"Wherever you go, go with all your heart." ~Confucius

Well, I'm about to go to the library, does that mean I should skip and whistle merrily on my way to the place where I will inevitably spend hours poring over books, writing essays, and studying for exams?

Not exactly.

Matthew Cusick Map Art--Course of Empire Mixmaster, courtesy of Digital Bus Stop

Although this quote sounds rather cheesy, Confucius (at least to my knowledge) was not a cheesy man.  His philosophy outlined the importance of moral values, justice, compassion, and sincerity, which are all admirable traits.

I'll admit it, this quote sounds like it would appear in large, looping text on the front of a middle school girl's diary, surrounded by sweeping mountains, blooming flowers, and a beaming sun--a gag-worthy presentation, to say the least.  Yet, when standing alone in simple black text, Confucius's words are some of the most inspiring I have ever read.

He implies that, in order to live a full and satisfying life, one must demonstrate enthusiasm at every opportunity.  By this logic, even my trip to the library merits some version of gusto on my part.  Gusto, in the sense that because I am going, I should direct all my effort and attention to the task at hand by concentrating, being present in the moment, and soaking in and digesting every word that I read.  After all, I decided to go to the library, so why not "go with all my heart" and make the most of it by learning, comprehending, and doing good work?

Since that was a fairly boring example, I'll now relate this to an adventure like cliff diving.  First off, if you partake in this exhilarating, terrifying experience, I respect your bravery.  Never in five million years would you see me at the top of a cliff preparing to jump, unless there were a giant pit of fluffy pillows at the bottom (which there wouldn't be).  Anyway, in a thrilling situation such as cliff diving, Confucius encourages pumping even more zest and wholeheartedness into the act by being aware of the experience and how it affects you.

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Box

For example, at the top of the cliff, you may feel wonder and awe by looking down at the (hopefully) spectacular view and appreciate the wind whipping around you.  Then, as you're about to jump, nerves may kick in, but you notice that they only feed into your adrenaline rush.  As you jump, a feeling of complete freedom (and maybe terror) may overcome you, which will only last a few seconds.  Now it's over and you feel a rush and an overall sense of relief and satisfaction for completing the feat.

The average person likely feels all these things but does not think to notice, process, and appreciate them all.  Confucius encourages us to notice everything we sense and encounter in life in order to heighten our experience here on Earth.  By living with attentiveness, going places with all our hearts becomes much easier.

When faced with an activity that is pleasurable to us, going with all our hearts is already fairly easy.  The best times to keep these words of Confucius in mind, however, are those times when we need to complete a task or go somewhere that makes us anxious, annoyed, or angry.  Every day is an opportunity to infuse your world with energy and avidity.

So, whether you are going to the library or going cliff diving today, make sure that you go with all your heart and bring plenty of zest and enthusiasm to spare.

"I'm discovering that everybody is a closet quotesmith. Just give them a chance." ~Robert Brault

How does one become quotable?

Customarily, a quotable person has some sort of fame or success.  They have written books, made speeches, or starred in movies.  They probably have a sports car, a yacht, and someone who follows them around all day with pen and paper ready to write down all the witty things they say.

Oftentimes, the sayings of the affluent and illustrious seem quite uninspiring.  For instance, the quote of the day presented to me on my phone yesterday was (are you ready for this?):  "I don't know if I have a favorite color." ~Kate Middleton.

This is not a joke.

I cannot tell you how many times I have uttered those exact words (I have finally decided on sunflower yellow as my color of choice but it took many difficult years of self-reflection) and yet, Kate Middleton gets all the glory.

I suppose this says a lot about our society and how we, as a generalization, tend to give a lot of weight to the words of famous people.

Yet finally, Robert Brault, a modern-day freelance writer, recognized that even the common man--the waitress, the business owner, and the college student--is quotable.  He eloquently states, "I'm discovering that everybody is a closet quotesmith.  Just give them a chance."

If I had a dime for every time I heard a member of "the common man" say something witty, charismatic, insightful, or inspiring, I would have enough money to treat everyone at Penn State to a cone at the Creamery.  Okay, I probably wouldn't have that much money, but you get the picture.  The point is that everyone is quotable--you just need to listen.

You can find inspiration anywhere if you practice the art of listening.  Listen intently to your friends, your families, your teachers, and even strangers when they speak.  Listen to yourself.  Take in every word and taste it like it's the best, most refreshing scoop of Paterno Peach you've ever had.  Digest it slowly and search with passion for specks of inspiration, hidden quotes from each unsuspected quotesmith.

The Humans of New York account on all mediums of social media quotes the common man daily and has collected millions of followers.  This past week, the account posted this:

"Choosing what I want to do with my life is like trying to watch a YouTube video. When I'm halfway through the video, I glance over at the sidebar and see they're recommending something else that seems more interesting."

A photo posted by Humans of New York (@humansofny) on Sep 10, 2015 at 6:19pm PDT

This quote by a random, regular New Yorker definitely struck a chord with me and was the most relatable quote that I have read in quite some time.  I find this quote to be especially pertinent because, as college students,  we constantly struggle with the issue of deciding the direction of our future.  Since quotes are meant to inspire, to motivate, to generate emotions, and to spark discussion, there are no better authors of quotes than ordinary people with whom we feel a connection and with whom we can easily relate.  Sometimes, we may read a quote by a hugely famous pop star, an extraordinarily intelligent mathematician, or a tremendously successful businessman and find no inspiration.  We may feel puzzled because we as a society place great value in the words of celebrities and generally think that these people have a great amount of wisdom to offer.  Yet, oftentimes, the most inspiration comes from people just like us who have experienced the same pain, joy, and sorrow that we have experienced throughout our entire lives.

Everybody is a closet quotesmith.  Thank you, Robert Brault!

"Change your thoughts and you can change your world." ~Norman Vincent Peale

I check my “Quote of the Day” App religiously every morning and have not missed a day since I first downloaded it from the iTunes store.  If I ever miss a day, I am convinced that I will surely miss THE quote that will inspire me to single handedly cure cancer, feed the starving, shelter the homeless, and end all wars.  

That was sarcasm, if you missed it, because I in no way believe that quotes have magic powers to drive humankind into action and to de-flaw the entire species.  If this were true, then why not read Ghandi quotes to the cruel, Mother Theresa quotes to the greedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes to the apathetic?  All of the world’s problems would be instantaneously eradicated!  Of course, this tactic would never be successful.

Regardless, I believe that quotes are powerful, and that every quote gets a distinctive reaction from each person who reads it.  A quote that truly resonates with one person may not mean anything to someone else.  

I just find quotes to be thoroughly interesting.  Introducing a really good quote into your life is like feeding an insomnia cookie to your over-worked mind.  The results are instantaneous, overwhelmingly energizing and ultimately remarkable.

A couple weeks back, my quote app presented me with the following quotation by an anonymous author: “Always believe that something wonderful is about to happen.”  

I have to admit, this quote breathed new life into me.  I went about my life for the next few days with a new sense of positivity, zest, and energy, truly believing that something wonderful was about to happen.  As it turns out, nothing really did.  However, in those few sunshine and smiles, glass half-full days, I realized how a person’s quality of life can greatly improve by a simple change in mindset.  I believe that is what quotes can do for us.  That single quote by an anonymous author, whether you believe it or not, changed my entire outlook on life.

Norman Vincent Peale, a minister, author, public speaker, and expert in positive thinking once said, “Change your thoughts and you change your world.”  Notice, he does not say the world, just your world.  While the aforementioned quote about believing in the future occurrence of wonderful things was wildly successful in changing my thoughts and my world, you may not have the same reaction.  As individuals with different backgrounds and experiences, we all find the thoughts of some speakers to be more intriguing than the thoughts of others.  That is why certain words and the manner in which they are expressed have the capacity to impact our lives in immeasurable ways.

My goal with this blog is to attempt to dig up truly inspiring, non-cliche quotes.  By my last post, I hope that at least one quote resonates with you, changes your thoughts, and allows you to change your world for the better.

After all, you are the one who has to live in it.

Just by changing your thoughts, your world has the potential to turn into a vibrant, pleasant place.