“NOTE TO SELF"

No one owes you anything.

Don't think that you're entitled to anything.

Life feels as fair as you choose to see it.

You must first take care of yourself before you can truly care for anyone else.

Stand back often and see yourself from a distance; you'll benefit from a better, less myopic perspective.

When things go awry, take responsibility and heed to the lessons that needed to be learned.

When you not only accept but come to expect that mistakes will naturally happen, you will no longer see them as mistakes but as opportunities.

If you went go back and changed something you’ve regretted, you wouldn’t be the same person you are today.

All the fears and demons you have harbored were your choice to feed and keep.

Invite your fears to a dance and let your heart do the leading.

All the things you think, say, hear, and see are merely from your one perspective.

Our perspectives are like prescription glasses which can be shared with others with the same vision, but as such, many others may never be able to see them as clearly.

You can share your perspective with others but shouldn’t expect them to see it.

The truth is independent of perspective.

Who you consider friends or foes are so because of whom you've chosen to be.

Give thanks to your friends and foes for you are who you are because of them.

If your friends can't appreciate you, they are not your friends.

All that you've seen as wrong, you haven't stood up enough to make right.

You may not always know what’s right but you always know what’s not.

You are as special as how you make others feel when they are with you.

You set your worth. Others can decide your value.

Life is an experience to be shared.

Take notice and appreciate without passing judgment.

Through the eyes of love nothing is seen but beauty in the beloved.

Stories may be shared but must be experienced to be truly appreciated.

The value of something is not determined merely from the outcome but rather derived from the stories that are created and shared from the process.

Everyone has a story. Not everyone feels theirs is worth sharing.

Money has value, but worthless in itself.

Sometimes being lost is necessary to find exactly where you are.

Those you have hurt may have forgiven you, but still you've forever changed them and yourself.

Saying sorry isn't as important as showing it.

An initial impression can be formed in just seconds but will require a lifetime of validation.

All the things that you've failed to do are because of your own indecisiveness and lack of commitment.

Never take away or underestimate the power of hope.

The difference between the pessimist and the optimist is hope.

You cannot show someone even the obvious until they are ready to see.

Understanding and being understood are the basis of any relationship worth having.

When you want to learn about someone, get to know his friends.

As your intentions change, so do your paths.

Footprints show where you've been, not where you're going.
Fingerprints show who you are, not who you can be.

A gift is a reflection of the giver, not the receiver.

When you've closed your eyes or looked away, things still happened.

Anything you didn't have, you probably didn't really need.

Most things you've lost, you probably didn't feel you deserved or hadn't truly appreciated.

Crying is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of understanding.

If eyes are windows of the soul, tears are sometimes necessary to keep them clear.

Excuses are what people use to explain why they are settling or wasting their life away.

Accomplishments are never followed by excuses.

None of your accomplishments were achieved by you alone.

A tree that rises high above others requires roots that reach further than others.

What you do and don't do say everything about you.

Somethings are meant to be; somethings we make to be.

It is good to love, better to be loved, best to be in love.

Trust is not something you ask for. It is something that must be felt.

Many see the beauty in a butterfly but rarely truly appreciate the transformation that was necessary to become one.

Enjoy the beauty of imperfection and uncertainty.

Dream to Visualize to Realize.

Living the life you've always dreamed is the only way to share that dream.

You are not alone when you are with yourself.

To soar, you must first fly.

Sometimes the only way to know that you can fly is to go over the edge.

Growth occurs when you venture outside your comfort zone.

There are no coincidences.

You’ve often unknowingly received help when you didn’t even know you’ve needed it.

Don't expect flowers if you don't plant seeds.

Don't expect any fruit if you don't water the tree.

Seeds blossom on their own time, not yours.

Sometimes a seed will blossom from just a ray of light.

Don't stop planting seeds just because not every one blossoms.

From seeds come fruit, within which we find often more seeds.

It is often more fruitful to nurture a tree than to constantly plant new seeds.

Always be grateful and appreciate your luck, where you've been, who you've been with, what you've been given, and who you've become.

Be thankful for what you are given and reciprocate directly or indirectly when possible.

You may lose something when you give or something is taken, but have much to gain when you share.

You may not be able to decide who enters and leaves your life but you can decide who you keep to share in your life.

While many spend a lifetime searching for the meaning of life, consider spending just a fraction of your time appreciating the meanings in life.

If you give because you expect to receive the same, you may be underestimating what you could be getting back.

Reciprocation is not always immediate or direct. In fact, reciprocation is often delayed or indirect. That's what makes it more special.

To truly give is to do so without any expectations.

Be mindful of what lies ahead and also of what is already around you.

Be grateful for all the things that go right each and every moment to keep you healthy.

Intentions give rise to actions, which arise from feelings.

Take for granted long enough and you may not realize when you have lost it.

Some gifts are timeless and when truly appreciated, become priceless. Some gifts are perishable and when left unappreciated, become worthless.

Being in control is an illusion, by knowing so you can see great magic.

While the heart can do great magic, beware that the mind can be a powerful illusionist.

The mind believes in magic and illusions just as much as it sees reality.

Be mindful of those around you and be heartful to yourself.

Words have meanings, choose them carefully.

Labeling someone will often short change you both.

Most limitations are self imposed.

Asking questions is often the best way to get answers.

Think with your brain but make decisions with your heart.

Never allow your mind to underestimate your heart.

Sometimes the only way to get to where you need to be is to flow with the current of the river.

Your ideas will go unappreciated as long as they just exist inside your own head.

The road less traveled doesn't require an express lane.

When a journey has taken more time than anticipated, it is often because you weren't yet ready to arrive.

How boring would it be if we all had the same taste and interests.

A pessimist considers everything that could go wrong. An optimist appreciates everything that has gone right.

Kindness isn't something you must show, it's something others must feel.

Those whom you've touched may not always be thinking of you, but will never forget the experiences you've shared together.

People may not always remember what you have said to them, but rarely forget what you have done for them, and will never forget how you made them feel.

Whether presented for a reason or a season, some people are presents to be appreciated for a lifetime.

Acknowledgement is a magical motivation which often translates to a more meaningful outcome.

The sun will continue to rise and set with or without you.

Just as sunrise and sunset occur on their own time, so will many other things that we expect but can't control.

Life gives us choices, our decisions define our life.

Our dreams aren’t a destination, they are what drives us in our journey.

A dream, like a powerful river, may be diverted but cannot be stopped until it reaches its destination.

Taking pride in what you do is a measure of your own worth, not what others may or may not appreciate.

Failure is often judged by others. Success can often only be determined by oneself.

Happiness is not a destination, it's a grateful feeling which powers our journey.

The truly successful man needs not anyone's praise.

Invest your time with those you appreciate. Spend your time with those who appreciate you. Don't waste your time with those who can't appreciate.

Let go and experience the pull from the unfulfilled potential that awaits in the mystery of uncertainty.

Let life give you more than you could ever take for yourself.

Let go and accept that there are things that you may never understand but from which you can still learn and grow.

Character is based on who you are and what you do when no one else is around or would ever know.

Nothing is really just about you but rather who you are in the bigger picture - you are temporary, yet irreplaceable to those you've touched.

Your truest reflection shines from your children.

When you are true to yourself, what anyone else thinks about you doesn't really matter.

Your existence is priceless but not timeless; know that it has served it's purpose.

Only you can truly know if you've lived the fearless, unconditionally happy, meaningful lifetime you had meant.

At the end, the only things that really matter are the happy experiences that have passed through the heart and having gone beyond.