The Story of Your Life

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beauty, compassion, courage, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, grief, growing up, growth, health, journey, kindness, loss, pain, strong, struggles, time, wounded

That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.

Friedrich Nietzsche

I recently read that when you want to bulk up your muscles by working out, it tears your muscle and creates a scar. That scar is what makes your muscle bulkier and makes you stronger.

Reading that reminded me of the above quote.

Every scar. Every physical, emotional and spiritual wound. Every stretch mark you endure, tells the story of your life. It shows what you have endured and survived, and makes you stronger.

Our scars make us stronger. They make us more beautiful, more uniquely us, and as an extra bonus, more compassionate and kind toward others. They tell the story of our life.

But just as with any workout routine, you first decide to be healthier, you embrace the current discomfort, you work through the pain, you rest when you need to, and then do it again. it takes time to see the results.

Consider this the next time you feel broken.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

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Unbecoming

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200 words, authentic, conform, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, Happiness, journey, judging, life, love, struggles, talents, true to yourself

Maybe the journey isn’t so much about becoming anything. Maybe it’s about unbecoming everything that isn’t really you, so you can be who you were meant to be in the first place.

If you’ve ever tried to please everyone at the same time, you probably know firsthand how utterly impossible it is to do so.

If you’ve ever tried to toe the company line when you didn’t necessarily agree with it, you are probably familiar with that unsettling feeling you get in your stomach when you are not being true to yourself.

Yet we spend a lot of our lives trying to squeeze ourselves into acceptable societal and familial moulds because it makes life easier, things just go more smoothly if we conform to the way things are.

We wonder what is wrong with us; that we don’t see things in the same way as the majority and we struggle to become who we think we are meant to be.

Are we actually struggling against ourselves?

Fortunately for me, the older I get, the less insecure I am about living my life authentically.

Maybe our journey is more about finally unbecoming everything we are not.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

Today Is Your Day!

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200 words, believe, calling, community, destination, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, dreams, Fear, goals, growing up, journey, laughter, life, living in the moment, love, mission, mountain, passion, Purpose, vision

Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So get on your way. ~ Dr. Seuss

I think we often view the Mountain as a barrier that we’re trying to get around

as something that stands in our way.

Something that needs to be obliterated in order to achieve that which we desire to achieve.

And I guess that it can be, depending on the metaphor we’re going for.

But what if your mountain is your calling?

What if climbing it is the point, not getting around it or blasting through it? What if the journey to get to the top is what gives you the very skills you need to accomplish what you’re meant to do?

My mountain is called Building Community. And I have thought it has meant many specific things at very specific times, most recently The Other Bottom Line.

But the higher I climb, the more I realize it has meant all those things. And none have been for naught. Each has been a gift along the way.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

What’s your Mountain called? Do you link it directly to one goal or do you see it manifested in many ways throughout your journey?

Standing On Sacred Ground

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200 words, Burning bush, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, doing the right thing, God, grace, integrity, journey, judging, life, mission, sacred ground, spiritual, vision, Who I am

Let the refining and improving of your own life keep you so busy that you have little time to criticize others. ~ H. Jackson Brown Jr.

One of the most life-changing letters I ever received was sent to me from a missionary in Guatemala when I was in my early twenties.

I was new in my faith and struggling with questions of judgment and grace and had written to him about it.

His reply to me referenced the Biblical Burning Bush story found in Exodus.

He told me my journey was my own. That I shouldn’t worry about other people and what they did on their journey. That God would reveal to me when I was standing on sacred ground and when it was time to remove my sandals from my feet.

Why is it that when we discover a truth about our own journey, we feel a need to impose it on everyone else? How does our way of doing something suddenly become the right way for everyone else to do it?

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

What would happen if instead of judging and correcting others, we sought solely to be the best version of ourselves?

Celebrate Joy and Grow Through Sorrow

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200 words, change, choice, courage, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, dreams, encourage, faith, Fear, gift, grateful, growing up, journey, joy, learning, life, living in the moment, love, meaningful, mistakes, Purpose, Relationships, sorrow

When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate, when life is bitter, say thank you and grow. ~ unknown

What an amazing journey we’re on!

Life is a gift.

Its ebbs and flows.

Its highs and lows.

The connections we make and break.

The joys and sorrows we experience.

Each one of our paths; unique

a combination of choice and circumstance.

Sometimes courageously following our dreams. Inspiring and encouraging others to follow theirs. Take hold of ‘moments of joy’ – treasure them in your heart. They will carry you through the hard times.

Other times we are paralyzed by fear. Making us empathetic and patient with others who are afraid. Embrace every part of who you are.

Rippling effects that change the course of our path, that teach us if we let them. Or haunt us until we are teachable.

Life is a gift.

A beautiful and precious gift.

Don’t squander it.

Don’t take it for granted.

Be grateful for every opportunity given.

Even our mistakes have meaning when viewing our lives in this way.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate, when life is bitter, say thank you and grow.

The journey vs. the destination

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anticipating, destination, Diana Schwenk, happy, hungry, journey, passion, striving, vision

“We do not really feel grateful toward those who make our dreams come true; they ruin our dreams.” Eric Hoffer

I read a study once where scientists were experimenting with two groups of rats.

They fed one group as much food as they could eat. They fed the other group just enough so that they were always a bit hungry.

The first group became lazy and lethargic and suffered a whole onslaught of diseases associated with poor health choices.

The second group had more energy, were more productive and lived longer.

Maybe there’s something to always be a bit hungry…

in our careers

in our relationships

in our dreams.

It’s good to have a dream,

a destination

a vision

goals

ambitions.

But maybe it’s more about the journey

English: “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” The „Adelaar“ near Bali. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The process of getting there

the striving

the passion

the fighting for.

When I get what I want, I’m happy.

But then inevitably 

I begin to miss the dreaming,

the anticipating

the striving to get there.

What do you think?

Which is better…

…the journey or the destination?