Quips and Tips From Strong Women in History
If you need some oooomph! to stay focused and achieve your goals, read these quips and tips from strong women in history. They’ll help (they certainly couldn’t hurt!).
“I dwell in possibility,” said Emily Dickinson.
What are the possibilities for your life? Focusing on what’s possible – not what already exists – is one step towards achieving your goals.
Some of these quips from strong women in history are from The Speaker’s & Toastmaster’s Handbook, compiled by Herbert V. Prochnow. I wanted to use this book for all the quips and tips in this article, but it wasn’t possible because 99% of his quotations were from men! They were great quips, don’t get me wrong, but definitely not equally representative.
So, I dove into my dog-eared copy of Sarah Ban Breathnach’s Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy for more quips from strong women. Click on the book cover for a great source of inspiration, and read on for tips that will help you achieve your goals…
Quips and Tips From Strong Women in History
Quip: “Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in the world.” -Helen Keller.
- Tip: Stop feeling sorry for yourself. If you focus on how hard your life is, or the obstacles in your way, you’ll just spin your wheels in deeper. Buck up, fellow dreamers. Overlook the setbacks and the mistakes you’ve made. Forge ahead!
Quip: “A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days.” – Annie Dillard.
- Tip: Do you have relationship, fitness, or career goals? Whatever it is you want to achieve, make a list. A schedule. A plan for achieving your goals. Otherwise, your days will be lost to the ether…and so will your dreams.
Quip: “I wouldn’t swap one wrinkle of my face for all the elixirs of youth,” said Helen Hayes. “All of these wrinkles represent a smile, a grimace of pain and disappointment…some part of being fully alive.”
- Tip: Accept yourself as you are. Worrying about your appearance, wrinkles, and even your weight is SUCH a waste of time! Yes, you want to look good – so do I – but obsessing about the things you can’t change (whether it’s about your body, your career, your life) is a huge drain on your energy. If you want to achieve your goals, guard your time and energy for the things that really matter.
Quip: “Men don’t make passes at crones with big asses.” – Cybill Shepherd.
- Tip: Don’t let yourself go. There’s a big difference between accepting your body and life for what it is, and totally letting yourself go. If you’re obese, unkempt, or wearing the same hairstyle as you were in high school, then you may not feel great about yourself…which won’t motivate you to achieve your goals! Shepherd was is a strong woman in history who knows how to age gracefully and in good health.
Quip: “After all, it is those who have a deep and real inner life who are best able to deal with the irritating details of outer life.” – Evelyn Underhill.
- Tip: Cultivate your inner self. What do you really think, really like, really feel? Stop avoiding your feelings or medicating yourself with food, shopping, drugs, cosmetic surgery, or new diet plans…and then losing your keys isn’t such a big deal. Once you’re making regular forays into your inner world, you won’t care about the trivial stuff. And, you’ll have the energy to achieve your goals!
Quip: “It is for us to pray not for tasks equal to our powers, but for powers equal to our tasks; to go forward with a great desire forever beating at the door of our hearts as we travel toward our distant goal.” – Helen Keller.
- Tip: Pray and fight with all your might! Helen Keller was a strong woman in history, which is why I’ve begun and ended this quips and tips article with her. She faced social and physical obstacles – and she not only survived, she became a famous strong woman. To achieve your goals, fellow dreamers, follow your great desire. Don’t let it die or fade away…pray to God, the universe, whoever you want…just don’t give up.
For life lessons from successful women, go to See Jane Soar! And if you have any quips or tips from strong women – not just in history, but in your own life – please comment below…
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Comment by amen on 21 January 2009:
I enjoyed reading this article. It is very interesting.