There’s something about the arrival of autumn that prompts reflection. Leaves flutter to the ground in an array of colours, the wind carries a different scent on its wings and everything seems to close, curl and cozy up.
The transition from summer to fall touches us physically and emotionally. The subtle external shift seems to trigger a corresponding internal response.
It cues some endings—the end of summer, the end of the year; yet it also marks the beginnings—a new school year, a new season, a new quarter.
It’s a time to reflect and reminisce.
It’s a time to take stock and take perspective.
It’s a time to consider what needs to be done before December 31st.
It’s a time to stockpile motivation for that final push.
This year (2020) has been a heck of a year for many of us. Regardless of what we’ve experienced—good or bad, peaceful or challenging—it’s helpful to remember that it will not last forever.
Our mind casts backward over the past year in an attempt to understand and casts foward toward the final three months in an attempt to plan.
I’ve found that there’s nothing quite like a good quote to help oneself recalibrate and refocus. Here are five motivating quotes that I’ll be keeping in mind while closing out this year.
Here’s to looking towards the future with hope, peace, and purpose.
*Bonus*
For those of you needing a little extra motivation in the midst of uncertain times, stick around until the end of this blog post (or scroll down directly)!
On Choice
We must accept that struggle will either destroy us or develop us, and the hardest of human truths is that, ultimately, it’s our choice.
–Brendon Burchard
On Peace
“Peace isn’t an experience free of challenges, free of rough and smooth, it’s an experience that’s expansive enough to include all that arises without feeling threatened.”
–Pema Chodron
On Vision
“When we have a clear image of who we want to be, we have a clearer path of how to get there.”
–Miranda Joy Ayim
On Confidence
“You cannot be a powerful and life-changing presence to some people without being a joke or an embarrassment to others.”
–Mark Manson
On Action
“We learn who we are in practice not in theory.”
–David Epstein
Bonus
As extra motivation during uncertain times, I’ve included a clip of a talk I gave as a part of the 2020 Women in Leadership Panel hosted by Canada Basketball and the City of Edmonton.
We start with the following question: How does one operate—let alone achieve success—in the midst of great uncertainty?
Here’s one way to look at it…
Enjoy!
