simply noticing how I’m feeling without an obligation to fix the situation is liberating. For the past week, I have been checking in with myself at various times throughout the day, utilizing a simple little checklist. About five times a day, I’ll stop what I’m doing and complete the simple list. It consists of six items on a small index card. Each morning, I cut one index card into five smaller cards to use for the day. I write the same list on each of the cards.

:: The Itty Bitty Check-In List ::

day of week:
ticktock:
current activity:

(1) inspired
(2) discouraged
(3) energetic
(4) overwhelmed
(5) confident
(6) bored

This little check-in helps me to refocus and become present. I put the card into my drawer after I complete it. I plan on looking through them at the end of the week to look for any big patterns (e.g., wow, it seems that regardless of the activity, I always feel bored at 4:30 pm… or regardless of the time, I always feel inspired when focused on a writing activity). Even if the cards remain in my drawer forever without any “analysis,” I really value the activity as a way to regain a sense of mindfulness throughout the day.

… endnote …

I wrote this post and was going to separate it into two separate posts, expanding on the first part (learning as you go and blogging) separately from the second part (the itty bitty check-in list). However, I decided to let go and share the thoughts in a less polished format. It’s hard for me to do and the little perfectionist voice inside my head is not happy with me; but oh well, learning as we go, right?

… end endnote …

If you’re interested in working with me to learn innovative ways (creative tricks and techniques with a touch of idea genie dust!) to live a life you love, and truly walk the talk, email me directly to discuss personalized options. Email: carolyn (at) abeautifulrippleeffect (dot) com.

[image: laurageorge]

Shine a Light on Your Path

Carolyn — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:00:47 +0000

The text below is an excerpt from my recently published book, Perseverance.

This book [Perseverance] is the result of one of my lifelong passions – a desire to help kids with life-threatening illnesses. It started when, as a young child, I became immersed in a world intrinsically different from my own. When I was six, I went with my parents to visit Camp Sunshine, a camp run by their friends. Camp Sunshine was and still is a retreat in Casco, Maine for children with cancer. Even though I had never been through cancer, I began to understand the impact of this disease at a very personal level. During this visit, I had developed a deep connection to children with cancer. Though I didn’t know it, that visit was going to change my life, and redefine my concept of courage forever.

Freed from the fear of rejection by their peers and the isolation of their hospital rooms, at Camp Sunshine children facing cancer could just be “normal” kids. From what they told me, the psychological issues faced by most kids going through cancer treatment were ubiquitous. Returning to the camp eight years later when I was fourteen, I was again overwhelmed by the strength and courage of my peers with cancer.

Returning to my “normal” life at home after the second visit was difficult. I was older, and more aware of the campers’ struggles. That year, I founded Carolyn’s Compassionate Children (CCC), an organization to help children with cancer and other serious illnesses.

CCC began as a pen-pal program connecting children who had cancer with their healthy peers. When I was fifteen, my foundation became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. It was a success, but I wanted to do more.

CCC has flourished in the nine [now: 10] years since I founded it. CCC has awarded 100 college scholarships to childhood cancer survivors across the nation. Currently, the mission of CCC is to improve the quality of life for young adult cancer survivors by increasing the opportunity for college access.

At the beginning of my spring semester freshman year at Duke University, I worked with a child in a documentary studies class examining childhood illness. The purpose of the class was to help a child facing cancer document his or her life through photography. Each student in the class was paired with one child.

I was paired with ten-year-old Kadeejah. I visited her at Duke Hospital every day. She smiled regardless of how she felt. She filled the bleakest days with sunshine. She loved to hold my hand. I gave her a teddy bear on her eleventh birthday, St. Patrick’s Day.

And then I watched her slowly slip away from me.

The last time I saw her, she was lying unconscious in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) with the teddy bear in her arms. I kissed her on the cheek and said goodbye.

I came to believe that every life has a purpose. Kadeejah and I were brought together for a reason. She taught me the value of now – this moment, today. Kadeejah spent every spare moment creating art. She never tired of these projects and as soon as she finished one creation, she went on to the next. I determined to spread Kadeejah’s passion for life to as many people as I could reach. This book is my first step toward realizing this goal.

… We all have journeys into uncharted territories that we must take alone. But I have learned that we aren’t necessarily alone. No matter how dark the moment, brave souls have already walked the same path. The purpose of this book is to shine a light on the path each of us takes.

: : :

Kadeejah’s beautiful memory and unbelievable courage shine a light for me, allowing me to share these words with you in celebration of Kadeejah’s life, and in particular, Kadeejah’s birthday.

: : :

To watch me read this excerpt from the book, you can see my personal video on Spring.

Please consider making a donation in memory of Kadeejah to support the Kadeejah Moore Memorial Fund. Every dollar counts.

: : :

If you enjoy A Beautiful Ripple Effect, please subscribe to the blog via RSS. Thank you for your support.

3 Essential Ingredients for Creating Unconventional Success

Carolyn — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:45:13 +0000

We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face… we must do that which we think we cannot.

- Eleanor Roosevelt

What allows some people to eclipse the realm of the possible? Are they really the exceptional ones, or is there more to the equation than mere luck?

Unconventional success redefines what we consider possible—it’s success that has not yet been defined by others. Essentially, it means paving a path through unchartered territory.

Over the past ten years, I have followed my personal vision, which has led me into uncharted territory on many occasions. Only recently have I begun to share my life with the world and to my surprise, I have been flooded with questions. People want to know more about the secrets behind what I’ve achieved. Reflecting on this question, I believe there are three essential ingredients in overcoming the mental barriers that prevent us from achieving unconventional success.

1. Focus on “What” not “How”

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.
-Herman Cain

The first step in achieving anything is defining your vision. As a start, begin with this powerful question: “What do I want?” At this point, the “how” doesn’t matter since worrying about it only weakens your mental aptitude. Sometimes the question of “what” is easy to answer while at other times doing so is next to impossible. After all, the answer can be buried in guilt and other rationalizations of what you believe you should be doing. So it’s critical to focus on your inner knowledge and filter through the extrinsic variety; after all, you want the clearest mindset you can have.

Four years ago, for example, I decided that I wanted to write a book that would change the world. I knew what I wanted, and that knowledge was a tremendously powerful feeling. So I knew the what: I wanted “to write a book,” and I knew the why: because I wanted “to change the world.” Talk about lofty goals to write down on a to-do list! But I focused on the goal instead of becoming mired in the intricate details about how I would actually accomplish it. In fact, I never purchased a book about writing, publishing, or any related how-to guide. Now, I realize that my omission was key among the reasons I was able to focus relentlessly and fearlessly on such a grand goal—I didn’t care about the “how.” Instead, I believed passionately that I would achieve my goal.

2. Have the Courage to Redefine “How”

Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you’re scared to death.
- Early Wilson

Once you have a vision of what you want, the next ingredient you’ll need is courage. Courage is associated with bravery and overcoming fear, and in order to find that courage, we must give ourselves permission to choose a different path, to be unconventional. In his blog post, Permission to Think Big, Alex Shalman discusses how we need to create a mindset for success:

Most of our decisions in life are based on whether or not we can give ourselves permission to tackle the big things. Whether or not we give ourselves permission is based on the amount of courage and self-esteem that we possess…Remember, if you’re going to listen to conventional wisdom, and follow everyone else’s advice, then you’re probably going to get the same results as everyone else. If you decide that’s not good enough for you anymore, make your own rules.

Now that is what I call powerful advice! Essentially, Alex is suggesting that you write your own playbook, and I couldn’t agree more.

When deciding “how” to write a book that would change the world, I realized that I needed to create the playbook Alex was writing about. When I decided that failure was not the outcome I was looking for, I also realized that I was willing to make tremendous sacrifices to create that unconventional success. But in doing so, I had to reach the lowest point in my life before I could learn the real quality of perseverance. After all, how could I persevere on a path that no one had ever taken before? Nevertheless, I resolved to answer the question and didn’t let anything stop me.

3. Choose to Persevere

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan, “Press on,” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
- Calvin Coolidge

What does it mean, “to persevere?” Soon enough, that “what” of writing the book that will change the world will be realized (i.e., in less than three weeks!). Rather than feeling as if our lives are filled with mountains of negativity, we must replace them with hope that is fueled by perseverance. To achieve any type of success—conventional or otherwise—you must have hope that you will succeed. That means going through the good and bad times without losing that valuable perspective on hope and possibility. In short, it’s a little thing I like to call Perseverance.

I’ve decided to end this post with the words of Alex Oden, a two-time brain cancer survivor, college student, close friend, and one of the twenty individuals featured in Perseverance.

The most important thing in life: hope. Hope is the most empowering feeling a person can possess. As long as there is hope, there is a reason to keep living. As I have said before, life is a gift; we only get one chance at it. If there is a possibility for success, no matter how small, then there is hope. Life is too precious to give up hope.

Future Directions

Throughout history, individuals have redefined what we recognize as the realm of the possible. In my next post, I will focus on modern-day pioneers who can open your eyes to an entire world of possibilities. Then, we’ll look at how you can take these three key ingredients, combine them with the examples given by these pioneers, and create your own unconventional success. I’m giving you a glimpse at what it takes to do what you want to do, regardless of the myriad obstacles you’ll encounter. Of course, if you think it’s easy, you’re in for a BIG wake up call! To be fair, I won’t hold anything back. You’ll learn everything it takes to push you to where you want to go. Then, you’ll need to decide for yourself if the sacrifices are worth the journey. I certainly wouldn’t give up a single moment of what I’ve done, since without having encountered the struggles or making the sacrifices, I would not be living authentically. Today, I can say wholeheartedly that I am living my dream.

Are you excited? I hope so! Remember, nothing is required other than a willingness to reach deep inside yourself to find the strength you need to follow your dreams.

—

Join me on the incredible journey of Perseverance. Sign up to receive the first e-newsletter to learn what’s happening behind the scenes!

Information + Inspiration [File 3]

Carolyn — Tue, 19 May 2009 05:46:23 +0000

… image via lululemon …

Weekly Snippets of Information + Inspiration [File 3]

… image via rfrantzdesign on etsy …

InformationFiles:

-> Event: BookExpo America [Largest book publishing event in North America occurring in New York City from May 29-May 31. I am just starting to learn about this event and it seems absolutely incredible. Check out the website if you are at all interested in books or the publishing industry! I'm very excited to be signing advance-release copies of my book from 12:30 - 1:30 pm in the Author Autographing Area on Saturday May 30th -- come say hi if you'll be there!]

-> Book: The Courage to Give (Jackie Waldman) [I am grateful to know Jackie. She is even more unbelievably caring than any story can possibly portray. She volunteers her time to help select the recipients of CCC's college scholarship program. A little intro from Jackie's book website: "We all have something to give, no matter what. That's the courage-the courage to step out of our own lives, even when we think we can't, and step into the life of someone else. When we find the courage to give to someone else, sharing what we love to do and making a difference for someone else, that's when we can begin to live joyfully, no matter what." Jackie is also on Oprah's Angel Network, and has an article called, Begin with Yourself. I love how Jackie discusses volunteering as something that must begin within rather than an activity that is purely extrinsic. An unbelievable woman who is changing the world through her own experience with MS, her words, her books, and most importantly -- her personal actions.]

-> Mind + Body: Hip Tranquil Chic [I found Kimberly Wilson (i.e. the Hip Tranquil Chic) through twitter and just love her unique and fun approach to yoga and tranquility. SCARY! I promise I didn't know about this before just now -- check out who was featured yesterday on Kimberly's blog -- Featured Tranquilista: Christine Mason Miller! I feel like a stalker. Christine, I promise I am not stalking you! But if Christine is a tranquilista, then you gotta know it must be worthwhile to make a stop and read about the tranquil chic and how to become one.]

-> Creative: Are you creative? Answer: Yes. I would love your help! My non-profit, CCC, is creating a few fun designs and slogans to sell on apparell as a way to help increase donations (100% of every dollar donated goes to a scholarship). If you have any ideas or know someone with ideas, please let me know! You can learn more about the organization at our website and gain inspiration from there as well for different design ideas. But we want to do something a bit different than our normal image – so all ideas are welcome! Please just leave me a comment below and I’ll email you with more details (and yes there will be super thank you gifts from yours truly). CafePress has an abundance of ideas — but it can suck you in! Since I know nothing about the design world, I thought I would appeal to my design friends and readers :).

-> Care: What Gives?! [A social goodworking blog. Want to do more to help a cause, but not sure where to start? Have an idea and need support? Want to know about the cool stuff happening behind non-profit work? A community of supportive individuals who have questions -- just like you and me -- and want to do good and have fun at the same time.]

… remaining images via seejanework …

InspirationFiles:

-> Wear: SocChic: Chic Necklaces Benefiting Social Causes. [Dream: one day CCC becomes "SocChic" -- a girl can dream! Update: The dream came true! Check out the Bright Side Necklace!]

-> Website: Lululemon [Definitely mentioned before (apologies for the repetition), but the website keeps getting better! Some favorite parts: goal setting, the community, manifesto, blog]

-> Visual: ColorSchemer [You don't need a big project to add fun colors to your life -- think: bullet points, document header, font color -- little pops of color in unexpected places do a lot to boost your mood]

-> Quoted: Marian Wright Edelman (see below) read this Shel Silverstein quote to conclude her speech:

Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be. – Shel Silverstein

-> Power of One: Marian Wright Edelman (President, Children’s Defense Fund) [Commencement Speaker at University Of Miami 2009 -- Best speech I have ever heard. Period. And now I can't find the speech online (oops). I'll find it and post an update. I found an excerpt of the speech, that you can peruse in the meantime. Additionally, you can read Marian Wright Edelman articles every Monday on the Huffington Post. My mom was so moved by the speech that she told Edelman that she was a better person just after hearing her talk. My mom was much more eloquent than that of course -- simply put: everyone was inspired by the commencement speech and the life's work of Marian Wright Edelman.]

Bonus:

-> Featured in Post (Say Tweet!): @bookexpoamerica, @tranquilista, @cccscholarships, @jessconstable, @lululemon, @childdefender

-> Thank You Gift (from me to you): SocChic Necklace — Visit the website and let me know in the comments which necklace you love and why — it will be hard to pick one! I know this thank you gift is a bit buried, so I’ll remind you later in the week just in case! Comment by Tuesday May 26th at 10:00 pm EST. Please only one comment per family. Thank You! Winner will be announced by Wednesday May 27th at 10:00 pm EST right here!

***
Information + Inspiration [File 1]

Information + Inspiration [File 2]

Say Tweet @clrsimple2