“Life engenders life. Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich.” ~Sarah Bernhardt
Ten years ago, when I first moved to China, I came as an English teacher at a university. I hadn’t the faintest clue …
“Man is only truly great when he acts from his passions.” ~Benjamin Disraeli
At a young age I was told, “Without hard work nothing grows but weeds.”
I was also told, “With hard work it was possible to achieve …
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” ~David Viscott
You are a seeker. Searching for more of life. More joy. More depth. More connection. More happiness.
Our generation is …
“Live up to your potential, not down to other people’s expectations.”
“Are you okay?” asked one of my editors.
“Yeah,” I said. But I wasn’t.
It was 11.30pm and I had just returned from a lengthy press conference where a …
“Instead of complaining that the rose bush is full of thorns, be happy that the thorn bush has roses.” ~Proverb
If you’re feeling miserable in your current job or career, wondering when you’ll be able to do something that makes …
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” ~Confucius
I once worked for a big international consultancy firm (okay, it’s McKinsey, don’t tell anyone) and hated it.
Everyone told me how …
“The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.” ~Anna Quindlen
Growing up, I refused to go to bed until I fit the last piece of my …
“Doing your best means never stop trying.” ~Unknown
As a teacher, the summer season is special, sacred time when I recover from a busy school year and prepare for the next one. The bonus is that I also use the …
“Happiness is absorption.” ~T.E. Lawrence
During my years in university, there was a cook that I remember to this day. He worked in the university grill. He was well known amongst the students and staff. For his happiness.
Whether it …
“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” ~Charles Swindoll
I remember working at a job where I absolutely could not do anything right.
This was one of those jobs where it was extremely …
“I’ve learned that making a living is not the same things as making a life.” ~Maya Angelou
My friend Nick and I were talking one day about our plans for after graduation. We talked about marriage and whether our religious …
“Some people think it’s holding on that makes one strong–sometimes it’s letting go.” ~Unknown
When I accepted a position with a small company, I thought I had found everything I wanted: challenging work in my field, flexible hours, a laid-back …
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” ~George Bernard Shaw
During the magical period we humans call adolescence, we do this strange thing. We utterly stop playing.
Our lives become focused on …
“Letting go gives us freedom and freedom is the only condition for happiness.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh
My father died when I was fifteen, so I learned right away that life was too short. At the time, the only meaning I …
“Our lives improve only when we take chances and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves.” ~Walter Anderson
Growing up in a small town in Western Canada, I was known as the …
“What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.” ~Ralph Marston
Before I started my business, I spent three years at an ad agency and a little over a year at an international furnishings retailer. I also waitressed, wrote freelance …
“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” ~George Bernard Shaw
I wanted a guarantee.
I wanted to know for sure that if I tried to do something, I would like it; if I devoted my limited time …
“Your dream doesn’t have an expiration date. Take a deep breath and try again.” ~KT Witten
As I said goodbye on my last day of work, I couldn’t help feeling smug. When my colleagues turned up for work on Monday …
“I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as making a ‘life.’” ~Maya Angelou
When I started working toward a life of freedom a year ago and dared to set my sights on my dreams, I never …
“Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.” ~Dalai Lama
Three years ago I was in the stressful process of applying to colleges. I had my heart set on this one particular school that, …
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