Day 324 - Q is for QUOTATION

"Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better." --Emile Coue

Quotations are proverbs, sayings, morals, adages. They may be pithy, witty, clichés, platitudes, truisms, trite, epigrammatic. Some can serve as mantras, and they regularly show up on samplers. Quotations of one kind or another are everywhere, and they come from everyplace.

They originate from fables, parables, poems, and even Shakespeare's plays. They can be completely contradictory - 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder' as opposed to 'Out of sight, out of mind.' And some are so familiar they become part of the language.

You may view them as simplistic, or scoff at their effectiveness. It's probably no accident that one of Al Franken's most famous characters is 'Stuart Smalley,' whose biggest catchphrase is 'I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggoneit, people like me!' After all, the best satire pokes fun at something everyone can identify with.

Humor notwithstanding, positive quotations can be handy reminders to help you focus, to stay on track, or to distract you from spiraling into negative thinking. Why not pick one or two you find especially appealing and make use of them?

Some people write short proverbs on sticky notes or 3x5 cards and affix them to a bathroom mirror or car dashboard or computer monitor: 'Be happy' is a typical one. One of my favorites is 'Count your blessings' - surprising how often that can sooth my fractious moments. And I frequently tell myself 'It could be worse' - it can be an effective nudge to get on with whatever I need to do.

Writing your own affirmations is a great way to concentrate on the issues that you want to address. It might be as simple as 'I can do ____' or 'I believe in myself.' Each morning, tell yourself 'I start anew today' - then take charge.

When you give your subconscious a steady diet of positive feedback, the negative self-talk will decrease. Quotations can be one of the best tools you use.

While there are scads of places to browse quotations, here are three of my online favorites:

www.happypublishi
ng.com/index.htm

www.quotationspag
e.com/

www.quoteland.com
/

"As for me, all I know is that I know nothing." --Socrates