To experience peace...

To experience peace does not mean that your life is always blissful.  It means that you are capable of tapping into a blissful state of mind amidst the normal chaos of a hectic life.

--- Jill Bolte Taylor, My Stroke of Insight ---

After seeing Jill Bolte Taylor's extremely moving and insightful TED talk, I immediately knew that I had to read her book.  Her TED talk was so incredibly inspiring as she shared an amazing account of a physical and spiritual awakening after experiencing a stroke.  The energy with which she shared her talk was conveyed throughout her little book that recounted the physical aspects of the stroke she endured and the intense recovery period during which she realized the other knowledge and a level of intelligence that we all possess but don't often exercise.  Back in the day, we were not taught in school about the power of our right brain thinking, but we are now so blessed to have stories like these to help us truly live our lives to the fullest by utilizing all of our mental faculties.  I love what she says here because it's a beautiful blend of the practicality of the daily buzzing around in life, infused with an inspiring reminder that we have the ability to find bliss and peace at any time.  It's a reminder to stay in the now, which is something I've been striving to incorporate into my regular routine of life.  

Travel imparts new vigor...

 

Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.

--- Seneca ---

EXTRA EDITION!  I couldn't resist posting another quote this week because... exactly one year ago today, I, along with some of the most important people in my life as well as 100s of students and other new friends, set sail from Nassau to embark upon a journey that brought more life-changing experiences than I ever could have imagined were possible in one voyage. (here's a glimpse of the spirit of the voyage).  One of the things I love most about travel in general is the anticipation -- the knowing that my mind is about to be stretched, my heart about to be touched, my will about to be tested, and my body about to be physically in a new place with different sights, sounds, and smells.  A year ago today I felt that anticipation, and looking back and reflecting still is an exhilarating experience.  I feel like I am still processing and learning from the trips, stories, experiences, and the people that I met.  Having friends (new and old) and loved ones to share that journey with and to re-live those amazing moments was an added bonus for which I am SO thankful.  

I originally saw this quote in a travel magazine years ago - and it has always stuck with me.  I actually cut it out and put it on a collage that I made.  It's been a blessing to be able to have such incredible experiences in life, but it's even more of a blessing to remember that wherever we go - whether near or far - we always have the ability to learn and see things differently.

All that we are...

All that we are is the result of what we have thought.  The mind is everything.  What we think, we become.

--- Buddha (Buddha 2nd link)---

It's amazing how powerful our thoughts can be.  There are some people that say we only use 10% of our brains, while others discount the scientific validity of that claim.  I am a big believer in the idea that our thoughts are powerful players in our lives, and we are what we think.  Now think about it, how we think and what we spend our time thinking shapes everything that we see, do, and experience in life.  It's SO important to be conscious of what we think.  With multimedia platforms, television, movies, facebook, blogs :), email, and tons of different ways to be distracted, we often loose sight of what we are thinking.  In fact, we begin to believe that what other people think is what we think, without even checking it against our own personal morals, values, and beliefs.  It is easy to be bombarded with messages and think that they are your own thoughts.  We are in desperate need for a call to critical thinking - not to critique others, but to examine our own thoughts and imaginations.  This quote is dedicated to everyone who is on 'auto-pilot' as a reminder to think about your thoughts and move them gently and intentionally in a positive direction.

 

The purpose of education...

The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one.

--- Malcolm Forbes ---

This quote is from the maroon year.  That's right, the classic 1996 Maroon year, when Sunny, Jeff, Juan, GiGi, and Craig selected 100 amazing people to embark on a journey they'd never forget.  Because of all the SPOP love in the air lately, memories floating around, friendships rekindled, and warm fuzziness welling up, I wanted to share a quote from a program that had such an immense impact on my life.  Thanks for keeping the magic alive -- to all past, present, and future staffers!

Powerful new ideas...

A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimension.

--- Oliver Wendell Holmes ---

Minds are like parachutes...

Minds are like parachutes, they only function when open. 
--- Thomas R. Dewar

I first saw this quote at the Student Parent Orientation Program (SPOP) at UC Irvine that I attended as a freshman, it was the theme for that year.  At the time, I had no idea what I was doing and just signed up for orientation because I thought I might learn something about the college.  Little did I know that participation in this orientation program would be a driving force throughout my college experience and have a huge influence on my later career decisions.  The quote itself reminds me to keep an open mind at all times and know that some of the best things we learn in life often come from unexpected places.  The only way to get to those unexpected places is with an open mind.  Be open to new possibilities today!