May the world be kind to you, and may your own thoughts be gentle upon yourself. - Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Monday, September 28, 2026
Nothing is beautiful until it is looked at
Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful,
we must carry it with us or we find it not.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
In these times of health, political, social, and economic challenge,
it is our task to generate beauty and happiness for ourselves
rather than hoping to "find" them.
...
The beauty does not live out there; the beauty's in my eyes.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
The sculptor produces the beautiful statue
by chipping away such parts of the marble block as are not needed -
it is a process of elimination.
- Elbert Hubbard
Perspective. Point-of-view. Is something ugly, or beautiful?
Noble or insensitive? There are six billion ways of seeing life.
Trust your own inner eye for beauty.
Outer show is a poor substitute for inner worth.
- Aesop
Further reading: How to Build Self Esteem
How to Love Yourself
How to Feel Good About Yourself
Saturday, June 27, 2026
In All Circumstances, YOU Get to CHOOSE How YOU Respond
Our lives are defined not by the challenges we encounter,
but by how we respond to those challenges.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they're yours.
- Richard Bach
You may not seem able to change some outer circumstances
but you can start by changing your inner experience of life and yourself.
- Joy Page
It's not the situation that's causing your stress,
it's your thoughts,
and you can change that right here and now.
- Gerald Jampolsky
Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself.
- James Allen
A little more persistence,
a little more effort, and
what seemed hopeless failure
may turn to glorious success.
- Elbert Hubbard
Eventually we all have to accept full and total responsibility for our actions,
everything we have done, and have not done.
- Hubert Selby Jr.
Your RESPONSE to any situation is your own RESPONSibility.
You are given your circumstances; you choose your response.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Further reading: Don't Give Up
Thoughtful Response, Not Panic
Life is Not Hopeless
Create Happiness
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Have Higher Aspirations than "Fitting In"
Attempting to "fit in" is not a worthy objective.
There is no point in feeling sad or upset when your plans, your ideas,
or even your fundamental nature do not "fit in" with the majority view.
Be the courageous hero and stay committed to your greatest ideas and ideals,
however they are received by those around you.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Do not follow where the path may lead.
Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.
- Elbert Hubbard
It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinions;
it is easy in solitude to live after your own;
but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd
keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Many people allow their need for other people's approval to control their lives.
They spend their lives worrying about what others think of them.
- Rick Warren
For those few who, sooner or later,
are lucky enough to break away from the pack,
the most intoxicating moment comes
when they cease being bodies in the command of others,
and find that they control their own time,
when they learn their own voice and authority.
- Theodore H. White [non-gendered paraphrase]
Further reading: Be Yourself
Believe and Take Action
Think for Yourself
Appreciate Yourself
Don Miguel Ruiz: The Four Agreements - The Wisdom of the Ages in Four Sound-Bites
Sunday, September 28, 2025
The Beauty is in the Seeing
Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful,
we must carry it with us or we find it not.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
In these times of health, political, social, and economic challenge,
it is our task to generate beauty and happiness for ourselves
rather than hoping to "find" them.
...
The beauty does not live out there; the beauty's in my eyes.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
The sculptor produces the beautiful statue
by chipping away such parts of the marble block as are not needed -
it is a process of elimination.
- Elbert Hubbard
Perspective. Point-of-view. Is something ugly, or beautiful?
Noble or insensitive? There are six billion ways of seeing life.
Trust your own inner eye for beauty.
Outer show is a poor substitute for inner worth.
- Aesop
Further reading: How to Build Self Esteem
How to Love Yourself
How to Feel Good About Yourself
Friday, June 27, 2025
In Every Situation, YOU are Responsible for How You Respond
Our lives are defined not by the challenges we encounter,
but by how we respond to those challenges.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they're yours.
- Richard Bach
You may not seem able to change some outer circumstances
but you can start by changing your inner experience of life and yourself.
- Joy Page
It's not the situation that's causing your stress,
it's your thoughts,
and you can change that right here and now.
- Gerald Jampolsky
Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself.
- James Allen
A little more persistence,
a little more effort, and
what seemed hopeless failure
may turn to glorious success.
- Elbert Hubbard
Eventually we all have to accept full and total responsibility for our actions,
everything we have done, and have not done.
- Hubert Selby Jr.
Your RESPONSE to any situation is your own RESPONSibility.
You are given your circumstances; you choose your response.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Further reading: Don't Give Up
Thoughtful Response, Not Panic
Life is Not Hopeless
Create Happiness
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
"Fitting In" is Not a Worthy Goal
Attempting to "fit in" is not a worthy objective.
There is no point in feeling sad or upset when your plans, your ideas,
or even your fundamental nature do not "fit in" with the majority view.
Be the courageous hero and stay committed to your greatest ideas and ideals,
however they are received by those around you.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Do not follow where the path may lead.
Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.
- Elbert Hubbard
It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinions;
it is easy in solitude to live after your own;
but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd
keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Many people allow their need for other people's approval to control their lives.
They spend their lives worrying about what others think of them.
- Rick Warren
For those few who, sooner or later,
are lucky enough to break away from the pack,
the most intoxicating moment comes
when they cease being bodies in the command of others,
and find that they control their own time,
when they learn their own voice and authority.
- Theodore H. White [non-gendered paraphrase]
Further reading: Be Yourself
Believe and Take Action
Think for Yourself
Appreciate Yourself
Don Miguel Ruiz: The Four Agreements - The Wisdom of the Ages in Four Sound-Bites
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Our task is to generate beauty and happiness for ourselves
Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful,
we must carry it with us or we find it not.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
In these times of health, political, social, and economic challenge,
it is our task to generate beauty and happiness for ourselves
rather than hoping to "find" them.
...
The beauty does not live out there; the beauty's in my eyes.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
The sculptor produces the beautiful statue
by chipping away such parts of the marble block as are not needed -
it is a process of elimination.
- Elbert Hubbard
Perspective. Point-of-view. Is something ugly, or beautiful?
Noble or insensitive? There are six billion ways of seeing life.
Trust your own inner eye for beauty.
Outer show is a poor substitute for inner worth.
- Aesop
Further reading: How to Build Self Esteem
How to Love Yourself
How to Feel Good About Yourself
Thursday, June 27, 2024
You are given your circumstances; you choose your response
Our lives are defined not by the challenges we encounter,
but by how we respond to those challenges.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they're yours.
- Richard Bach
You may not seem able to change some outer circumstances
but you can start by changing your inner experience of life and yourself.
- Joy Page
It's not the situation that's causing your stress,
it's your thoughts,
and you can change that right here and now.
- Gerald Jampolsky
Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself.
- James Allen
A little more persistence,
a little more effort, and
what seemed hopeless failure
may turn to glorious success.
- Elbert Hubbard
Eventually we all have to accept full and total responsibility for our actions,
everything we have done, and have not done.
- Hubert Selby Jr.
Your RESPONSE to any situation is your own RESPONSibility.
You are given your circumstances; you choose your response.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Further reading: Don't Give Up
Thoughtful Response, Not Panic
Life is Not Hopeless
Create Happiness
Sunday, November 19, 2023
Blaze Your Own Trail
Attempting to "fit in" is not a worthy objective.
There is no point in feeling sad or upset when your plans, your ideas,
or even your fundamental nature do not "fit in" with the majority view.
Be the courageous hero and stay committed to your greatest ideas and ideals,
however they are received by those around you.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Do not follow where the path may lead.
Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.
- Elbert Hubbard
It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinions;
it is easy in solitude to live after your own;
but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd
keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Many people allow their need for other people's approval to control their lives.
They spend their lives worrying about what others think of them.
- Rick Warren
For those few who, sooner or later,
are lucky enough to break away from the pack,
the most intoxicating moment comes
when they cease being bodies in the command of others,
and find that they control their own time,
when they learn their own voice and authority.
- Theodore H. White [non-gendered paraphrase]
Further reading: Be Yourself
Believe and Take Action
Think for Yourself
Appreciate Yourself
Don Miguel Ruiz: The Four Agreements - The Wisdom of the Ages in Four Sound-Bites
Thursday, September 28, 2023
You Create Your Own Beauty
Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful,
we must carry it with us or we find it not.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
In these times of health, political, social, and economic challenge,
it is our task to generate beauty and happiness for ourselves
rather than hoping to "find" them.
...
The beauty does not live out there; the beauty's in my eyes.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
The sculptor produces the beautiful statue
by chipping away such parts of the marble block as are not needed -
it is a process of elimination.
- Elbert Hubbard
Perspective. Point-of-view. Is something ugly, or beautiful?
Noble or insensitive? There are six billion ways of seeing life.
Trust your own inner eye for beauty.
Outer show is a poor substitute for inner worth.
- Aesop
Further reading: How to Build Self Esteem
How to Love Yourself
How to Feel Good About Yourself
Sunday, November 13, 2022
Walk Your Own Walk
Attempting to "fit in" is not a worthy objective.
There is no point in feeling sad or upset when your plans, your ideas,
or even your fundamental nature do not "fit in" with the majority view.
Be the courageous hero and stay committed to your greatest ideas and ideals,
however they are received by those around you.
Do not follow where the path may lead.
Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.
- Elbert Hubbard
It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinions;
it is easy in solitude to live after your own;
but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd
keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Many people allow their need for other people's approval to control their lives.
They spend their lives worrying about what others think of them.
- Rick Warren
For those few who, sooner or later,
are lucky enough to break away from the pack,
the most intoxicating moment comes
when they cease being bodies in the command of others,
and find that they control their own time,
when they learn their own voice and authority.
- Theodore H. White [non-gendered paraphrase]
Further reading: Be Yourself
Believe and Take Action
Think for Yourself
Appreciate Yourself
Don Miguel Ruiz: The Four Agreements - The Wisdom of the Ages in Four Sound-Bites
Thursday, September 15, 2022
We Create Our Own Beauty
Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful,
we must carry it with us or we find it not.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
In these times of health, political, social, and economic challenge,
it is our task to generate beauty and happiness for ourselves
rather than hoping to "find" them.
The beauty does not live out there; the beauty's in my eyes.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
The sculptor produces the beautiful statue
by chipping away such parts of the marble block as are not needed -
it is a process of elimination.
- Elbert Hubbard
Perspective. Point-of-view. Is something ugly, or beautiful?
Noble or insensitive? There are six billion ways of seeing life.
Trust your own inner eye for beauty.
Outer show is a poor substitute for inner worth.
- Aesop
Further reading: How to Build Self Esteem
How to Love Yourself
How to Feel Good About Yourself
Sunday, November 28, 2021
Blaze Your Own Trail
Attempting to "fit in" is not a worthy objective.
There is no point in feeling sad or upset when your plans, your ideas,
or even your fundamental nature do not "fit in" with the majority view.
Be the courageous hero and stay committed to your greatest ideas and ideals,
however they are received by those around you.
Do not follow where the path may lead.
Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.
- Elbert Hubbard
It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinions;
it is easy in solitude to live after your own;
but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd
keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Many people allow their need for other people's approval to control their lives.
They spend their lives worrying about what others think of them.
- Rick Warren
For those men who, sooner or later,
are lucky enough to break away from the pack,
the most intoxicating moment comes
when they cease being bodies in other men's command
and find that they control their own time,
when they learn their own voice and authority.
- Theodore H. White
Further reading: Be Yourself
Believe and Take Action
Think for Yourself
Appreciate Yourself
Don Miguel Ruiz: The Four Agreements - The Wisdom of the Ages in Four Sound-Bites
Saturday, September 25, 2021
Our Task is to Generate Beauty and Happiness
In these times of health, political, social, and economic challenge,
it is our task to generate beauty and happiness for ourselves
rather than hoping to "find" them.
Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful,
we must carry it with us or we find it not.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
The beauty does not live out there; the beauty's in my eyes.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
The sculptor produces the beautiful statue
by chipping away such parts of the marble block as are not needed -
it is a process of elimination.
- Elbert Hubbard
Perspective. Point-of-view. Is something ugly, or beautiful?
Noble or insensitive? There are six billion ways of seeing life.
Trust your own inner eye for beauty.
Outer show is a poor substitute for inner worth.
- Aesop
Further reading: How to Build Self Esteem
How to Love Yourself
How to Feel Good About Yourself
Monday, November 30, 2020
Your Own Trail
Attempting to "fit in" is not a worthy objective.
There is no point in feeling sad or upset when your plans, your ideas,
or even your fundamental nature do not "fit in" with the majority view.
Be the courageous hero and stay committed to your greatest ideas and ideals,
however they are received by those around you.
Do not follow where the path may lead.
Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.
- Elbert Hubbard
It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinions;
it is easy in solitude to live after your own;
but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd
keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Many people allow their need for other people's approval to control their lives.
They spend their lives worrying about what others think of them.
- Rick Warren
For those men who, sooner or later,
are lucky enough to break away from the pack,
the most intoxicating moment comes
when they cease being bodies in other men's command
and find that they control their own time,
when they learn their own voice and authority.
- Theodore H. White
Further reading: Be Yourself
Believe and Take Action
Think for Yourself
Appreciate Yourself
Don Miguel Ruiz: The Four Agreements - The Wisdom of the Ages in Four Sound-Bites
Wednesday, September 30, 2020
Make the Effort to Look for Beauty in the World
In these times of health, political, social, and economic challenge,
it is our task to generate beauty and happiness for ourselves
rather than hoping to "find" them.
Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful,
we must carry it with us or we find it not.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
The beauty does not live out there; the beauty's in my eyes.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
The sculptor produces the beautiful statue
by chipping away such parts of the marble block as are not needed -
it is a process of elimination.
- Elbert Hubbard
Perspective. Point-of-view. Is something ugly, or beautiful?
Noble or insensitive? There are six billion ways of seeing life.
Trust your own inner eye for beauty.
Outer show is a poor substitute for inner worth.
- Aesop
Further reading: How to Build Self Esteem
How to Love Yourself
How to Feel Good About Yourself
Monday, April 27, 2020
A Ray of Beauty
Earth laughs in flowers.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty
out-values all the utilities of the world.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
You grow up the day you have your first real laugh - at yourself.
- Ethel Barrymore
Do not take life too seriously.
You will never get out of it alive.
- Elbert Hubbard
Further reading: Take time to Smell the Flowers
Lighten Up, Life Isn't Serious
Choose Not To Stress
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
How We Respond to Challenges
Our lives are defined not by the challenges we encounter,
but by how we respond to those challenges.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they're yours.
- Richard Bach
You may not seem able to change some outer circumstances
but you can start by changing your inner experience of life and yourself.
- Joy Page
It's not the situation that's causing your stress,
it's your thoughts,
and you can change that right here and now.
- Gerald Jampolsky
Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself.
- James Allen
A little more persistence,
a little more effort, and
what seemed hopeless failure
may turn to glorious success.
- Elbert Hubbard
Eventually we all have to accept full and total responsibility for our actions,
everything we have done, and have not done.
- Hubert Selby Jr.
Your RESPONSE to any situation is your own RESPONSibility.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Further reading: Don't Give Up
Thoughtful Response, Not Panic
Life is Not Hopeless
Create Happiness
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Mistakes are just Bumps in the Road
Mistakes are the portals of discovery.
- James Joyce
I've learned that mistakes can often be as good a teacher as success.
- Jack Welch
The greatest mistake you can make in life
is to be continually fearing you will make one.
- Elbert Hubbard
It's better to be boldly decisive and risk being wrong
than to agonize at length and be right too late.
- Marilyn Moats Kennedy
Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the
human condition there is no shame in being wrong,
only in failing to correct our mistakes.
- George Soros
If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right,
you'll probably never do much of anything.
- Win Borden
Sometimes you get the results you wanted,
sometimes you don't.
What matters is that you did your best.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth
- not going all the way and not starting.
- The Buddha
Mistakes Always Precede Success.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Further reading: Fear of Striking Out
Never Second Guess Yourself
Make a Decision
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Blaze Your Own Trail
Do not follow where the path may lead.
Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Many people allow their need for other people's approval to control their lives.
They spend their lives worrying about what others think of them.
- Rick Warren
To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.
- Elbert Hubbard
It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinions;
it is easy in solitude to live after your own;
but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd
keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
For those men who, sooner or later,
are lucky enough to break away from the pack,
the most intoxicating moment comes
when they cease being bodies in other men's command
and find that they control their own time,
when they learn their own voice and authority.
- Theodore H. White
Attempting to "fit in" is not a worthy objective.
There is no point in feeling sad or upset when your plans, your ideas,
or even your fundamental nature do not "fit in" with the majority view.
Be the courageous hero and stay committed to your greatest ideas and ideals,
however they are received by those around you.
Further reading: Be Yourself
Think for Yourself
Appreciate Yourself
Believe and Take Action
Don Miguel Ruiz: The Four Agreements - The Wisdom of the Ages in Four Sound-Bites




