On the day that celebrates the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., allow these quotes by MLK to inspire you now and through the rest of the year.
"If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward."
These words by Martin Luther King, Jr. are certainly relevant to midlifers. There are times when we feel as if we are stalled. Perhaps our love life hasn't turned out the way we wanted it. Maybe the relationship we have with our children or parents is not good, and we feel as if it never will be.
Or perhaps the reason we are unable to move forward is because we're stuck in a job we don't like, and we don't know what to do next. Midlife is often a time of transition in this area, and while it's exciting, there are a lot of unknowns.
To me this quote tells me that no matter what you feel right now, it doesn't have to be permanent. You don't have to settle for something else, whether that be a job, relationship, or your own happiness.
Here are some tips that can move you forward:
"Let no man pull you so low as to hate him."
Are you carrying a grudge? Do you argue with your adult siblings? Or carry around the betrayal of a relationship that has long been past?
When you hold on to anger and, as this quote says, you begin to hate someone, you're doing yourself a disservice. Learn to let go of anger by forgiving the past. If you can talk it through with that person, do it. If not, realize that forgiveness is for you, and you do can do it whether the other person is sorry or not.
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
Of all the famous quotes by MLK, this one never fails to make a statement to me. What do you think? Do you believe that staying silent helps you get along with people?
Sometimes it does, and other times silence acts as not a peaceful device but as a way to show that you're not going to go out on a limb for someone.
The best relationships in our lives are those where someone shows that they care about us so much they are willing to speak up, take our side, or tell you out loud that they love you so you never have reason to doubt it.
Here's more on understanding and expressing love:
"Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."
Here's the reality today: our society is lonely. We have lots of Facebook friends and plenty of casual friendships, but everywhere I turn I hear about people who want a better relationship or more true blue pals in their life.
One way to do that is with service or volunteering. It allows you to stop thinking about what you don't like about your own life while you help someone else. It also connects you with passionate people who can give you a new perspective on life. No matter who you are, volunteering and service is a good thing to do.
More Favorite Quotes:
