You musn't be afraid...

You musn't be afraid to dream a bit bigger, darling.

-Eames, from the film Inception by Christopher Nolan

Oh how I loved this quote when I first heard Eames say it in the film, Inception.  It was a high octane scene and he casually says this quote to a colleague who is a dream architect - and it is oh sooo good.  In a sense we are all our own dream architects - but the dreams we are designing take place in our lives awake.  We are only limited by our own imaginations and the limits we choose to put on our own dreams.  The movie itself is great, in so many ways, but this quote boils it down to not limiting how big you can dream.  It is a simple yet sassy reminder to stretch and reach out a little bigger.

When I dare to be powerful...

"When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid."

--- Audre Lorde ---

This is another favorite quote which happens to be in a large framed photograph right above my computer at work.   When I first started at the job, I didn't know what impact this quote would have on my work and my personal capacity for action, but I often find myself glancing up at this big poster, seeing her face with her arms in the air, and thinking about how I can dissipate my own fears in life.  I have also heard this particular quote mentioned time and time again at a workshop that our department hosts each year on the 'imposter syndrome.'  This quote is a reminder not to let your fears stand in the way of what you want to do, and emphasizes how important it is to identify and develop a strong vision for our own lives.  Audre Lorde was a powerful poet/activist whose words demonstrate a wisdom beyond what is written on paper.  Enjoy!