Gordon W. Allport

bupot1, a photo by snogglethorpe on Flickr.

from The Individual and His Religion
published 1950, Macmillan, NY


'The neurotic who learns to laugh at himself may be on the way to self-management, perhaps to cure.'

 

The Road Less Travelled

by M. Scott Peck, first published 1978

from Introduction to the 25th Anniversay Edition

'Nonetheless, perhaps because it was needed, despite its flaws, there is no question in my mind that as I wrote the book in the solitude of my cramped little office I had help. I really cannot explain that help, but the experience of it is hardly unique. Indeed, such help is the ultimate subject of the book itself.'

Published 2008 by Rider, UK.

One step at a time

Stepping Stones and Anchor Bars,Tarmachan, Perthshire, a photo by uplandaccess on Flickr.

Believe it is possible, whatever you want to do.
If you want to be a portrait painter, for instance, don't dismiss it as 'a crazy idea' that 'someone like me couldn't do'. Research it, meet with those who have done it and make a plan. See where you'll need help and be open to accepting it. Turn your ambition into something achievable. 

Question your inner critic.
We all have one. Ask it to be specific - for example 'What, exactly, is frightening me about being a portrait painter?' And then, if necessary, ignore it - especially blanket judgments like 'You're a loser; you'll never be able to do that'. Nothing silences your inner critic more than action. 

Monitor and manage your thoughts.
They aren't always accurate. Be wary of doom saying.

Set small, realistic goals.
Goals that you can actually achieve, rather than major target you'd like to set yourself. And do what you say. Doing something small is better than doing nothing. Create many little 'arrival points' on your way to your major goal. 

Monitor your progress.
Acknowledge your achievements. 

The Confidence Workout 
Michelle Landy

http://michellelandy.com/ 
  

Patience

Limited Patient Parking, a photo by jasoneppink on Flickr.

'Andrew Darbyshire says there are only two steps to achieving success.

They are, to know what you want and not to stop until you get it.

He says the thing most successful people have in common is, "they ignore the experts".   

They refuse to take 'no' for an answer - they experience failure, as we all do ... but they keep going. They are persistent. 

"The key is to never let someone tell you that you can't do something."

"You don't have to be extraordinary to have an extraordinary life. You must have patience and engage in consistent action." '

 http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/daughter-inspires-a-life-of-service-20120125-1qhp3.html


 

the importance of intention

'I learned the importance of intention from a wise Native American. He taught me that in order to change, one’s intention has to be very specific and clearly stated every day. Intending to "do better" or "be a good person" is not specific enough, and can be daunting even to consider. But stating, "My intention is to be patient today" or "My intention is to be nonjudgmental" is easier because it is concrete and specific. By stating the goal simply, we make it attainable.  

When we reaffirm our specific intention every day, it becomes integrated into our being and then is manifested in our behaviour.'

Radical Gratitude and other life lessons learned in Siberia

Andre Bienkowski & Mary Akers

2008 Allen & Unwin
 

Mark Doty - Golden Retrievals

Golden, a photo by wablair on Flickr.

Mark Doty - Golden Retrievals

                                                                            My work:

            to unsnare time's warp (and woof!), retrieving,

            my haze-headed friend, you. This shining bark,

            a Zen master's bronzy gong, calls you here,

            entirely, now: bow-wow, bow-wow, bow-wow.

Copyright 1998 Mark Doty, Sweet Machine: Poems HarperFlamingo

Mark Doty writes: 'Dogs, in a way, are the present. Animals are infinitely attentive to now, wholly present with what's in front of them. Entirely themselves, without compromise or dissembling. Pure directness of being, the soul right in the eyes, brimming to the edges.'

secret brotherhood

'In Tereza's eyes, books were the emblems of a secret brotherhood. For she had but a single weapon against the world of crudity surrounding her: the books she took out of the municipal library ...'

The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Milan Kundera, 1984  

http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/feb/04/depression-bleak-stories-consoling-self-help 

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/24/neil-gaiman-face-facts-need-fiction 

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/15/neil-gaiman-future-libraries-reading-daydreaming 
 

Baja night sky, a photo by king damus on Flickr.

Invictus

By William Ernest Henley

 

Out of the night that covers me,

      Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

      For my unconquerable soul.

 

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/182194