It seems like we're bombarded with cliche inspirational quotes every day. Whether we're at school, at work, or just casually browsing our social media feeds at home, there's no escaping the endless onslaught of cheesy sayings that we've all heard so many times that their actual meanings have been lost on us. But annoying as they may be, some of the most famous phrases out there actually have pretty good messages if you take the time to pay attention to them.
Maybe I'm just too much of a cynic, but it really takes a lot for a single phrase to actually get me motivated. In fact, the last time I was really moved by inspirational words was when I heard this incredible poem — it actually gave me chills! Many of us have been so desensitized to beautiful quotes that we feel like the words that were taped up all over our elementary school walls don't really mean anything anymore. But just like these beautiful sayings that are guaranteed to make your day better, plenty of the most repeated sayings we read and hear actually do have some substance behind them.
Check out these cheesy sayings you've definitely heard before. And once you're done rolling your eyes at them just like I did, take a moment to really think about what they mean. I used to hate number 4, but now, it's one of my favorite phrases of all time!
Don't forget to SHARE these inspirational words with everyone you know. Who knows? You might just make their day!
1. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that you have to take one step before walking a thousand miles. But obviously, this saying doesn't just apply for people who want to set world records in hiking. Many times, tasks in our lives are so daunting that we might believe we won't ever accomplish them. And yet, the most important part of completing anything is just the decision to begin.
2. "You can't have a rainbow without the rain."
Any first-grader could tell you that one of the main ingredients for a rainbow is, yes, the rain. However, this phrase wasn't created to give you a lesson in meteorology. One of the hardest things to accept in life is that most amazing things we achieve or receive don't come easily — we need to put up with a lot of junk if we want a truly beautiful result.
3. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
When I was younger, this saying used to really bother me. I mean, if something was strong enough to almost kill you, it would probably at least land you in the hospital… or make you really, really mad. But those of us who have been through tough times know that our greatest struggles are what shape us into wise and, yes, stronger human beings. There are some things we never recover from, but most difficult situations leave us more prepared to deal with whatever comes our way next.
4. "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."
Not only is this corny, it's just scientifically inaccurate. If you aim for the moon and miss, you're much more likely to be hit by an asteroid or just end up floating around in space for the rest of your (drastically shortened) life. All that being said, it's still extremely brave to attempt something grand…whether it's flying to the moon or applying to your dream school. Sure, you may not get exactly what you want, but an optimistic attitude will get you a lot further than setting your sights on a lesser goal.
5. "Actions speak louder than words."
We all know how annoying it is when someone says, "Do as I say, not as I do," and the main reason for that is because this phrase from our childhood is so, so true. It really is the stuff we do that people remember, and even if the words that come out of our mouths are pretty, they won't mean anything if our actions don't measure up to them.
6. "Money can't buy happiness."
Yes, I know money can buy wine and a nice car and a whole bunch of other stuff that might make us happy for a while. But there's a reason why so many millionaires can have the fanciest life one could hope for and still be miserable. It really is our attitude about the things we have, rather than the things themselves, that makes our lives richer.
7. "Be yourself."
This one really makes you want to roll your eyes, doesn't it? I mean, who else would you be, if not yourself? And yet, there are so many people out there trying to be who someone else wants them to be. Whether it's due to society's wishes for them to be more "normal" or their parents' wishes for them pursue a career path that just doesn't suit them, many folks spend so much time trying to be who they're not that they forget who they really are. Allowing yourself to be who you truly are will make your life a whole lot easier.
8. "You don't know what you have until it's gone."
Anyone who's ever dealt with loss knows just how painfully true this one is. Even the most appreciative of us usually don't realize just how much we love someone or something until it's taken from us. It's a harsh, but necessary reminder to really be grateful for all the small things in life and treasure every moment we have with the ones we love.
9. "Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes."
Even if their shoes miraculously fit your feet as well, it's not really advisable to steal someone's shoes, walk a mile, and then criticize them. However, it is advisable to truly understand someone's circumstances before telling them that what they're doing is wrong. We tend to look down our noses at people whose choices we don't agree with, but we'd all be a bit more understanding if we had to live through their situation. Just thinking about what we'd do when faced with someone else's predicament could help make the world a better, more understanding place.
10. "Life isn't about finding yourself — it's about creating yourself."
Silly as it may sound, this is actually a phrase that helped me a lot during my teenage years (and some adult years as well). We are constantly told that we should try to "find ourselves," but many of us never actually figure out what that actually means. It helps to change your perspective and remember that our actions and circumstances aren't meant to help us find some missing piece of ourselves, but to help build a part of ourselves that was never there in the first place.
11. "You'll always miss 100% of the shots you don't take."
This quote by famed hockey player Wayne Gretzky has made it onto countless classroom posters across the country, and while it might just seem like a cliche sports metaphor, it's really worth paying attention to. The idea of failure can seem so terrifying that we might stop ourselves from trying something new. But even if your chance of success is just 1 percent, it's still a lot better than the 0 percent chance you'll have if you opt not to try at all.
12. "I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails."
Even if you're not a sailor, you can still take something from this quote that originated from Jimmy Dean. Many of life's circumstances are simply not under our control, and especially when they aren't in our favor, it can be extremely frustrating to know that there's not a single thing we can do to change what's happening around us. But we can adapt to whatever we're dealing with by adjusting what we can control, and sometimes, that's all we need to make a difference.
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