I confess: I love words. I love to read them, listen to them, speak them, and especially write them. I love the power that words carry. You know the old saying, “Sticks and stones can break my bones but words will never hurt me”? It’s false. I don’t even bother teaching this lie to my kids. Words hurt. In fact, on the wall in our playroom, we’ve hung a few different quotes:
Words can inspire us, words can hurt us, words can make us laugh, words can make us cry, words teach us. I marvel at the power that these combinations of letters have. Since my One Little Word this year is LISTEN, I have paid particular attention to the words that come from other people and I see how those words affect me and others as well.
As I started putting this post together, I realized that I have quotes and inspiring words all around me. Just beside my desk on the wall of my office, I have taped FOUR quotes! Here is one of them:
When our boys were babies, I made these decorations for their nursery wall:
In my daughter’s bedroom, I have more words:
I line our shelves with books full of words: some inspiring, some entertaining, some funny, some scary, some educational. I even have words in vinyl on our kitchen wall that have been there now for over a decade!
Full disclosure: I did NOT stage this photo. This is exactly how it looked when I came in the kitchen. I’m just keeping it real. Don’t judge!
Even the home page of my website includes three of my all-time favorite quotes! Words are a huge part of my life and I am sure that they are a huge part of your life, too. The words we choose to surround ourselves with can either empower us or stress us out. It is our choice. If you are looking for some inspirational words to include in your life, I have a couple resources to share (plus a fun little giveaway to tell you about! Keep reading!).
I have been teaching English classes in some form for quite a while. {You can go ahead and read that as I am getting OLD! That’s what I was thinking when I wrote it, so it’s fair for you to think it as you read.} Anyhow, back when I taught in public school settings both in middle school and community college, I always began my classes with a Quote of the Day journaling prompt. I encouraged my students to write about the quote each day and to apply it to specific experiences in their own lives. We would then take a few minutes to share some of our responses and thoughts before we continued on with the rest of the day’s work. It was one of my favorite things and even my more resistant writers came to enjoy it. Several years ago, I began collecting more quotes to use in my classes, so I created a Pinterest page just for such quotes. If you need some inspiring words in your life, feel free to visit or follow my Pinterest page.
HeatheredLetters
A very dear friend of mine just started selling her amazing hand-lettered prints. The name of her shop is “Heathered Letters” and it is an excellent place to find inspiring words (I always feel more inspired when the words are beautiful to look at, too, don’t you?). She has also generously shared some beautiful watercolored phone backgrounds that I downloaded and put on my own phone and LOVE! You can click on the pictures below and download them to your own devices and enjoy some Spring floral beauty in your life.
Aren’t they lovely? If you have any trouble downloading these backgrounds from here, you can visit Heather on her new Facebook page as well. While you’re there, give her new page a “like” and give her some love!
And because I love my amazing readers (yes, that’s you!) and I love Heather, I wanted to introduce y’all to each other and do a fun little giveaway! I will be choosing TWO lucky winners next week (Wednesday, March 7, 2018) to choose their print of choice from Heather’s cute new shop! **Update: Giveaway has now ended. Congratulations to Beverly & Stephanie! They have already been emailed about their prizes.**
Keep your eye on her shop because I have no doubt more amazing, inspiring, and oh-so-gorgeous designs will keep coming in the weeks and months ahead!
You
As a final inspirational resource (if you are still reading, you are AWESOME!), I am hoping you will add your favorite inspiring words to the comments below. Let’s make your comments another source for inspiring others!
What words inspire you?
I can’t wait to see! I hope inspiring words will help bring joy into your life.
Motherhood is Near to Divinity is my favorite.
My favorite quote is “The two most important days of your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” -Mark Twain” I have this quote tattooed on my back with my reading tree as I like to call my literary tattoo.
I love that! Thanks, Maria!
Always be kinder than you feel. I definitely need that reminder from time to time.
Always be kinder than what you feel
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Love it!
I really like the ‘Motherhood is near Divinity’ one because it certainly is! You are the first Goddess your child encounters since from her all things come to be.
Yeah!
“When Nothing Goes Right, Go Left” is a favorite of mine. I also love Heather’s “Be Kinder Than You Feel.”
Ooh! I like it!
I’ve got a couple. I’ll start with one you gave to me hanging in our home.
“We may not have it all together but together we have it all”
The next is from a song (shocker). It reminds me to treasure the people in my life.
“And even though this life, this love is brief I’ve got some people who carry me” – Dermot Kennedy
Yay! I’m so glad you like that one I gave you! The song quote is awesome, too! Thanks, Kristy!
My favorite has always been “footsteps in the sands of time are not made by sitting down”
Good one! Thanks, Mandielee!
My favorite is “Always be Kinder than you Feel”.
I would choose the Pretty Girls print. One of my favorite quotes is “When it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.” – Gilbert K. Chesterton
Rainbows make the rain worth it! Thanks, Stephanie!
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. Ralph Waldo Emerson
I like your positive blog! Jsb
I love that quote! Thanks for your kindness, Jennifer!
Always be kinder than you feel!
It’s your attitude not your aptitude that determines your altitude.
This is a great quote! Thanks, Jessica!
I love “Be kinder then you feel”