26 bits of wisdom I was reminded of on social media
In the late spring, summer and fall of 2016, I underwent treatment for cancer. I joined the one percent last year, males diagnosed with breast cancer.
This put me in the awkward position of having to be home during the work day, something that a person working typical business hours isn’t used to.
Television, despite the addition of hundreds of channels, offered little to watch. I bought a stack of books prior to my chemo treatment, but I could read for only short periods of time before I became sleepy. Since I’m a visual person, listening to music wasn’t a solution.
I’ve never been a big fan of social media. The single biggest turnoff for me is that most people who use Facebook simply share too much information. And, in my mind, it’s like either watching an old stock market ticker or a NASCAR Race. Unless you’re a hardcore NASCAR viewer, good luck trying to figure out who’s ahead or behind once the race starts. To me, it’s just a bunch of cars driving around an oval track.
So, in search of short and pithy visual impact, I stumbled across Pinterest. What I like about it is that I don’t have to look at it to keep up with the stories because there are no stories, just pictures and some words on a wide variety of topics. Among my favorites are those of history, personal development, daily motivation and all kinds of topics on health from losing weight to getting a good night’s sleep. Yes, there are ads, but they’re not intrusive.
With that background, here are some interesting words of wisdom I’ve saved over the last 18 months:
“Some people die at 25 and aren’t buried until they are 75.”
“Don’t let schooling interfere with your education.”
“Tact is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip.”
“Rock bottom became the foundation in which I rebuilt my life.”
“If Howard Schultz gave up after being turned down by banks 242 times, there would be no Starbucks.”
“People are not against you, they are for themselves.”
“Strong people move on. They do not waste time feeling sorry for themselves.”
“Five things to quit right now: trying to please everyone; fearing change; living in the past; putting yourself down; and overthinking.”
“Only speak if it improves upon silence.” “Wish less, work more.” “Show respect to people who don’t deserve it; not as a reflection of their character but as a reflection of yours.”
“Ability is what you are capable of. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.”
“Push harder than yesterday if you want a different tomorrow.”
“A river cuts through a rock not because of its power but because of its persistence.”
“5:00 A.M. is the hour when legends are either waking up or going to sleep.”
“Don’t talk, act. Don’t say, do. Don’t promise, prove.”
“Don’t expect to see a change if you don’t make one.”
“The fact that you aren’t where you want to be should be enough of a motivation.”
“There are ten things that require absolutely zero talent: being on time; having a strong work ethic; effort; positive body language; energy; a positive attitude; passion; being coachable; doing what you say you will; and, being physically fit.”
“Successful people never worry about what other people are doing.”
“Your past is a point of reference, not a place of residence.” “Don’t dumb it down.” “Never lie to your doctor.”
“The most regrets in life: too much time spent worrying; not showing my real feelings to people I love; caring too much about what others think; not following my passion; not fully living in the present and enjoying the amazing moments; not enough travel to see the wonders of the world; not daring to take risks; and, too little quality time with loved ones.”
“Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument.”
In closing, let me share with you the first posting I saw on Pinterest, as I started my chemo treatments and wondered why I was being subjected to this horrible disease: “When you are going through something hard and wonder where God is, remember the teacher is always quiet during a test.”