Meet Shilpa Gupte who reviews books on her blog and is an ardent dog lover. She recently lost her darling pet Chikoo and seems to have found some solace in Cookie – her pet avian. She shares her anguish over the loss and how she coped with it via the power of Quotes – words of wisdom that seemed to nudge her into healing and self-love.

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Have you noticed how we come across quotes that give answers to our questions precisely when we need them? They seem like the North Star, guiding the traveller who has lost his way in the dark and fears tripping over a rocky path. These little words of wisdom often change the way we look at life, face our fears or grieve  our loss.

The past few months have been life-changing for me in many ways. I lost my pet – yeah, that is life changing, especially when you had depended on that soul for emotional strength for almost 13 years! Dealing with the void he left, dealing with a  low self-esteem brought about by the realisation that everyone around me were way ahead in “the race“. All of it was gnawing at me, torturing my soul in a way I just couldn’t express. It was during this time that I came across these precious words that seemed to show me the way out of the dark abyss I found myself in. They taught me about love and loss, about life and people, about moments that become memories to cherish. But, most of all, they taught me to show kindness towards myself and give myself the love that I so deserved.

I repeat these words to myself each time I catch myself slipping back into the abyss, when my thoughts overpower me and good sense fails to prevail! In fact, I often begin my days with some of these words that now feel like the Gospel!

Sharing here some of my favourite quotes that have helped me shine the spotlight on myself and soak in some much-needed self-love.

Self-Love

We often judge ourselves a bit too harshly, isn’t it? In fact, we judge ourselves. Isn’t that a greater sin? That niggling voice that keeps us forever on edge; which hisses at us the moment we give ourselves some much-needed leeway. It is this voice that we need to shut up, forever. Why do we encourage it? Why do we even pay heed to its demands, its ruthless comparisons, its constant torture that can wreak havoc on our mental well-being?

We may not be like the Ms. Khanna, who manages her home with an ease and efficiency that could put a hundred others to shame. We may not be like the Ms. Sharma who, despite being a mom to a teenager, despite being a career woman, finds time to hit the gym and look like a million bucks. But, so what? We are fabulous in our own unique way, aren’t we? We deal with our life and the etcetera with much more finesse than anyone else would ever be able to in our place.

And, we must be proud of that.

Do you know that treating ourselves a bit more kindly is the least our souls expect from us? Why, then, is it so difficult for us to give ourselves some consideration, show some empathy, and a bit of love? It’s we who will be seeing ourselves through every storm that we face in life. Won’t we?

Time lost….

The moment that was, is never going to return. The moment that will be, is but  a mirage. So, why not live in this moment and make the most of it? Why not live in this moment and stress over life a little less? Do we even have an inkling about what the next moment will bring along with it? Let us learn to live in the here and the now.  Let Life bring with Her whatever She wishes; let us be present in this moment and  revel in it. It will sure relieve the mind of all the torture we subject it to by over-thinking about all that doesn’t even exist!

Dream and reach for it

And,  this quote with its pearls of wisdom  is something I diligently follow. Yes, there are times when I let it slip, but the Universe finds ways to remind me about it and get me back on track! This is the only life we have got, why not make the most of it? No dream is frivolous if it is about doing something to make ourselves happy! No dream is too big or too small if you have it in you to follow your heart and fulfil that dream. If you think it’s what’s going to make you happy, then, well, just go for it! As I said, you never know what the next moment might bring along with it.

We tend to  put off our happiness for some other time. The happiness we might get from doing some things tends to get regarded as ridiculous day-dreams. Why not go for those “day dreams” and turn life into the dream you see for yourself? It is not  an easy process, but it will be worth it at the end. What’s the harm in trying? What’s the worse that could happen?

Reach out for that happiness, if it’s all that your life depends on. Life isn’t long; it’s, in fact, riddled with uncertainties. So, why not use this moment to reach out to that little dream that stands to make you happiest? Just go for it!

These are some of the quotes I inspire myself with. There are some more which I will share some other time. For now, though, it’s just learning to focus on the ‘self’!

What are the quotes that motivate you? Do share with me, I would love to know!

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*I am sharing this post on Shalzmojo – a fabulous place that belongs to my blogger friend, the dynamic Shalini Baisiwala. I enjoy her witty words that also have the ability to make you reflect upon life. I love her posts on interior decoration and travels, too. 

She is celebrating the first  anniversary of her  self-hosted blog this month, so my best wishes for her and her beautiful space in the blogosphere. May she keep writing and entertaining us for years to come!

Image source: PIXABAY