Hello Handmade Loves,
I got a question for ya. Have you ever read a quote and been instantly uplifted, empowered and motivated? If your answer is yes, you are so my kind of people. If your answer is no, then hopefully I can change that for you. I love me a good quote, but I have a friend who does an absolute eye roll when she sees one. And I get it, some are extremely cheesy and cliché. So if you find yourself here, sit back, relax and prepared to have your mind blown! Okay, maybe that’s an overstatement, but I’ll do my best. Here is a list of five of my favorite quotes that lift my spirits and keep me moving.
Since this blog caters to the makers of the world, let’s start out with something that will give us all a little motivation to keep that creative energy flowin’! One of my favorite books is Big Magic by the lovely Elizabeth Gilbert. The book‘s central theme is about finding, accepting and loving that fickle little beast we call creativity.
I would be willing to bet that Elizabeth is not just speaking about creativity here—strength, love, forgiveness and courage can all be just as mysterious. But Elizabeth reminds us that we have all of these things already, we just have to uncover them. And we will—when the time is right.
Okay, brace yourselves my friends. This one can be a bit of a tongue twister, but it’s so, so good. This quote is taken from Theodore Roosevelt’s speech titled, Citizenship in a Republic. I’m aware that by referencing this quote, it makes me seem way more versed in historical politics than I am. As much as I’d like to own that, my discovery of this passage actually comes from author Brene’ Brown (totally recommend her, by the way). She wrote a book called Daring Greatly—which is a line taken from Roosevelt’s speech. This one is for all my makers who use “failure” as an opportunity for growth and evolution.
Let me preface this next segment by saying that Oprah is my personal hero, and I could have easily created this whole list out of her glorious words. But this quote is my absolute FAVORITE! It has been with me a long time, and whenever I get a chance to share it, I jump at the opportunity. It speaks of the universal thread that connects us all—the desire for connection.
So many of the quotes on this list are about facing and overcoming personal failures. But this one is different; this quote looks at it from the other side. What can WE do when we see someone who is struggling? This quote encapsulates EVERYTHING that Handmade Loves is about. Handmade Loves is a place to be heard, to be seen, and to be validated. I guarantee that you will be able to find someone in this community that can answer these questions for you with a resounding YES. Yes, I hear you. Yes, I see you. And yes, what you say matters to me.
If you have ever been a child, know a child, or you have a child, then you are probably familiar with Dr. Seuss. His books are catered to young readers, and are a staple in classrooms across the country. This quote is from the book, The Places You’ll Go. The book itself is written in Seuss’ signature rhyming, silly, and youthful style, but his message is universal—and goes far beyond his usual audience. This short and sweet quote reminds us to be authentic to ourselves.
Last Mother’s Day, I gave my mom a book of quotes by Cheryl Strayed—which was the inspiration for this post. Cheryl describes quotes as “mini- instruction manuals for the soul.” Their mission is to help us find inspiration, validation, motivation and strength. Most importantly, she says, quotes tell us we are not alone. This quote reminds us to be true to ourselves, and to fiercely pursue what brings us joy.
So there we have it my friends. We’ve reached the end! These are just a few of my favorite quotes. Hopefully you found some truth in them as well. Let me know what you think, and share some of your favorites with me and the Handmade Loves crew in the comment section below!
Keep In Touch
