It’s easy to feel inspired at the start of a new year, but what happens when those resolutions and good intentions start to wear off? This week, the Chicks share some of the inspirational quotes that keep them going throughout the year. Write them on Post-it notes, hang them on your refrigerator, or needlepoint them onto a pillow. Then go forth and be awesome!
“What is the point of being alive if you don’t at least try to do something remarkable?” — John Green
Says the guy who became a mega-bestselling author in his mid-thirties. But still, I love this quote because it doesn’t say that you have to actually achieve something remarkable; it just asks that you try. And it’s a good reminder! I’m probably not alone when I say that it’s easy to get caught up in the day to day, feeling like a total winner if you remember to pick up cat food in between making your work deadline and going to the dentist (and lying about how often you floss). But this quote reminds me that life isn’t just a series of errands and appointments and to-do list achievements. So do that thing! Write that book! Hug all the baby goats, if that’s your goal. As Helen Keller said in another of my favorite quotes, “Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”
Cynthia Kuhn
♥︎ “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.” — Samuel Beckett, Worstword Ho
This has been posted over my writing desk forever but it is applicable to so many experiences that require persistence and determination. Some might suggest that it’s not meant to be inspirational in the original text—that Beckett was focusing on the inescapable condition of human failure. But I prefer to find it (out of context, at least) comforting and motivational. What can I say? It speaks to me. #trytryagain #failbetter
Lisa Q. Mathews
I’m not sure they’re inspirational, exactly, but two quotes have always stuck with me. The first is from my father’s side of the family and was usually directed toward my uncles, as I remember: “You’re young and good-lookin’ and you’ve got your whole life ahead of you.” For some reason, I always found that funny. But even if you’re not so young and good-lookin’, you really do always have your whole (or at least the rest of) your life to pursue your dreams and accomplish your goals. The other quote came from my mom’s mother and I remind myself of it ALL the time, because I love to worry about things that may never even happen: “Don’t borrow trouble.” Maybe I should get that tattooed or something. (Um, no. Never gonna happen.)
Ellen Byron
“Worry is paying interest on a debt you may not owe.” The showrunner I worked with at Nickelodeon shared this quote with me last year, and I constantly remind myself of it. To be honest, I’m doing a lot of worrying these days, so it’s hard to make this saying stick. But it does provide help, even when it’s fleeting.
Another quote that means a lot to me is something I read in an interview with an author who I believe was Raymond Carver: “The hardest part about writing is falling in love with your characters and not knowing how to save them.” I was working primarily as a playwright when I read this, and the quote so hit home for me that I cut it out of the article and taped it to my computer monitor for inspiration. Luckily, now that I write cozies, I get to save all the characters I love. #happyendings #justiceprevails.
Vickie Fee
Two of my favorite inspirational quotes are currently on my desktop. The first is: “Every day is a new chapter in a book that you get to write.” (Amy Robach) This applies to life in general, but especially appeals to me as a writer. If I didn’t hit my word count goals or the writing didn’t go so well yesterday, today I have another chance. And the second quote is: “The scariest moment is just before you start.” This gem comes from Stephen King, who knows something about scary. Together, these quotes say to me, “It’s never too late to start or start over.” And, “Stop waiting. Get started now!”
Kellye Garrett
“Be happy with what you have while working for what you want.” — Helen Keller
I don’t know how I stumbled on this quote from Helen Keller but it’s currently written on a post-it stuck on my fuse box in my kitchen. I have a theory: Some folks live in the past. Some folks live in the present. Me? I live in the future, meaning I’m always thinking about what’s next. It can be a good thing but it also means I don’t really take the time to enjoy what’s going on right now at this moment. And I need to do more of that. This quote reminds me that while I’m constantly looking ahead, I need to also appreciate where I am.
Readers, what about you? Share your favorite inspirational quotes in the comments below!
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