Here’s a great track about this lesson:

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In it I find joy, sadness, tragedy, forgiveness, everything.

See if it speaks to you too.

I’ve loved Django’s music ever since I discovered it about twenty years ago.

His story is incredible, which may explain his gift as a musician. A Romani gypsy living in France, he had a tragic accident in his early twenties (a fire in his caravan) which left him with severe injuries.

There’s a beautiful story of how he lay in his hospital bed in Paris, all but dead to the world. His brother lay the guitar next to him, and that saved his life.

At the time of the accident, he was already a working musician playing in the music halls of Paris. The accident disfigured him, leaving him with the use of only two fingers on his left hand, the hand he used to fret the chords.

Where most would have given up, he adapted his playing to overcome it and, in a lovely twist of fate, created a new genre of music.

To this day, when you play gypsy jazz (as I often attempt to), it always sounds better when you use two fingers.

He was most prolific in the 1930s and recording some amazing tracks with violin virtuoso Stefan Grappeli under the Hot Club De France moniker.

Every year, gypsy jazz fans descend on the village of his birth, Samois Sur Seine, just south of Paris to jam all through the night around campfires.

I did the pilgrimage in 2019 with my mate Ben in my campervan.

It was magical

What happens at Samois festival, lots of impromptu gypsy jazz jams all through the day and night ^^^

The post The Song That Speaks To Me The Most (Despite Having no Words) appeared first on Some Wise Words.

You see, we spent a large portion of our lives without contact. Around 20 years, from the age of eight to my early thirties, we had almost no contact. Birthdays and Christmas’s went, and nothing. He was all but gone from my life. I largely considered I had no Dad over this period. I learned to block it out.

At the first chance I could, I left my home town of Hull and moved abroad to Spain for five years, then Japan, trying to get as far away from it as possible.

But a very odd thing happened in Japan. I decided to get in touch with Dad. I lived in an ancient, rural part of Japan famous for the Samarai. Surrounded by rice paddies, chirping cicadas and karaoke bars, I met some lovely people.

My boss, “Kyokucho” as I’d call him, was a lovely man. The sort of man who can look into your soul without even speaking. He came one day and gave me a piece of decorative wood with the words “South Mountain Happiness” he’d handwritten in Japanese (I still have it hung up in my house now). He was fun, charming, and most importantly, a father figure.

I’ve never really joined the dots, but being so far away and feeling that connection with Kyokucho led me to ringing my Dad.

I looked up his name, rang a couple of wrong numbers. “This is a waste of time, he won’t want to hear from me anyway,” I thought. But I persisted.

Then I struck gold. “Is Bryan there?” I asked. “Sorry he’s out at the moment, who is this?” his late Wife said. “It’s his son, Gerard”, I said. Then she uttered the words that rocked my brain, “this is the phone call he’s been waiting his whole life for! Can you ring back?”

I put the phone down, totally confused. He actually wanted this? I’d spent the last 20 years thinking he didn’t care, and now I’m hearing he actually did.

I rang back a bit later, and he answered. “Hello Gerard…”.

“I’m really glad you’ve called” he said. When I mentioned I was calling from Japan, he paused. He’d also worked in Japan, and loved it too. He apparently had a bottle of Whiskey with his name on it in a Tokyo bar somewhere.

I was due back to the UK for a family wedding in a couple of months, so we agreed to meet up for a meal in Manchester.

“You’ve got real balls doing this” I remember him saying as we glanced across a table at each other on Deansgate. He was delighted to see me and very proud of my family traits, “the Richardson is strong in you.” He kept saying “You look really fit, you look really fit.”

We met up a handful of times over the next few years, once to see England play the All Blacks at Twickenham. I’d be lying if I said it was easy. Those formative years of father-son bonding had been lost, and the conversations often ventured into the past. As Loudon Wainwright III says so beautifully in the song The Days that We Die, “the past keeps getting in the way”.

“You have to purge all this hate” he once said. He was right.

With the help of family, friends, and a touch of therapy, I learned to do that over the years.

I think becoming a Dad and Husband showed me just how hard it can be sometimes. To his credit, despite all my anger, he was always there, he always answered the phone. I learned not to judge.

The last few times I spoke to Dad I always made a point of being nice, to keep it jovial. I’d purged the hate.

His Passing

I always wondered how would I find out about his passing. In his 80s now, it was going to happen sooner or later, I thought. How would I even know? I knew he had two daughters from his second family who I’d never met. I didn’t know if they would tell me, how would they even find me? I didn’t know if he ever mentioned me.

Then I got the call. “Hi Gerard. It’s Alicia, your half sister. I wanted you to know that Dad has passed away.”

I broke down and literally couldn’t speak. “Will call you back,” I said. It had happened, and I’d just spoken to a half sister for the first time.

After composing myself, I rang back. We spoke, and spoke, and spoke. Despite the sadness, we were both buzzing about speaking to a sibling we’d never met and only ever heard about (yes, my Dad had mentioned us quite a bit as it happened). I was put on speaker phone so Davinia, the other half-sister I’d never met, could hear the conversation.

I then rang my brother and sister to tell them the news. I said to my sister Clare “I’m going to send you Alicia’s number”, why don’t you give her a call, not really expecting her to. Amazingly, Clare rang her. “Alicia’s lovely”, she said afterwards.

I knew that going to the funeral would be massively emotional, and part of me just wanted to bury my head in the sand. Until literally a couple of days before, I was still undecided whether I could handle it. Most friends and family I spoke to gently urged me to go, but I still wasn’t sure. “How will everyone react?” “I resemble him physically a lot, this will be too much for everyone and me” I thought.

My sister Clare, the eldest of us three, demonstrated amazing courage. Despite all the reasons not to go, she kept coming back to the same phrase “But it’s the right thing to do.”

So we went.

The Funeral

It was one of the toughest things I’ve ever done. I stood outside the chapel, not knowing where to put myself. I saw a woman ushering people in, and said “Are you Alicia?”. “No, I wish I was, I’m one of her friends” she laughed. “Who are you?” “I’m her half brother.” “What really?”.

I looked over my shoulder and I could see the funeral cortege approaching. The friend said “come in with me” and in I went, found the first seat I could, and sat down. Up I looked, and there was Dad’s picture.

“Everyone please stand,” I heard, and Louis Armstrong’s We Have All The Time In The World played and in came the coffin right in front of me, followed by his daughters. I immediately saw Alicia for a split second and we both sobbed. It was the first time we’d ever seen each other!

Funerals are never easy, but this service was understandably really tough. I had suggested his final song to the girls, Van Morrison’s Into the Mystic, and when that finally came on it was gorgeous and heartbreaking. I closed my eyes. “I don’t have to fear it.”

As everyone funnelled out, the three of us went up to the coffin and said bye. “Lets go meet our new family,” I said.

We came out the chapel and there the girls where.

We hugged and said hello. It was both surreal and mezmerising. The family bond between us, the Richardson gene, despite us never being in each others lives was so strong. We met their gorgeous kids. “You’re so like Martha my daughter” I said to one of their daughters.

The words “I think we need a drink!” quickly followed, so off we all went to the wake, absolutely buzzing.

The wake was amazing. We got to talk to the girls some more, and meet some more people. Of course, lots of Dad’s old mates and their wives were there too. When they realised it was us, they couldn’t believe it. They were overcome with joy too.

It was bittersweet that Dad wasn’t there to see all five of us together. Everyone kept saying how much he’d have loved to see it.

Here’s a picture of the five of us together for the first time.

Thoughts and Reflections

Quite a thing, isn’t it!

I’m so immensely proud of us all. For us three to have the courage to go, but also for the two half-sisters to welcome us with open arms, was amazing. I said to a couple of people at the wake “we’re righting a wrong,” and it really feels that way.

The five of us had so much catching up to do. The girls didn’t know much of the Richardson family history as my Dad hadn’t spoken much about it. We told them about our French ancestry (we fled France during the French Revolution, apparently), the unclaimed Richardson land (that was lost when the brothers had a fall out, seeing a theme?!). A lots of anecdotes about our Dad that we didn’t know and vice versa.

After the wake, we decided to go to his favourite pub in Beverley (where many of us were born) and had more drinks and talked some more. We all had very similar senses of humour, lots of laughter, it just felt incredible.

Just before we left, the girls gave me his signet ring that I’ve worn ever since. The girls were thrilled that I was going to give it new life. “He’d have loved that” they said.

It was such a special day. Alicia got it right when she said “Out of the darkness, comes light.” It really feels that way. We chose peace over conflict. We stopped the cycle of hurt. We fixed our family fissure in the Universe!

Dad was such a character, that even his death had to be an event. Well he delivered on that, in spades!

In our Dad’s passing we found each other. How sweet is that!

“Good show”, I think he’d say. RIP Dad.

Songs that Helped me Through

A Father and A Son – Loudon Wainwright III

A wonderful song by Loudon Wainwright III about Father and Son relationships. I love the guitar, fiddle and most importantly, the lyrics. It’s joyous, emotional, simply wonderful! “When we were together it was always rough.” “Maybe it’s hate, probably it’s love.”

The Days That We Die – Loudon Wainwright III

Another by Loudon, I first heard The Days That We Die a few years ago. I loved it then, and it always resonated with me as it discusses fractious family relationships. When I got the news of my Dad’s death, I remembered this song and listened to it a lot. I love the monologue at the start and his mention of a “realignment”. When his son Rufus Wainwright joins him in the song, its just awesome.

Into the Mystic – Van Morrison

I suggested this song be played as Dad’s final song, and the girls had it added. I’ve no idea if Dad was a Van Morrison fan, but this song, Into the Mystic, is awe-inspiring. In death Dad is going “into the mystic” (the unknown). “Let your soul and spirit fly, into the mystic.”

The Rising Souls – Dangermuffin

I listened to this song a lot the day before the funeral as I headed up north on the train. I’m not sure who the rising souls are, is it Dad, is it us? I love the opener… “I feel a new day, I feel a new day, and it’s one that we have not known”.

I Shall Be Released – Uplowman Ft. Ben

A month or so after writing this, I went to see my best mate Ben in Spain where I used to live. We recorded a version of Dylan’s I Shall Be Released. You’ll see some AI generated of Dad dancing at Butlins (hint: Uplowman is me :-))

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Anyway, I realised that if you start studying yourself (start “a bug book” – more on that in another post) it’s quite easy to spot what’s going wrong.

For me, the tell-tale signs were:

• I was feeling frustrated a lot more than usual
• I was getting overly judgmental about others (I’m usually pretty indifferent to how others choose to live)
• I was becoming short-tempered
• I was experiencing sudden shifts in mood, getting overly emotional about stuff
• I was laughing less

I was feeling, shall we say, “a mess,” and I knew some journaling (read more about the power of journaling here) was needed to get to the bottom of it. I realized I was getting some of the basics completely wrong.

Some wayward thoughts/beliefs/lifestyle choices had crept in without me realizing it.

These were:

• Not getting enough sleep. Going to bed too late (1 or 2 in the morning), and with kids in the house and school-runs needed at 8AM everyday (I get woken at 6:30 whether I like it or not) was leaving me with 4 to so hours of broken sleep. I justified it as “I’m a night owl”, but that’s rather silly.
• When I stayed up late, I was often writing or making videos. My brain was wired. Not good.
• I wasn’t getting daily exercise. I walk the dog, but that’s not the same as a cardio workout.
• I wasn’t reading enough. I’d fallen out of the habit of reading. If I had to chart the times my life had gone off the rails in the past few years, I’m sure I wasn’t reading much.
• I was drinking too regularly. I’d perhaps not drink Monday or Tuesday, but from Wednesday through Sunday, I’d have at least a couple of drinks each night.
• I wasn’t talking to enough people. I really love talking, especially friends who like to “go deep” on subjects.
• I wasn’t writing. I love what writing does to me. I can’t define what it is, but it sorts me out. I’ve been writing journals for the past few years, but I’d fallen out of the habit.

Those are some of the main reasons my life felt like it had gone awry. Anyway, back to the conversation I mentioned at the start of this post.

My friend mentioned something that really struck me, and it’s so true and what I needed to hear. It was this:

” Every action is a vote for the future you”

I love that. All the tiny things add up.

So what should I change? (lets call this “the adjacent possible”.)

• Get daily exercise first thing in the morning. I always forget about the “runners high” you get after you’ve been out.
• Write daily. I’ve increasingly started to publish here a lot of what I would have kept private before.
• Do more random acts of kindness (read about those here). They’re amazing for you.
• I really love growing things. In the spring / summer months I’m always outside in the garden, and have recently started growing veg. I read that you get a natural hit of seratonin (your natural happy drug) just by working with the soil. I know I get a peaceful feeling when I’m working on my plot. The problem is the UK isn’t great in the Winter months, but I could easily build a poly-tunnel or greenhouse and grow through the rainy months.
• I love making stuff too. As well as writing, I like writing songs and doing the occasional video (you can see my appreciation of Peter Gabriel here.)
• My diet is pretty good, but it could be better. I want to get better at avoiding processed food, especially snacks. Hard with kids in the house as there’s always some temptation at arms reach, but I’m getting better at grabbing fruit rather than a Kit-Kat!
• Getting better at connecting with my family outside of my immediate wife and kids. Its so easy not to do things, but I’m always reminded whenever I see my family how good it feels. I also have a new family to get to know which I wrote about here.
• Spending more quality time with my kids. I recently started playing golf with my son, and I loved it. It was probably the best quality time I’ve had with my son in recent times. It was just us two out on a beautiful course, and was really magical. I never got to play with my Dad, so it feels great to do this. The picture above is of my son Jack on the 3rd hole at Tiverton Golf Club.

What do you have on your list?

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I’d just got back from my morning run with the dog. Middle aged man, lycra on. No, don’t go there.

Anyway…

Across from where I live there’s a little green park area. I noticed a couple of gardeners had just arrived, getting tools out of their van.

I strolled up to them, asked “here to mow the lawns are you guys?”

“Yep”, they said, probably expecting me to start nagging at them. “Make sure you do this right this time” or similar.

Then these words came out my mouth, and I was as surprised as they were…

“If you fancy a cup of tea guys, I’ll bring some over. I just live here.”

Their faces lit up. “Thank you, that would be great.”

Then I smiled, walked back in, made some brews and took them over.

Job done.

Here’s what struck me about that little episode that took all of about 30 seconds and a couple of cuppas.

• It was free – didn’t cost me a thing
• It made me feel great
• By the look on their faces, it made them feel good too

Lets call these random acts of kindness.

I like to think it started a tiny chain reaction of good will. Maybe next time one of those guys is in a situation where they could make a random act of kindness, maybe they’re more likely to?

Here’s the thing:

If that was a friend instead of a gardener I’d never met before, I’d have done the same.

Why does that courtesy only have to apply to friends?

It doesn’t. It shouldn’t.

After all, look at us from a distance and we’re a spec of dust in an infinite universe. Regardless of whether someone is a friend or not, we’re all “friends.”

Here’s one of the best pictures ever taken. I think it might be the best for it’s mind-bending effect.

The photo even has a name, Pale Blue Dot. Its a photograph of Earth taken on February 14, 1990, by the Voyager 1 space probe from over 6 billion kilometers away. The furthest away picture ever taken.

In a beam of light, how unbelievably beautiful that is.

Ok, back to random acts of kindness, cos lets face it…may as well be nice, we’re all nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Unless you’re religious, or believe in the simulation, but that’s for another time.

What could we do?

Lets have a think:

• unexpectedly compliment someone about how they look – e.g., “that really suits you” (not in the “suits you” way like from The Fast Show – well, maybe a bit ;p).
• tell someone they did something good – big up to my friend Darren here, who randomly told me how impressed he was I’d got through a tricky work situation.
• unexpectedly tell someone about how special a person they are – e.g., “I really appreciate you as a friend”. Someone said this to me a few months ago (it’s rare!) and I still remember how good I felt. I have since said this to other friends who have similarly almost broken into tears just hearing me say it!
• calling someone out of the blue for a natter (an old friend, a distant relative). Even just someone you communicate a lot with via text, trying calling them.
• offer to help someone out the blue. In business, it could be introducing someone you know to someone else.
• gift someone a book with your thoughts on why they may like it.
• buy someone a random drink (try it at the bar with the bartender, “get yourself one too”). My mate Edd does that all the time, and that’s why every bartender knows his name!
• being friendly and nice to random people you encounter in your day to day life. Living in cities can make you think ignoring people is the way to behave. It’s not. The minute you spend time in more rural areas you realise how nice it is just to chat to strangers!

So many of these things we don’t do out of awkwardness, especially if you’re British. It’s easier not to.

But, let me remind you…

Pale Blue Dot.

Song Recommendation – (Burgs – Mt. Wolf)

Featuring a gorgeous discourse from spiritual teacher and meditation expert Guy Burgs, this is awesome.

“The chance to be part of this happens briefly. The invitation is not to show how inventive and imaginative you are, but how much you can notice what you’re already part of. And appreciate it and share it. And care about those who are around you. Look out for their welfare while you’re looking out for your own. That’s it. Then you’ll get to the end of it having had an awesome time, knowing that’s something you’d recommend to others.”

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Are you ready?

It’s this…

You’re going to die soon.

Ok, hopefully you’re not going to die today or tomorrow, and not for many years yet. But that doesn’t mean you have infinite time ahead of you.

You don’t. You really don’t.

None of us do.

We are a flutter of a moth’s wing in the grand theatre of the universe.

You’re going to die soon.

Imagine, some wise looking guy (lets imagine Gandalf from Lord of the Rings) pulls you aside while you’re out doing your daily shop and whispers into your ear, “I know things. Today is your last day. Tomorrow it’s all over”.

What would you do?

You’d abandon your shopping trolley, run out the store, and start doing the things that really mattered.

Spending the last few hours with your kids, calling your best friends, calling that relative you find it hard to speak to, writing a poem or a song, looking up into the night sky, and realizing you’re a part of the stars and everything and that you’ll be going back to dust soon.

Godspeed, my friend.

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The three big decisions – what you do, where you live, and who you’re with.

Naval Ravikant

So, how true is this?

Let’s have a think…

What you do

We spend a huge chunk of our lives working. If it’s doing something we don’t enjoy, that’s a ton of time doing something that makes us miserable.

Of course, there are always people in worse positions than us. People are living in slums without clean water. Compared to these people, whatever we do to earn money is acceptible. We can’t complain, right.

But for the sake of argument, lets say we’re just considering “first worlders,” who can, within reason, do whatever they like.

The thing is, we so often “fall” into occupations. We reach an age where we need to find work, and we take the best option available at the time. It would be ludicrous to suggest those jobs we end up doing are the ones best suited for us.

It’s a crap shoot.

Some people fall into a job they love, and they never look back. Each day is another chance to practice the thing they love.

But how often is this really the case? Even a job that started out well can turn into drudgery. There’s such a thing as “too much of a good thing.”

I think it’s prudent to take moments throughout your career to think “do I really want to be doing this”? Of course, most of us have financial commitments (mortgages, etc.) so it’s not as easy as “up and leaving”, but change can be made slowly.

Even just the act of considering other things you could do is a good mental exercise. If you come back round to realising the job you’re doing actually is spot on, then you’ll feel better about it

Where you live

I moved to the countryside a couple of years ago, having lived in the outskirts of London for about 15 years, so this one is very “close” to me shall we say.

I was conversing with Derek Sivers a few weeks ago over email, remarking how travel is the “quick fix” for changing things up. I experienced pretty early on in my adult life the transformative effect that travel can have you on.

I came from a pretty backwards northern city in the UK, and when, at the age, of 23 I moved to Spain to live and work there, my little head almost exploded.

I’d dabbled in recreational substances, so knew what change on the inside felt like, but travel was 100X more powerful.

It made me feel like a completely different person.

With a family in tow these days, its not so straightforward to travel. A weekend here or there, sure, but the proper change comes when you live somewhere for a period. I’m not in a position to do that right now.

So what do you do when you’re in my position? My solution is to do this. Write, and meet other fellow “travellers of the mind” online.

I’m comforted by the George Harrison lyrics from the song, The Inner Light:

Without going out of my door
I can know all things of earth
Without looking out of my window
I could know the ways of heaven
The farther one travels
The less one knows
The less one really knows

George Harrison

Would I rather be in a hustling, bustling city of culture? Sure, sometimes I would. But I know how tiring those places can be as well.

Maybe you don’t need to physically travel anywhere?

Who you’re with

If what you do and where you live are both transitory, and to a large extent, a matter of chance, then who you’re with is no doubt similar.

If you think about all the millions of potential partners out there in the world, its sort of ridiculous to think the one you’re with now is meant to be. That’s the stuff we read in greetings cards.

Like with your job, there could be something else that you’re much better suited to. You just haven’t tried it, so how would you know? The same could be said for your partner. There’s bound to be potentially tons of other people who are much better suited to you. Its just you haven’t “tried” them, so how would you know?

Does that mean you give up on them now and start casting your line again? It depends. If the person you’re with is really bad for you (the equivalent of a really crappy job that you can’t stand), then putting together a plan to “leave that role” is a sensible thing to do.

After all, staying with someone just because that’s all you know is like sticking out a job that’s making you miserable. There’s absolutely no reason to do that, other than fear.

If your partner is ok, you might be the reason why the relationship isn’t working.

If that’s the case, then it’s time to look inward. What could you be doing to improve things? There’s no point in finishing a relationship with a perfectly good partner when really the issue is with you, because you’ll find the same thing happening next time you find someone you want to fix up with.

Summary

I agree with all three points to an extent, but I still think all these are external factors. Sure, changing what you do, where you live, and who you’re with have a MASSIVE impact on your life, but ultimately what’s happening on the inside is more important.

Learning to understand what works for you is the most important thing.

At the end of the day, you could live in the most exciting city on earth, doing the most exciting job, with a gorgeous, kind-hearted partner, and be miserable as sin.

What do you think?

The post The Three Big Decisions appeared first on Some Wise Words.

Reflecting on your own image can be an insightful experience. It’s not uncommon to fixate on imperfections, letting them overshadow the array of strengths that each of us possesses. Imagine shifting that focus, celebrating the unique positive attributes staring back at you from the glass pane.

Mirrors can sometimes provoke a sense of discomfort, but they also offer a chance for growth and self-acceptance. Use that reflection to nurture a positive self-view and embrace every part of your journey.

Our Favorite Quotes about Looking in the Mirror

“The mirror reflects not just your image, but the story of your strength, resilience, and grace.” – Dalai Lama

“Look in a mirror and one thing’s sure; what we see is not who we are.” – Richard Bach

“In the mirror, we see more than a reflection; we witness the evolution of our soul.”

Nelson Mandela

“Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and remove one accessory.” – Coco Chanel

“A mirror is a reminder that the person you see is a masterpiece in progress.” – Desmond Tutu

“Mirrors should think longer before they reflect.” – Jean Cocteau

“The mirror is a powerful tool because it forces you to deal with yourself on a deeper level.” – Mickalene Thomas

“Art is sometimes likened to a mirror… an expression of universal human truth, executed with a degree of skill.” – Sara Genn

“In the mirror’s gaze, find the courage to embrace your imperfections, for they make you beautifully human.”

Maya Angelou

“If you begin to think you’re something you’re not, you’re looking in the wrong mirror.” – Eugene Cernan

“Never trust a mirror,’ his mother had told him. ‘They never tell the truth unless you make them.” – Isobelle Carmody

“The world is a looking-glass, and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face. Frown at it, and it will in turn look sourly upon you; laugh at it and with it, and it is a jolly kind companion; and so let all young persons take their choice.” – William Makepeace Thackeray

“Books are mirrors: you only see in them what you already have inside you.” – Carlos Ruiz Zafon

“Water is the mirror of nature.” – Francis of Assisi

“I don’t care what people think about me. When I look in the mirror, I wanna like what I see.” – Kat Von D

“When I draw a character, very often as I’m doing a face, my face mirrors the expression.” – Matthew Ashford

“Every man carries with him through life a mirror, as unique and impossible to get rid of as his shadow”

W.H. Auden

“Silence. How long it lasted, I couldn’t tell. It might have been five seconds, it might have been a minute. Time wasn’t fixed. It wavered, stretched, shrank. Or was it me that wavered, stretched, and shrank in the silence? I was warped in the folds of time, like a reflection in a fun house mirror.” – Haruki Murakami

“The eye is not open when it is limited to the passive role of a mirror… if it has only the capacity to reflect.” – Andre Breton

“Good actors I’ve worked with all started out making faces in a mirror, and you keep making faces all your life.” – Bette Davis

“When I started working with mirrors, it seemed to be the perfect material to stand in for that waiting.” – Jim Hodges

“Film is a mirror. I want to see more filmmakers. We all want to see ourselves.” – Ava DuVernay

“I think it’s important to hold a mirror up to society and yourself.” – Ricky Gervais

“It’s what’s buried deep inside that frightens me because it’s broken, like a shattered mirror.” – Jessica Sorensen

“If art reflects life, it does so with special mirrors.” – Bertolt Brecht

“A game is like a mirror that allows you to look at yourself.” – Robert Kiyosaki

“Madness plants mirrors in the desert. I find the means frightening.” – Floriano Martins

“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.” – Sydney J. Harris

“I love mirrors,’ he had once heard Fulgrim say. ‘They let one pass through the surface of things.” – Graham McNeill

“Mirrors are perpetually deceitful. They lie and steal your true self. They reveal only what your mind believes it sees” – Dee Remy

“You can’t see the world through a mirror.” – Avril Lavinge

“Shadows cannot see themselves in the mirror of the sun.” – Evita Peron

“In the mirror, every scar tells a tale of survival, and every smile narrates a story of resilience.” – Nelson Mandela

“A mirror reflects the power of self-love; it’s not just glass, but a portal to your heart.”

Oprah Winfrey

“Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present and future.” – Gail Buckley

“I know that mirrors give us a false sense of confidence . I continued. The reflection that we see every day has nothing to do with how others see us. The glass lies.” – Rasmenia Massoud

“Nobody needs to prove to anybody what they’re worthy of, just the person that they look at in the mirror. That’s the only person you need to answer to.” – Picabo Street

“Mirrors don’t lie. They only show a part of truth. A broken mirror can enlarge a face up to a dimension of a small planet. A problem of reflection? A point of view.” – Lara Biyuts

“We look into mirrors but we only see the effects of our times on us – not our effects on others.” – Pearl Bailey

“A man’s manners are a mirror in which he shows his portrait.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“The mirror doesn’t show your limitations; it reflects the boundless potential that resides within you.” – Malala Yousafzai

“Stop saying these negative things about yourself. Look in the mirror and find something about yourself that’s positive and celebrate that!” – Tyra Banks

“In the mirror, find not just your image, but the echoes of your dreams and the footprints of your ambitions.” – Audrey Hepburn

“Look in the mirror. The face that pins you with its double gaze reveals a chastening secret.” – Diane Ackerman

“Inner beauty is never found in the mirror.”

Chloe Thurlow

“In old age, mirror is not a friend!” – Mehmet Murat ildan

“I have always found there to be a certain sadness about mirrors, since they double the space in a house which needs to be filled with love.” – Alan Bradley

“The mirror can lie. Doesn’t show you what’s inside. And it, it can tell you you’re full of life. It’s amazing what you can hide just by putting on a smile .” – Demi Lovato

“Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you’ll start to see a big difference in your life.”

Yoko Ono

“The only two words you should ever say to a mirror are ‘Hello, Beautiful.’” – Richelle E. Goodrich

“The world is full of fools, and he who would not see it should live alone and smash his mirror.” – Claude Le Petit

“Mirrors are ice which do not melt: what melts are those who admire themselves in them.” – Paul Morand

The post 52 Look in the Mirror Quotes for Self-Discovery and Growth appeared first on Some Wise Words.

Embracing this mindset has profound implications for your journey toward success and fulfillment. Quotes that encapsulate this sentiment serve as reminders that personal progress often requires a level of introspection and perseverance that is undisturbed by external influences. They suggest that by concentrating on our own lanes, we can foster an environment conducive to achieving our goals.

The Importance of Maintaining Your Path

In an era dominated by social media and digital platforms, the act of contrasting one’s success with that of others is commonplace. Scrolling through social media feeds exposes you to the seemingly flawless lives of your peers, complete with career triumphs and ideal relationships. However, this (false) digital window often leads to unfavorable comparisons. “Why is everyone else’s life so good?” it makes you think.

Advantages of concentrating on one’s personal journey include:

• Reduced Anxiety: By focusing on personal achievements, individuals can sidestep the stress that arises from constant comparison.
• Self-Approval: One can pursue goals without seeking external validation, thus reinforcing self-worth.
• Recognizing Individual Timelines: Accepting that milestones occur at different stages for everyone can alleviate the pressure to conform to a certain life trajectory.

Individuals thrive when they embrace their own route, understanding that while some may encounter significant milestones early on, others may meet them further down the road. It’s not about the speed of reaching these milestones but about moving forward at a pace that suits your own narrative. The key is to stay focused on forging a personal path that aligns with your values and aspirations.

Our Favorite Quotes about Staying in Your Lane

1. “Stay in your own lane. Comparison kills creativity and joy.” – Brena Brown

2. “You can only run your own race. Stay in your lane. Don’t look at what others are doing. Those that look back in the race usually fall off.” – Oprah Winfrey

3. “We shine our brightest for God when we stay in our own lane.” – Bomi Jolly

4. “My lane is evolving the consciousness of people.” – Oprah Winfrey

5. “Stay in your lane. Live within your means. Heed that advice, and you’ll never ever go wrong, you know.” – Anonymous

6. “Stay in your lane and replace competitive energy with a picture of success for you.” – Jackie Cantoni

7. “You can only run your own race. Stay in your lane.” – Oprah Winfrey

8. “I went up a straight crooked lane and, I said ‘No thanks, yes if yer, please.” – Jack Finney

9. “Stay in your lane, on your road, and in your world.” – Iyanla Vanzant

10. “Everybody has a lane. Everybody has something that they can contribute.” – Tarana Burke

11. “Stay in your lane. If you’re good enough, people will move to you.” – Russell Simmons

12. “Each spiritual journey has a right to its own fulfillment. We must learn how to stay in our lane.” – T.F. Hodge

13. “Don’t believe the hype. I don’t care how many number ones you have at the box office, I don’t care how much they say you’re great, don’t believe it. Just stay in your lane and do what you’re supposed to do.” – Tyler Perry

14. “When everything is coming your way, you’re probably in the wrong lane.” – Tom Snyder

15. “You get farther in life if you know when to stay in your lane.” – Carlos Wallace

16. “I really don’t care to be criticized. I stay in my lane and do me.” – O. T. Genasis

17. “Stay in your lane. Don’t look at what others are doing. Those that look back in the race usually fall off.” – Oprah Winfrey

18. “Stay and succeed in your lane so that other people’s success will not keep driving you insane, save yourself some baseless stress.” – Adeleke Adeite

19. “Who wants to live in a world where you can only stay in the lane of your birth?” – Bari Weiss

20. “If you persistently seek validation from others, you will inadvertently invalidate your own self-worth.” – Dodinsky

21. “Don’t be minding other people’s spiritual business. Stay in your car. In your lane. On your road. In your world.” – Iyanla Vanzant

22. “I know where my lane is, and I know how to stay in my lane. My lane is evolving the consciousness of people.” – Oprah Winfrey

23. “When you experience the power of staying in your own lane, you will never want to come out of it again. Know yourself, know your worth.” – Anonymous

24. “This isn’t life in the fast lane; it’s life in the oncoming traffic.” – Terry Pratchett

25. “Stay in your lane & compare yourself to your best self.” – Ebony Brown

26. “I know where my lane is, and I know how to stay in my lane.” – Oprah Winfrey

27. “I don’t worry about timings or what somebody else is doing in another lane.” – Hima Das

28. “When you’re in your own lane, there’s no traffic.” – Ava DuVernay

29. “Show up, do your best, let go of the rest—and stay in your lane.” – Leeza Gibbons

30. “Stay in your lane and compare yourself to your best self.” – Ebony Brown

31. “I just stay in my own lane and not worry about what anyone else is doing and settling my own pace.” – Roddy Ricch

32. “You’re here for a reason, and we can’t wait to see what that is. Stay in your lane. Run that race.” – Grace Gealey

33. “Know your lane and stay true there. We all belong somewhere, don’t try to trim yourself to fit where you don’t belong.” – Piet Ntema

34. “Stay in your lane and shine for god!” – Bomi Jolly

35. “Stay in your lane and find value in your part in God’s ultimate plan.” – TD Jakes

36. “If you meet the Buddha in the lane, feed him the ball.” – Phil Jackson

37. “I know what I can do, I know who I am. I just stay in my own lane.” – Danny Garcia

38. “We must learn to accept the calling God has given us. Get a clear understanding of what God has called you to do. Stay in your lane and find value in your part in God’s ultimate plan.” – TD Jakes

39. “God gives everyone a lane, and no one can beat you in your lane.” – Tyler Perry

40. “Don’t be eager to run with crowds; stay in your lane.” – Big Krit

41. “Stay in your car in your lane on your road in your world. Stay in your own lane.” – Iyanla Vanzant

42. “Stay in your lane, the right people will find you.” – Anonymous

43. “You don’t have to stay in your lane when it comes to friendship or ideas.” – Will.I.Am

44. “Never change for the mainstream—stay in your lane, and if you’re talented and resilient enough, the mainstream will come to you.” – Russel Simmons

45. “Stay in your own lane. Comparison kills creativity and joy.” – Brene Brown

46. “You’re not in competition with anyone but yourself. Stay in your own lane and resist the urge to try to compete with others.” – Germany Kent

47. “Don’t be eager to run with crowds; stay in your lane. Pass the knowledge on to your team, but carry the flame. ‘Cuz it’s yours and yours alone to brighten your way.” – Big Krit

48. “One thing I don’t do is try to keep up. I do my own thing, stay in my own lane, and ride my own wave.” – Anonymous

49. “Everybody over here has their own lane. I got my own lane, Millz has his own lane, and Gudda has his own lane. That way, we never crash into each other, and there’s no feeling about having to keep up with the next man. As long as we stay in our lane, then we will all get to the finish line together.” – Lil Chuckee

50. “Stay in your lane. In all areas of life. Always observe and walk away. Do your journey and let others do theirs.” – Anonymous

51. “We need you. The best version of you. You’re here for a reason, and we can’t wait to see what that is. Stay in your lane. Run that race.” – Grace Gealey

52. “Stay in your lane and do your thing.” – Matt Hogan

53. “You’ll never get to where you’re going if you’re lost on someone else’s path.” – Dulce

54. “The most challenging aspect of living is staying in your lane.” – T.F. Hodge

55. “I have always thought of music as a highway with many lanes.” – Marvin Hamlisch

56. “Keep calm and stay in your lane.” – Mary Covert

57. “Everyone has their own lane; stay in your own lane. If you follow someone in their lane, you will be taken for a ride. Stay focused and be patient.” – Anonymous

58. “Stay in your lane; the right people will find you.” – Anonymous

59. “Stay in your own lane. Comparison kills creativity and joy.” – Brené Brown

60. “Show up, do your best, let go of the rest – and stay in your lane.” – Leeza Gibbons

61. “I know what I can do. I know who I am. I just stay in my own lane.” – Danny Garcia

The post 61 Stay in Your Lane Quotes to Help You Keep on Track appeared first on Some Wise Words.

There are countless examples. One player is dominant and looks untouchable; you think, “It’s a done deal; they’re going to win.” Then, out of nowhere, the tables turn, and the dominant one is on the back foot, as the opponent starts building in confidence. It’s awful to see. The once domineering player becomes totally discombobulated. “I had this,” you can see them thinking, “What’s happening?!!”

Sport, of course, is just a microcosm of life. Momentum plays a big part in every aspect of our lives, whether we know it or not. Think about a time you did something you’re proud of. Chances are, it wasn’t easy. Achievements rarely are. I bet it took perseverance, determination, bloody-mindedness, and the rest. What kept you going? Momentum.

I have these two quotes written above my desk:

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it”

Goethe

“The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too”

W.H. Murray

They’re both about momentum.

Really, it means this: When you start doing something, it creates energy that carries you on.

Here’s the thing: Most of us don’t start things. Okay, we move house, we find new jobs, we do the stuff to get by, but often, we don’t dream big enough. Why? Because we fool ourselves into thinking it’s too big, too bold. But as Goethe says, “boldness has genius, power and magic” in it. In other words, when you take something on that is bold, you get a helping hand. “Providence” moves too, as W.H. Murray says.

Think of it like a computer game. You start on your quest to take the ring to Mount Doom in Mordor, and it feels like a completely impossible task. But you find energy along the way. Frodo in Lord of the Rings got lots of help, didn’t he.

I have these two quotes above my desk to remind me that I’m capable of doing more than my lizard brain thinks.

I can speak from experience. This is exactly what happened to me over the last few years. I took on a ridiculously big goal (more on that in another post) that I didn’t think I could pull off until I did.

So, know this: there are energy “top-ups” along the way that will keep you going. So dream big, and don’t let those gremlins in your head convince you otherwise.

The post The Hidden Power of Momentum appeared first on Some Wise Words.