You Will Change the World

Just a Smile

“One smile has the power to…
Calm fears.
Soften stone walls.
Warm a cold heart.
Invite a new friend.
Mimic a loving hug.
Beautify the bearer.
Lighten heavy loads.
Promote good deeds.
Brighten a gloomy day.
Comfort a grieving spirit.
Offer hope to the forlorn.
Send a message of caring.
Lift the downtrodden soul.
Patch up invisible wounds.
Weaken the hold of misery.
Act as medicine for suffering.
Attract the companionship of angels.
Fulfill the human need for recognition.
Who knew changing the world would prove so simple?”

~ Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway

Another quote from Richelle:

“Perhaps, if you weren’t so busy regarding my shortcomings, you’d find that I do possess redeeming qualities, discreet as they may be.”

Richelle E. Goodrich is an American author and poet.

Giving Back

“At the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It’s about what you’ve done with those accomplishments. It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.”
~ Denzel Washington

A few more quotes from Denzel:

“My faith helps me understand that circumstances don’t dictate my happiness, my inner peace.”

“If I am a cup maker, I’m interested in making the best cup I possibly can. My effort goes into that cup, not what people think about it.”

“What it taught me was forgiveness. It taught me that when people present themselves in a certain way, there’s probably some back story or issue or reason for the way that they are. It’s not you. It’s them. And a lot of times, its about something that’s completely out of their control.”

Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, director, and producer. He has received two Golden Globe awards, one Tony Award, and two Academy Awards.

What Money Can Do

“It is more rewarding to watch money change the world than watch it accumulate.”
~ Gloria Steinem

Powerful Education

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
~ Nelson Mandela

More quotes from Nelson Mandela –

“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”

“The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader, and philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country’s first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election.

Enrich the World

“You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope the achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.”
– Woodrow Wilson

More Woodrow Wilson quotes:

“ If you want to make enemies, try to change something.”

“The government, which was designed for the people, has got into the hands of the bosses and their employers, the special interests. An invisible empire has been set up above the forms of democracy.”

“Golf is a game in which one endeavors to control a ball with implements ill adapted for the purpose.”

Thomas Woodrow Wilson (1856 – 1924) was the 28th president of the United States. He was a scholar and statesman best remembered for his his high-minded idealism.

Imagine Better Things

“We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already; we have the power to imagine better.”
~ J. K. Rowling

As you view your world through your window, ask yourself what gladdens your heart? What brings you joy, unbounded child-like joy? Acknowledge it and make it a strong part of your ‘best self’ so that you can call on that part of you when you or someone else needs your magic. From the article “We Already Have What We Need” by Georgina Cannon in Medium.com’s Thrive Global. The full article can be found here – https://medium.com/thrive-global/we-already-have-what-we-need-e63ed94a989

Joanne Rowling (1965 – ), better known by her pen name J. K. Rowling, is a British author, film producer, television producer, screenwriter, and philanthropist. She is the author of the beloved “Harry Potter” series.

Changing Yourself

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
~ Leo Tolstoy

Here are seven steps to try if you’d like to make some positive changes in yourself:

See yourself outside yourself.
Find the habit associated with the thing you want to change.
Practice every day, no matter what.
Set realistic goals.
Constantly look in the mirror.
Surround yourself with people who will tell you the truth.
You have to take risks.

From 7 Steps to Transforming Yourself From Who You Are to Who You Want to Be by Nicolas Cole in Inc. You can find the entire article here – https://www.inc.com/nicolas-cole/7-steps-to-transform-yourself-from-who-you-are-to-who-you-want-to-be.html

Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was born in Russia in 1828. Known as Leo Tolstoy, he was a Russian writer who is regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time.

Dreaming . . .

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
Harriet Tubman

Another favorite Tubman quote: “’Twant me, ’twas the Lord. I always told him, ‘I trust to you. I don’t know where to go or what to do, but I expect you to lead me,’ and he always did.“

Harriet Tubman was an American abolitionist and political activist. Born into slavery in Maryland, Harriet Tubman escaped to freedom in 1849 to become the most famous “conductor” on the Underground Railroad. Tubman risked her life to lead hundreds of family members and other slaves from the plantation system to freedom on this elaborate secret network of safe houses. Harriet Tubman is called “The Moses of Her People” because like Moses, she helped people escape from slavery.

Making a Difference

“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
~ Jane Goodall

This reminds me of the Cherokee legend of the grandfather who tells his grandson about the two wolves who fight within all of our minds. He says, “One wolf is vengeful, angry and violent; the other is loving and compassionate. They fight constantly to determine who will gain control. The grandson asks which wolf will win and the grandfather says, “The one you feed.”

Another favorite quote from Jane Goodall: “The greatest danger to our future is apathy.”

Jane Morris Goodall is a British primatologist and anthropologist. Born in London in 1934, she traveled to Tanzania in 1960 to work with wild chimpanzees. Armed with a notebook, binoculars and a curious mind, Goodall spent the next 60 years studying chimpanzees in their natural habitat. Her research transformed our understanding of primates and redefined the relationship between humans and animals. This year, at 86 years old, she has promised to plant five million trees as part of the United Nations Environmental Program.

New Solutions

“We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive.”

~ Albert Einstein

In the future we will need to come up with solutions to problems that have never before existed on this planet. We’ll need to keep our minds open and alert. It won’t be easy.

Another couple of my favorite Einstein quotes:

“Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.”

“ I believe in intuitions and inspirations. I sometimes feel that I am right. I do not know that I am.”

Albert Einstein was born in Germany in 1879 and died in the U.S. in 1955. He developed the Theory of Relativity and won the Nobel Prize for Physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.