Tags
200 words, courage, decision, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, Fear, growing up, happy, integrity, life, living in the moment, mission, Purpose, vision
The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
I don’t think Emerson is talking about career choice.
And I don’t think he means that you decide to be a rich person and drum roll please… you become one, for example.
I don’t even think it’s as simple as deciding you will be kind, or patient, or brave, or adventurous, or generous, or peaceful, or loyal, or even what you will look like; although making up your mind to be so can play a role in who you are.
But wanting to be any of the above, or any other way of being, is not enough.
You can’t simply wish for courage and be granted your wish. You must decide to act with courage when confronted with fear.
You become the person you’re destined to be based on all the decisions you make, or don’t make, along the way through the joys and struggles life sends your way.
~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~
None of us can be all things. But who we are individually is beautiful and together with who everyone else is, perhaps, encompasses all things.
talktodiana 
How true, we become what we decide/want to be. Now if we can find ways to deal with our obsessions, fears, etc.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Life is a journey, right Jean? I think we do learn ways to deal by living, trying, failing, trying again, gaining some ground, falling back, failing, trying again… ❤
Diana xo
LikeLike
I agree, Diana. Some elbow grease has to accompany the wishing. Your dream will not arrive without some effort to change what you’re doing. Great message. To me, this ties into what Ponyboy discovers in “The Outsiders.” 😉
LikeLike
I love the tie-in Judy – thank you! ❤
Diana xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Diana Thankfully life does allow for second chances if we stuff it up, well it does for some. I guess when it boils down to it I would like to be remembered for how I made people feel. If I got it right then I lived a decent life being who I am suppose to be.
LikeLike
What a great measuring stick Kath! ❤
Diana xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s so true! 😀
LikeLike
It’s like staging a play that only runs the one time, so you want it to turn out really well. Everyone you know is in the audience, and there are no do overs!
LikeLike
Ha! Love that metaphor Smitty. Maybe there’s some wriggle room between scenes though?? ❤
Diana xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great Post Diana!
LikeLike
Thank you Ute! ❤
Diana xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m still trying to decide who I should be… great post..
LikeLike
Thanks bulldog! 🙂
Diana xo
LikeLike
Eloquently written Diana. I agree we must help to create our own destiny.
LikeLike
Thanks Sue! ❤
Diana xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Diana,
So beautifully said.
-Alan
LikeLike
Thanks so much Alan! ❤
Diana xo
LikeLike
I struggle with some aspects of this … fairness versus forgiveness … feeling versus thinking … calm versus action warrior. I sometimes wonder whether I can be all that I want to be when there are two sides on every coin.
LikeLike
I think there can be a difference between who you want to be and who you are. What do you think Elizabeth? ❤
Diana xo
LikeLike
Yes, there can be a difference. I am finding that now. And I am now wanting to bridge that gap.
LikeLike
I’m no spring chicken, Diana, but I still think of myself as a work in progress!
LikeLike
I guess we all are, right Jennifer? ❤
Diana xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t know anymore who I was supposed to be (although I do remember briefly wanting to be an acrobat when I was younger!) No I am just learning how to ‘be’ and ‘do’ on a daily basis so have kind of let bigger ambitions/aspirations (to be the writer I always wanted to be) have a bit of a rest. Not sure if this makes sense but that’s where I’m at at the moment and it’s quite good (I think!) xxxx Thanks Diana, for getting me to think about all of this!
LikeLike
Career paths aside, you are compassionate, caring, sensitive, loving, hopeful, optimistic…these are just some of the qualities I see. ❤
Diana xo
And with all the things you take care of and manage, seems to me you are an acrobat – figuratively!
LikeLike
Yes, Diana, you are right and wise. It takes a lot of decisions and actions to be what we are. Have a great week, my friend. ❤
LikeLike
Thanks, you too Mark. ❤
Diana xo
LikeLike
It is a gift to feel free to live and speak our truth Diana. So many cannot do this. A wonderful reminder to us all. 🙂
LikeLike
It is a gift Karen, and so are you. ❤
Diana xo
LikeLike
Self actualization: ah.
LikeLike
Indeed, Jay – thanks for stopping by. ❤
Diana xo
LikeLike
This beautiful post, short as it is, perhaps encompasses all things. Thanks, Diana. ❤ xo
LikeLike
Your continued encouragement encompasses most things Ann. ❤
Diana xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yeah you are so right, I have thought this for many years myself
LikeLike
Thank you Jo-Anne! ❤
Diana xo
LikeLike
I think we know when we are being who we are supposed to be by the feeling it gives us. For me that shows up as a sense of joy, warmth and a sense that I’m “more” then when I’m not being who I’m supposed to be. The “more” for me speaks to giving my world all I have to give in those moments. Thanks for a thought provoking Sunday post!
LikeLike
I like that you’re in tune enough to recognize when you are living who you are Ian. One of these days I want to hear how your coaching business is going! ❤
Diana xo
LikeLike
Love this Diana! We decide and then have to manifest it 🙂
Although I do like Don’s comment as well!
LikeLike
Thanks Val, you are such an encouragement to me. ❤
And I love Don's comment too – We all need to be as committed to who we are as Don is to who he is. ❤
Diana xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
― Oscar Wilde
🙂
LikeLike
Yes! Love that quote Val!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another beautiful quote and message, My Friend. Thank you for sharing both.
LikeLike
Thank you so much Russ! ❤
Diana xo
LikeLike
this is a good one Diana – I recently read somewhere ( maybe here 🙂 ) that we can ask ourselves:
If I were a “kind/any attribute you want/” person what would I be like, what kind of things would I do – then act that way.
LikeLike
I love that Bill – a great question! ❤
Diana xo
LikeLike
I think it is to have a Vision for your life and follow that Vision. To me, that means choosing the kind of qualities you wish to have. Something that a person feels all the way down to their toes. For instance, being Creative or a person who deeply cares about animals or an Explorer or searching for answers. Once you have found that quality, all others will fall into place.
LikeLike
Thanks for weighing in Don. In some ways, who we are is chosen for us and we merely discover and follow our path. What do you think? ❤
Diana xo
LikeLike
I do agree. But we don’t have to follow that way if we choose not too. I am a strong believer in karma as well as the tao te ching. The tao teaches that the road to happiness is one of balance and harmony. When we focus on balance and harmony, that is when we are happiest. For me, that usually occurs when I am being creative.
LikeLike
I love that you follow your path Don!
LikeLike
I like these quotes Diana.
LikeLike
Thank you Maria and welcome to TALKTODIANA! ❤
Diana xo
LikeLike
Fabulous. Some of my favorite quotes come from Emerson. Inspired !! ☺ Van
LikeLike
Happy to hear it Van!! ❤
Diana xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have you watched Tom Shadyac’s documentary, I am?
He speaks so beautifully to what you write.
http://www.iamthedoc.com/
LikeLike
I have not Louise. Thanks for the link, I’ll have a look later today! ❤
Diana xo
LikeLike
Seems to me just ‘being’ at all is hard enough… xx
LikeLike
I know it does, Laura. *hugs* ❤
Diana xo
LikeLike