Today is the most important moment in your life. It is. The past can’t be changed; the future is unknowable. But the present is different. You can do something here. You can act upon it, begin to change your life, draft the first paragraph of that book you always wanted to write, start a new…More
Tag Archives: lifelessons
Her naked voice will make you feel
She opened her mouth and sang, her naked voice pure and beautiful made the air ache. It was a Kurdish song with Kurdish words that I didn’t understand but I could feel itsmeaning, echoing, as it resonated through my body and pierced my soul. It was haunting— hauntingly beautiful. It wasn’t a scream; it wasn’t…More
One of the most surprising things about love
Love cannot be forced. It can only be found, discovered, like a jewel unearthed. You may feel unlovable. You may feel unloved. But, love is there, waiting–waiting for you–longing to embrace you as much as you long to be embraced. Wait for it. Often, it finds us when we least expect it. When we stop…More
Sometimes surviving is the best you should do
Some days just suck and feel like hell. That’s when the best thing you can do is survive. It’s when you want to throw up your hands and just give in and quit that you need to know this. Sometimes surviving is good enough. When everything seems to go wrong, and you feel like a…More
One of the best words to use when you feel bad
“Again” is a common word, but for those who’ve failed, been rejected, feel ashamed, it’s incredibly powerful. It means you get to start afresh; you get to find new love or rekindle an old one after feeling unlovable; you get to do that thing you never thought you would be able to do after failing…More
This is the best way to see your story
The story of your life is unfolding right now, at this very moment. Choose what you will do today, how you will invest your time, what you will learn, how you will grow, who you will be. The pen is in your hand; the ink is flowing. Tell your story. Tell it the way you…More
A truth that will help you reach your dreams
You are greater than you know. You are more than you believe. No matter what credentials, diplomas, status, or net worth you have (or don’t have), you possess the power to change your surroundings, your habits, your career, your life. You are more powerful than you know. What you say, think, and do impacts those…More
This is what you need to create
Uninterrupted time is the fodder for creativity. As yeast is to bread, solitude is to the creative process—essential. Without the quiet moments and lingering stillness, words that move us wouldn’t be as moving, paintings that stir us wouldn’t be as stirring, inventions that help us wouldn’t be as helpful. Creation best happens in the quiet…More
An important thing I learned from being laughed at
Everyone laughed, and I was the butt of the joke. I hated it. But I realized something about life. A group of us sat around a large circular dining table, and a newly married couple started talking about how they met. It was a great story with surprising twists and turns. And then a guy…More
Sometimes to forget is the most powerful thing you can do
Sometimes forgetting is the best thing you can do to become who you were meant to be. Forget that you feel like a failure and that you can’t do this or that and the mistake you made back then. Forget thinking that you’re not enough, that you don’t look a certain way, have the credentials,…More
John Pa 