Motivation Mondays: LIFE RULES
“Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames … Be a lamp, or a lifeboat, or a ladder. Help someone’s soul heal. Walk out of your house like a shepherd” Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī
Motivation Mondays: LIFE RULES – Don’t Live Half a Life
LIFE RULES: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! Tomorrow, August 7th, I will celebrate another birthday and for that I am grateful. In a world where youth is valued, and people fight the aging process with all their might, to have a birthday can be terrifying for some. However, if we consider the alternative, most of us would be glad to be alive. As I look back and contemplate the past, I can say, unequivocally, that my life is/has been/will always be a miracle and I am truly blessed. The gift of life is one of the greatest gifts we can receive on this planet and, while it comes with a set of challenges we all face, it is a gift we must cherish. There are children who are fortunate to be born into a loving home, some who learn to create their own version of a loving home, and yet others who seek it outside on their own. No matter what type of childhood experience you have had, you can choose to make a life for yourself that is rich and rewarding.
How? If you are wondering about how you can change the direction of your life, look around you. How many successful people do you know personally? How many have you met or read about? Do some homework and use the information as a starting point to inspire you to move forward with your own dreams. Do not be discouraged or afraid. Your current condition is temporary but, you must see it as such FIRST. We do not have to stay locked into our past or current condition; we can go ahead and reinvent ourselves, innovate and create a new life we love. It begins in our hearts and minds and a birthday is a great starting point. Birthdays remind us to not only celebrate what is but, to also remember to honor our own life rules. This year, I have 12 life rules to share. 1. Celebrate your life by being fully present in it. 2. Do work that matters deeply to you and honor it. 3. Stay focused on pursuing your creative expressions and love the work wholeheartedly. 4. Have ambitious dreams and be purposeful in all you do. To dream is to manifest our heart’s desire…
Life by Khalil Gibran via Goodreads
“Do not love half lovers
Do not entertain half friends
Do not indulge in works of the half talented
Do not live half a life
and do not die a half death
If you choose silence, then be silent
When you speak, do so until you are finished
Do not silence yourself to say something
And do not speak to be silent
If you accept, then express it bluntly
Do not mask it
If you refuse then be clear about it
for an ambiguous refusal is but a weak acceptance
Do not accept half a solution
Do not believe half truths
Do not dream half a dream
Do not fantasize about half hopes
Half a drink will not quench your thirst
Half a meal will not satiate your hunger
Half the way will get you no where
Half an idea will bear you no results
Your other half is not the one you love
It is you in another time yet in the same space
It is you when you are not
Half a life is a life you didn’t live,
A word you have not said
A smile you postponed
A love you have not had
A friendship you did not know
To reach and not arrive
Work and not work
Attend only to be absent
What makes you a stranger to them closest to you
and they strangers to you
The half is a mere moment of inability
but you are able for you are not half a being
You are a whole that exists to live a life
not half a life”
READ: Motivation Mondays: Live Life Fully
“The half is a mere moment of inability but you are able for you are not half a being. You are a whole that exists to live a life not half a life” Khalil Gibran
Motivation Mondays: LIFE RULES – Don’t Live Half a Life
LIFE RULES: Don’t live half a life. If we make a commitment to enjoy the life we have, it can become both exhilarating and magical. What often happens is that so many of us live by other people’s rules and expectations for our lives, instead of by our own vision and set of rules. You see, the point of my post title is NOT to make you adopt my life rules at all. My rules are what I wish for myself and the standards I live by. Each of us must reflect on what we wish for our lives and then work at manifesting them. Where do you draw the line in the sand for your own life? What do you stand for? What do you dream about? Until we spend time reflecting on what truly matters to us, as individuals, we will only be tapping into a tiny fount of our potential. Until we map out our own path, we will only be living other people’s dreams. Life is fraught with missteps as well as magical moments, and we get to choose how we want to live it.
Here are 4 more rules on my list of twelve: 5. Believe in Miracles, mermaids and unicorns. You must believe on what is greater than your own imagination or you are simply limiting the full scale of grace that can enrich your life. 6. Be grateful/thankful; gratitude is a necessary tool for living a contented life. We can have great wealth and achievements but if we lack a spirit of thankfulness, we will always feel unhappy. 7. Be human and humane; some people live by such rigid standards that they forget to be human and forgiving of themselves and others. To err is human and to forgive is divine. Live life with gusto and stop torturing yourself to fit into a square box that you’ve created in your own mind. 8. Learn to laugh often and to cry when you must. Our tears are a natural healing gift from the heart. When we shed a tear for others, we send out a vapor of blessings that extend healing across barriers. If we can learn to remember that everything in life operates from an energy field and that the field is permeable, vast and accessible to all, we might remember to treat each other with compassion and greater consideration.
The Hymn of Man by Khalil Gibran via poemhunter.com
I was,
And I am.
So shall I be to the end of time,
For I am without end.I have cleft the vast spaces of the infinite, and
Taken flight in the world of fantasy, and drawn nigh
To the circle of light on high.
Yet behold me a captive of matter.
I have hearkened to the teachings of Confucius,
And listened to the wisdom of Brahma, and sat
Beside the Buddha beneath the tree of knowledge.
Behold me now contending with ignorance and
Unbelieving.I was upon Sinai when the Lord showed Himself
To Moses. By the Jordan I beheld the Nazarene’s
Miracles. In Medina I heard the words of the
Apostle of Arabia.Behold me now a prisoner of doubt.
I have seen Babylon’s strength and Egypt’s glory
And the greatness of Greece. My eyes cease not
Upon the smallness and poverty of their works.
I have sat with the witch of Endor and the priests
Of Assyria and the prophets of Palestine, and I cease
Not to chant the truth.I have learned the wisdom that descended on
India, and gained mastery over poetry that welled
From the Arabian’s heart, and hearkened to the
Music of people from the West.
Yet am I blind and see not; my ears are stopped
And I do not hear.I have borne the harshness of insatiable
Conquerors, and felt the oppression of tyrants and the
bondage of the powerful.
Yet am I strong to do battle with the days.
All this have I heard and seen, and I am yet a
Child. In truth shall I hear and see the deeds of
Youth, and grow old and attain perfection and
Return to God.I was,
And I am.
So shall I be to the end of time,
For I am without end.
READ: Inspiration: Life Lessons Learned…
Our Purpose in Life
The details for Motivation Mondays are below. Join in! The themes for JULY 2018/AUG 2018 are:
07/01 – 04, Independence Day
07/08 – 11 World Population Day, 14 Bastille Day
07/15 – 15 National Ice cream Day, 18 Nelson Mandela Day
07/22 – 22 Parents Day,
07/29 – 30 International Day of Friendship, Day against Trafficking
08/01 – Girlfriend Day
08/06 – Friendship Day, World Indigenous People Day,
08/13 – International Youth Day
08/20 – World Humanitarian Day, MTV Music Awards
08/27 – National Dog Day
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“Half of life is lost in charming others, the other half is lost in going through anxieties caused by others. Leave this play, you’ve played enough!” Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī
Motivation Mondays: LIFE RULES
LIFE RULES: You can say that I have saved the best for last and you’d be right. But please keep in mind that these are my life rules and you must set aside some time to consider and create your own. The final four on my list are fundamental to my own life rules. They are the foundation on which everything else fits into place. Without faith, effort and self love, not much can be achieved that is truly lasting and fulfilling. Much of the last 7 years has been a struggle and these rules have been my best anchor in the darkest times. We learn who we truly are in times of hardship. When life is gay and merry, we can choose to be whomever and whatever we wish. When life throws you curve balls that linger for years, you learn your true metier and, if you turn within, you learn to press forward in spite of the limitations.
These final 4 life rules are the bane of my existence. What are yours? 9. Always put God and Family first. 10. Make friends with your mind and body; we need both to survive life’s harshest trials. 11. Look for the positive even when you have almost zero reason to do so. Just keep looking and believing because that tiny crack of light is nearby … just look, it’s there to champion you on. 12. Don’t live half a life, choose to live life fully. I say choose because it is a CHOICE. I know people who won’t even give themselves a simple treat because of X, Y and Z. Even when things seem down and glum, find something to do to give you joy. Attend a concert. Take a walk, plant a seed, help someone else feel better, send out healing love and light to the world and expect it back in bucketfuls. We become what we believe. What we resist, persists. Embrace life and believe in miracles. They do come true. Happy Birthday to me and to everyone out there who shares this special day with me. We share a great gift = LIFE ! Stay blessed and encouraged. Rise!
Still I Rise by Maya Angelou via poemhunter
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may tread me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own back yard.You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.
Maya Angelou
READ: Reflections: The Playground Of Life…
Have a happy, peaceful and productive week ahead!
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Positive Motivation Tip: Live your life with a grateful heart and create your own rules along the way.
Motivation Mondays is open to anyone who wishes to share a motivational quote, photo, personal challenge or a post that encourages others to start the week on an upbeat note.
Basic Instructions: Each week, I will have a motivation word to help us create a response. (See listed words for the months above/below)
Email address: You may email or share your post as a comment and I will add it to the round-up of related posts. email it to: contact(@)mirthandmotivation(.)com
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Tag: – Motivation Mondays
Hashtag: – #MotvnM
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PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS:All Photos: life, life balance, lifestyle via Pixabay, AND/OR via Wikipedia…
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
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As always I really enjoyed reading your motivational Monday post. Your words are always so raw and make me think a little harder than I did before I read it.
P.S. Happy birthday E, I hope you have a truly blessed and beautiful day and may there be many, many miracles, mermaids and unicorns waiting for you on your life’s journey.
This made me recall few lines from one of the prominent poet – Lucky are those who treats love as their work and also lucky are those who love their work. Sometime when we don’t choose between love and work we fail in both of them. It’s always better to love what you do and no distraction till you achieve it can bring success
A full wish for the happiest of birthdays snd a new year full of love and light.
Amen <3
Another inspiring post! I like how you ask us to look around and do homework of these successful people and use the information as a staring point to inspire us. By the way, I am also a fan of the great poet – Rumi 🙂
Your posts are always so deeply inspiring and the perfect pick-me-up to start the day. Thank you for the tips on staying creative, too! x
The importance of picking people who will “fan your flames” in a positive way is so important! I’ve sabotaged myself so many times by choosing to surround myself with people that are counterintuitive to my goals and growth.
God first and the importance of family are at the top of my list. Also, ensuring that I always put people over money and things. It can be so hard to keep focused on what is truly important.
Love all the inspiring motivational days and quotes!
Not doing things half-way. That’s a good thought for the day. Thank you!
I had never thought about life rules before … are there rules? I believe in following my instincts and leading a life which makes me happy and content even when no one else agrees with my ‘choices’.
You are so blessed and I am so happy to have read this. Happy birthday to you. I hope it is all that and more. May God bless you with joy and peace all the day long. Enjoy your day to the max. Peace!
Lovely post, really enjoyed reading it!! Thank you for sharing
Life by Khalil Gibran–We should all live by this poem. Too often we settle for halves.
Don’t live half a life! What a powerful statement. We should always surround ourselves around people who stretch us. My husband is so good about making connections with people who are living on the level he wants to go.
Happy Birthday! I hope it’s a good one! I love Khalil Gibran- his writing is incredible!
Wishing you a very happy birthday! On a special day when you should be getting gifts, you have given this beautiful gift to the world. Truly enjoyed and even reflected on the life riles you have shared. They are articulated well. Like the point of making choices and living a full life! And yes we “Believe in Miracles, mermaids and unicorns” 🙂
Happy birthday to you! I hope you have a fantastic day. I love your life rules, they make for happy and fulfilled life in my opinion.
Jackie
Belated happy birthday dear. I love reading your blog as you know. I have one query, how do you keep yourself so motivated? I am here hospitalised and I fell like a wreck
You are one heck of an inspiration for me.. ❤❤
I especially like your rule number 3. Stay focused on pursuing your creative expressions and love the work wholeheartedly.
Happy early birthday! I love all the quotes you shared in this post – they are so thought-provoking and contemplative.
Happy birthday! Keep inspiring people. God bless! 😀 Let’s enjoy life. 😀
I totally agree with this: “What often happens is that so many of us live by other people’s rules and expectations for our lives, instead of by our own vision and set of rules.” It’s unfortunate how we, most of the time, listen to what others say. We make decisions based on what other people may say or react. We make decisions based on what other people may think about us. And it’s so sad living like this. We should really get this out of our systems and start living a life that we have always wanted to and not worrying how others may judge us. This way, we’ll learn to be happier in living our own lives.
Happy belated birthday! Hope you have a great celebration with your loved ones!
I am motivated! I love your positive outlook, it is contagious! I love the poem you shared, I have seen it before, but today it made an impact on me.
That Maya Angelou poem is one of my all time favorites. It is so powerful to read. Happiest of birthdays!
Happy birthday Elizabeth! My wish for you is that you stay continually blessed so that you may inspire more people through your writing.
Great advice! I lived in the box made for me by society for too long before i let myself free and truly lived. It took many hardships and deep ruts to get here but im here!
I would like to wish you a very happy birthday and a long healthy life filled with happiness and joy. You are a very strong and dynamic person and that shows on your every post!
I really enjoyed reading this post. I have so many rules in my life but the most important for me are to always put God first and my family in everything and be more positive in life.
Happy Birthday. I celebrate two birthdays. One when I was born and one when my life from the root was changed, thanks to God’s grace. Our lives are really a gift and we need to celebrate them every day!
What an interesting post, I think it is such a great idea to have such life rules. I think rules and values must be cherished and respected.
Happy birthday dear, this is truly an inspiration for me, I totally agree that we got to live our life to its fullest, it’s now or never.
This is such a nice post and I do agree with you that we should not live a half life instead live our life in the fullest in a positive way of living.
Happy Birthday to you! Many happy returns, and I hope this year is your best year yet. Love this post. 🙂
There’s a lot of rules to make in life but for me my rules are to focus with God and with my family, with my job and with those people who love me and cares for me.
Don’t live half a live – I like that life rule! It sounds like a good one to live by – about making the most of each day and the life we have. Also happy birthday! Hope you have a lovely time!
Happy birthday! Your post is so inspirational and motivational! I do love when you say that we should believe in unicorns, and you are so right! Because who believes in fairy tales believes also in miracles and leads a happy life!
I needed to read this. The part about look around and realize your situation is not permanent has very real meaning to me. My husband suffered a TBI and is struggling to get back to himself from his brain injury. I forwarded this to him for some motivation today.
I hope you had a fantastic birthday! I do try to ensure that I don’t live half a life. I am trying to make sure I have experiences in the here and now so I don’t regret anything later.
First of all: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! it’s a great day for me as well because I really like reading your blog. I like your life rules, it makes me think more of my own life now
First of all: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! it’s a great day for me as well because I really like reading your blog. I like your life rules, it makes me think more of my own life now
Happiest of birthdays to you! I hope it’s a great one. You have some wonderful life rules – I hope they continue to serve you well.
Happiest of birthdays to you!! Thank you for all the inspiration and motivation.
Once again, your message is profoundly inspirational. I really like the idea of being a lamp, a lifeboat, or a ladder. I see those as progressions, and I like the message of holistic living. No half friends, half truths, etc.
Out of all your posts till date! This is my fav. Absolutly beautiful ❤ And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
♡ XOXO ♡ • fionadiaries.com
This is all so true. I think every point you touch on for creating YOUR own life is up to you. Staying positive and always moving forward are the only way!
I really liked that poem about life by Khalil Gibran. It urges us to live a full life and that is just what I am going to do 🙂
I have never thought of it until now, but this is definitely a great idea! to have some solid life rules seems the right thing to do.
so much motivation in one post. i completely agree with surrounding people who are successful. they bring us good vibe
I hope your birthday was full of love and friendship. Mine isn’t too far away!
Thanks for the motivation, i’m feeling lost nowadays and I’m not so happy with what I’m doing with my life. Maybe I just need to create my own life rules. 🙂
“Don’t live half a life.” I will carry that with me. Right now, I am also living life to the full — the life that I like. 😀 But what I want is more money, too. haha
Self-love is critical, and we need to give this gift to ourselves at all times, and especially so during dark times. And I love the sentiment of setting our own life rules which is the foundation and the essence of everything we stand for and believe in.
Belated happy birthday! Hope you had a blast on your day! 🙂
I have many personal life rules – my biggest one is to live on my own terms, and live openly, to be myself.
We share the same birthday! Happy birthday to the three of us! 🙂
Belated happy birthday! We only have one life to live we might as put our heart into it and live it the best way we can. We may create our own personal life rules to follow.
Sage advice. So many quotes. Love them. They really are words to love by!
Oh my! This is such a vast collection of motivational words. I love all the poems especially. I have bookmarked it for future reference!
Love the message in this Maya Angelou. She was such an inspiration.
Happy Birthday! Thanks for always giving me motivational thoughts every week. Keep on being an inspiration and don’t live a half life. <3
It is important to have a set of rules to live your life by. Although I’m sure our rules would not all be the same.
My life rules is always put God first in everything you do, second is love your family as you love yourself and lastly, be light to others.
“Believe in Miracles, mermaids and unicorns.” I DO, I DO, I DO! Thank you for the good vibes and optimism you share in all your posts…
how awesome ! you are an august baby! We are too… well our team mate is turning 30 🙂
First of all happy birthday. You are so full of energy. Your positivity towards life makes me want to live.
Loved the post. Gives us a detailed insight why and how we should define our life rules. So true that everyone should make their own life rules as per their life goals.
Really thoughtful rule – …”Stay focused on pursuing your creative expressions and love the work wholeheartedly”…. We so connect with this as while coming out with our travel blog – Backpacking Series and travelogue – Backpacking North East India: A Curious Journey, this rule was what we followed and continue to follow! Along with this, we are now also at …”Make friends with your mind and body; we need both to survive life’s harshest trials.”..
I agree that we do not have to be locked in to where we are. But far too often we have things around us which make it difficult. I know I need to get myself out of that way of thinking from time to time though. And realize there are always other paths.
Looking for the positive is the important thing. IT is inspiring to be able to lift your head up and make it to another day with joy in your heart.
It is motivational and very inspirational as always and Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you. Wish you all the best and good health!
First of all, Happy Belated Birthday Elizabeth and wish you a wonderful year ahead! This is another beautiful piece of writing from your Motivational Monday series. That Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī’s quote is my all time favorite and yes! we all need to live our life fullest!
The following words that you shared in your post was right on target regarding some life experiences I am currently going through, “Do not be discouraged or afraid. Your current condition is temporary but, you must see it as such FIRST.”
This is so inspiring! Life is truly a great gift.
First of all, belated birthday wishes, hope you had a great one! Love that poem ‘Life’ by Khalil Gibran, it makes so much sense and can definitely uncomplicate our lives if followed through. Thanks for sharing that! 🙂
Nice post and my life rules are to be good to others even with your enemies and to put God and my family to be a center of all my dreams.
I agree with you that we should make our own rules to live life to the fullest. Living a half life will never lead us anywhere. I grew up believing in unicorns and fairy tales. But as we grow up, we somehow lose that imagination and enclose ourselves in a box of rules. We badly need the motivation to set us free from our own limited thoughts. And this beautiful post provides that much needed motivation to enjoy the most precious gift called ‘life’. Happy Birthday! 🙂
Happy birthday! May all your wishes come true 🙂
Happy birthday you beautiful soul. I too think people should embrace life and never be afraid to get old on to celebrate there life.
This is a beautiful post and I hope you had a great birthday! I particularly loved the bit where you said that reinventing ourselves begins in our hearts and minds! I love that concept that everything you achieve in life comes from within you, not from others! That you have to make a change, that change doesn’t come to you! Very thought-provoking! Thank you for sharing this!
We should live our lives to the fullest. It is really important for us to try new things in life.
This is such a beautiful post, and I especially love the part about having and pursuing ambitious dreams! Also hope you had an amazing birthday!
These are such great motivational poems, I will definelty save these poems.
Happy Birthday! I just want to tell you that I am a huge fan of your blog and i just feel happy reading your post. Thank you for the positivity that you share.
Happy belated birthday! I’m always looking for ways to be creative and think that traveling and meeting new people definitely helps! -Tonya Tardiff
My daughter would agree with you. She wants to believe in mermaids, too. It is good to appreciate the small things in life and embrace the moments.
I really enjoy having some motivation as a pick me up everyday. This one is very good.
This was extremely motivational! Thanks for spreading your contagious positive outlook on life! Much needed!
That was such an amazing read. Took me a while but it was all so interesting. Belated Happy Birthday by the way!
I love this! I always take time reading a post like this, it always gets me and somehow inspire me. I agree that it’s always our CHOICE but always choose that always makes us HAPPY! 🙂
Happy Birthday!! Aging is a privilege denied to many so I completely agree with you. Love Motivational Monday’s
Happy Birthday, Elizabeth! I hope you had a blast on your day! Wishing you the best of everything! 🙂
The ‘you’ve played enough’ quote is spot-on if we want to create a life for us that we enjoy and are proud of…wonderful write-up… ” we can go ahead and reinvent ourselves, innovate and create a new life we love”- the very rule I like living by
– Nandita
Happy Birthday! I just had a birthday on Aug. 4th.
This is really something to motivate us on a manic Monday. Loved this kind of post that encourage us and believe that there’s always be good.
Happy belated birthday to you, I hope that it was everything you wanted it to be. Your 12 life goals are amazing. If I had written down my life goals, they would be very similar to yours. I think writing them out is a fantastic idea, it give you something to focus on as you move forward in life. Have a wonderful year!
Firstly happy birthday! And I love the whole message of this post, so important to let go of worries caused by other people and focus on the positive.
Great post and happy belated birthday!
Happy birthday! So true- live life to the full and take hold of each opportunity! Life goes so quickly as well- make the most of it
Happy Birthday! I love your rule about always looking for a positive. I find that that one can be super hard but yet very necessary!
I feel completely motivated after reading this post! A belated happy birthday to you too; I definitely feel inspired to live life more in the present. You feature some great quotes too!
I hope you had a wonderful Birthday!! Life is such a blessing isn’t it? Summer is my happy time and I am feeling so alive and refreshed ~ now to carry that into the hustle and bustle of the school year as we gear up for preschool, 3rd grade and middle school in just 10 days!!
Happy belated birthday! These steps speak to me, and I hope I can stay true to them and live presently, with creativity, and not let fear hold me back.
I love that poem by Maya Angelou. It’s so inspirational.
Happy belated birthday! These steps speak to me. I hope I can be true to them and live my life in the present, creatively, and without letting fear hold me back.
This post is rich with little actionable points and steps. It helps to do some self examination from time to time esp on your birthday. Happy birthday to you. Hope you had a fun day. I am an August baby too. 😃
Don’t we all need a little extra push to get us moving on Mondays?!
Happy birthday! I am working hard to not live a half life. Your words are inspiring and beautiful!
I always enjoy Maya’s poetry and this is no exception. This is my favorite verse: You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.
Putting God first makes everything ok. You don’t have to worry with the trust in God. This is a great article that will really guide through life.
A very happy birthday to you! Enjoyed this post!
Happy Belated birthday firstly. I love the rules you have come up with for your life. I’m especially a fan of number 5.
Great post! Such a great motivational post. and that poem is so impressive and very well written.
My life rules are always be grateful in every blessings that you recieved and always pray and be patience.
I thought I had commented on this post before. I do love Maya’s poem. My favourite verse is: You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.
Don’t let people control your life, live your life into the fullest, do good and show love to everyone and do your dreams come true.
Happy Birthday! Such a lesson on how to deal with like. I’m soaking up every bit of it
I agree with you that our lives is the greatest gift that we received so as He gave us a breathe of life we should always show our gratitude to our God and praise Him with our hearts, mind and strenght.
Happy Birthday to begin with. Yes you need to engage yourself with positive people to change your mindset towards life. Have a goal in life and work towards it.
Happy Belated Birthday! It’s def a time to reflect on life and try to be the better you that you want to be. I always love reading your motivational posts – especially this one!
I enjoyed reading this. I love the maya angelou poem. And happy birthday! I hope you had a fantastic day
Love fully and live fully this is my motto. Live life that makes me proud. And love that makes me fulfilled.
I love the quote at the top. Hope you had a lovely birthday celebration. Stay motivated!
A very motivational post, thank you. Just what I needed, as I’ve woken up feeling even worse in my 3rd week of the flu. In August! I feel like it’s never going to go away, so “Look for the positive even when you have almost zero reason to do so. Just keep looking and believing because that tiny crack of light is nearby … just look, it’s there to champion you on.” really helped!
This post is so motivational. I definitely need this to direct my own life better. Thanks for such advice!
Everyday I tell myself 10 things I am grateful for. Stop and look around at this beautiful world we have to enjoy. See people who are worse off than you and be grateful for what you have. Now go out and give service to those people and help them feel better as well.
Thanks for such a motivating and inspiring post I enjoyed reading it till the end. I have been reading khalil jabran poetry and like the depth of words
I love anything by Maya Angelou but “Still I Rise” is my favorite. As always thank you for the positive motivation.
This is a really interesting post indeed
I really understood that you have to put yourself around people that have the same drive and motivation like I do. People who just talk and not trying to change things are just a downer for your motivation. And don’t get me wrong, I do understand that live’s hard and so it was for me. But keep looking at what is bad in your life doesn’t make it any better. Great post Elizabeth!
Nothing happens for a reason. As simple as me reading this motivational post when I truly needed something to keep me going. Thank you.
Ps: Belated happy birthday gorgeous !
I love all these quotes and I love Khalil Gibran poems! This is my top most fave though because I believe in everything that it says: “Be grateful/thankful; gratitude is a necessary tool for living a contented life. We can have great wealth and achievements but if we lack a spirit of thankfulness, we will always feel unhappy.” It’s important to be grateful.
I love your rules! So uplifting and positive, and so true!
I try to live by rule #12 everyday but sometimes it’s so hard! I spend so much of my time working, even when I’m at home, when I know I should do things for me and my own self-care.
I needed this kick in the pants today. I am trying to work hard to be successful, but it’s not coming easy! Thank you!
I am learning to be more forgiving. Oh God, help me please…forgiveness is such a hard thing to do.,
I love the poetry, it’s beautiful!
Just love how you have crafted your own Life Rules into 12 and how you have expressed and shared them. Naturally they are personal to you and it its great that you have encouraged readers to build their own while providing your values as an example. Birthdays are a good time for reflection on how we each track our progress through life and to contemplate the values that each of us regard as important. A belated happy birthday to you and best wishes for happiness in your life through sticking to your life rules.
This quote is one of my favorites “
“The half is a mere moment of inability but you are able for you are not half a being. You are a whole that exists to live a life not half a life” Khalil Gibran.”
I think my favorite life rules here are the ones about dreams. Dreams are important so we can make goals and keep going, dream big, always.
Wise words as always, but what about when you feel that you’ve given out too much of your light and you can find someone else to light you fire so you fell you’re burning out?
First of all let me wish you a Happy belated birthday and this is exactly what I needed to start off my Monday.
I loved the number 5: believe in miracles, marmaids and unicorns; and number 8: learn to laugh often and cry when you must.
I have to say that I’m guilty of not following all these rules but I will try and do better.
The quote you chose from Muhammad Rumi is beautiful.
“Set your life on fire…” OH my goodness I absolutely LOVE this quote and all the truth behind it!!!! Happy Monday Elizabeth!! 🙂
This is such a great compilation of quotes. Thank you so much for also providing Still I Rise by Maya Angelou, am a big fan of her. And lastly, I totally agree, life is meant to be lived to the fullest. You rock!
I love reading your quotes. Somehow it seems that I can relate to everything you are saying and every time i come across your post I end up being motivated to do the things that I have been postponing.
Perfect read for me today, on Motivation Monday! Still I rise is one of my favorite reads.
Belated happy birthday! Such an encouraging post. I’d like to have a list of my life rules as well. Thanks for sharing yours.
Rumi quotes are always so thoughtful and profound. I really like the one you chose ““Half of life is lost in charming others, the other half is lost in going through anxieties caused by others. Leave this play, you’ve played enough!” ~ Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī
I always enjoy your motivational posts. I really like the poems that you included in this one. Thanks for sharing!
Great motivation. I don’t think any woman can NOT be inspired by Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise” poem. It doesnt1 matter age or ethnicity. This poem motivates me each time I read it as if it is my first time reading.
5. Believe in Miracles, mermaids and unicorns. This is such a beautiful “rule”. I always want to believe in mermaids too (I already believe in miracles!), but recently, I’ve been shown the “ugly” version of the mermaids and got freaked out. Haha… Hope I start seeing nice version of mermaids soon!
This really spoke to me. 7. Be human and humane; some people live by such rigid standards that they forget to be human and forgiving of themselves and others. To err is human and to forgive is divine. It’s good that people are speaking out more about injustice and trying to right wrongs but sometimes people are getting caught up in their judgement of others.
Happy birthday! Love your second rule. Lately, I’ve been embracing doing the work I’ve loved and respecting that work (which doesn’t mean it’s by any means easy) and have been a bit taken aback by the amount of pushback I’ve been encountering. It’s sad to see how many people think doing something satisfying isn’t real work, or are more concerned with making money than creating something they can be proud of. This was a lovely reminder to keep at it.
I wished I would have learned earlier in life about wasting my time trying to please others. But, at least I know now.
I hope you had a wonderful birthday!! I love your motivated spirit! I think your last tip is my favorite – living life well is a choice, and I’m thankful it’s one I make every day!!
I love that Maya Angelou poem. One of my favorites. She sure was an inspiring woman. Happy birthday to you. Hope you had a blast. Enjoy! God bless!
Happy birthday to you! Life is worth celebrating, and sharing the blessings.
Having a life rules for some people is a joke as they’re more living a life at the moments. But for some reasons having one makes us more free and less into trouble and anxiety. -Chuck
Nice content! Thanks for sharing!
I totally agree that we must put family first. This is the one thing that keeps us going always no matter what the situation is!
I have recreated myself several times and enjoyed reading you list of life rules. Many of them resonate with me. I think you are spot on in saying, “Look for the positive even when you have almost zero reason to do so. Just keep looking and believing because that tiny crack of light is nearby … just look, it’s there to champion you on.” That type of outlook has gotten me through many difficult times.
Ya. I can totally relate to your post! Every birthday I take a step back and wonder about the direction my life is heading and was it how I had pictured it the previous birthday! But as you point out its important to stay in the present too and not get too carried away! Awesome words!
Happy belated birthday . Thank you for sharing . In life no matter how you grow up there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.
I always ove these motivation monday post!! You make some really good points that we should all stop and ponder about!
Hope you had a great birthday! These are some great rules to follow and be aware of.
Happy Belated Birthday I hope you had a great day. Birthdays are always great time for reflection.
Happy belated birthday to you! I wish your every day to be filled with lots of love, laughter, happiness and the warmth of sunshine.
Love this post and the poems you added!! Life definitely Rules!!
I truly believe that the saying we become what we believe, and we are especially sensitive when it comes to the negative thoughts we have too.
I am loving your perspective on living life fully and how new beginnings and a new mindset can start on your birthday. So inspiring as always. And happy birthday to you! Beautiful article 🙂
I too am a huge fan of the great Khalil Gibran. His words have such a deep meaning. Loved his books and poems. Im so glad that you read his stuff and could relate to these!
I’ve always been a positive person even when you have almost zero reason to do so, I’ve noticed it annoys people as well, but hey what can you do lol
I love your outlook on birthdays and getting older! The ‘rules’ you have set out for your life are so wonderful, too! Happy late birthday! 🙂
Being alive is beautiful and I love how you spread this message through your birthday! Spread the happiness, spread the love and most importantly, spread life.~
This is a fantastic list. My favorite is believe in miracles!! They can come in so many forms.. including unanswered prayers!
being present and actually living this life instead of going through the motions, is important to me right now. thank you for the reminder!
Love your motivations …. it brings people good thoughts again
So inspirational, do not life half a life, couldn’t agree more! We all need to live our best life ever, as life in reality is very short.
Great post, thank you!