"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." — George Bernard Shaw
Helps me push through when executive dysfunction hits. Getting outside for even just a little bit is a whole lot better than staying inside while telling myself I'm going to run 3 miles, for example
“Well, I’ve come this far. Might as well keep going.”
It’s great, because you just lie to yourself about the starting point of any task, and it doesn’t seem so bad.
If I’ve survived from birth until now, then I guess I can survive doing the dishes.
Be morally better than average. If you justify being bad by saying everyone else is doing it, you're not helping the downward spiral. Because bad people and people with no choice make things worse on average.
Brings to mind the bene gesserit litany against fear:
I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
I often pair with:
It is by will alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the juice of Sapho that thoughts acquire speed, the lips acquire stains, stains become a warning. It is by will alone I set my mind in motion.
Which is a nice allegory for most any chemical stimulant (coffee).
To me that means to live in a way that if everyone else did too, the world would be a better place. It obviously doesn't gurantee that my moral compas always points to the right direction but it's the only indication I've got about what's right and what's wrong. This also means that I don't go out of my way doing some major charity work but just that I do my part no matter how insignificant it might feel because I believe that if everyone else did that too it would bring about a real change.
Try to be nice, never fail to be kind. It's important to support the people around you. Those people can be your safety net and metaphorical ladder to climb
I don't care about other peoples sexuality, gender fetishes, whatever. Its not my buisness and I have no right to judge them for their decision. You do you. As long as people aren't assholes or annoying as hell I don't care.
It's a reminder that your preferences aren't the only acceptable way to feel. It's OK if some people like things you don't. On different scales, it's a lesson in tolerance.
It goes hand-in-hand with "Be excellent to each other." Kindness goes far!
Together I hope someday they lead to "Harmony and understanding, sympathy and trust abounding."
"There are idiots/assholes everywhere", no direct translation for the word I want in English.
I don't mean it in a mean way, just that idiots/assholes can be from any group of people. Two examples:
Don't assume a doctor knows everything just because they're a doctor. Some doctors are idiots/assholes, they might be wrong. Get a second opinion if something they said sound iffy.
When hearing people generalize from one individual's behavior (like racism): this one is an idiot/asshole, they are everywhere, including in this group and all other groups too.
Don't craft a well thought out response to someone John Brown would have shot [absolutely necessary for getting through the internet] and don't give two weeks notice to a job that makes you miserable [absolutely necessary for leaving a shitty work situation].
"Don't stop dreaming, because the world is full of people who've stopped dreaming."
Probably no one said that, it's just what reminds me on so many things at once. It's so full of hope, confidence, happiness, interest into new things, overcoming obstacles, the future, laying off the monotone, enjoyment, pushing yourself further.
I could interpret and fill so much into this.
It also has a little bit of superiority in it, but that's because I often suffer under the negative Nancys and people who have given up, who try their best to drag you down.
In other words while it's okay to help people you need to be careful and impose some limits here and there, as people are naturally greedy and will burden you for their own benefit.
Just to clarify, I am not a super healthy eater. I like to use this expression when the topic comes up to point out that there is no magic and is a miserable experience to lose weight and eat better, better to come to terms with it.
Depending on the situation, whatever "that guy" is will be different, but generally I try not to be "that guy". Very rarely "that guy" is a good guy, and then the whole philosophy breaks down, but most of the time that's not the case, and I am happy trying not to be "that guy".