Mantra Monday

With the arrival of a new year, I began thinking about what I wanted to accomplish, the things I wanted to change, and how I would begin to shape this year into something brimming over with fun, life and success. Quotes have always inspired and intrigued me; I keep Pinterest boards full, snapshots of random sayings stored in my photos, stacks of paper scraps with wise words, and an ever growing list of quotes stored on my iphone. It's funny how some words just seem to resonate with you at particular points in life, and recently I pondered the thought of having a theme word/saying/quote/reminder for the year. It's so difficult to narrow it down to one, so I thought I'd share 4 of my favorites over the next few Mondays, in hopes that you'll find one that speaks to you, come up with one for your own musing & inspiration, or at the very least, come across thoughts that perhaps spark new ideas.

Oh I just adore this quote, first, because Nelson Mandela was an incredible and passionate leader, and a true inspiration in every sense of the word, but secondly for it's idea. It astounds me to see how apathy has infected the society and attitudes of so many, we think that settling for average, wallowing in contentment, and deciding to play it safe, small and "normal" is ok, when in reality, we have been called to far more. How often have we seen someone with such potential, be it in sports, acting, music, business..etc, and yet watch them sit back, and never fully utilize the talent they possess, and achieve all that they could have? Its frustrating to see something like that, and how often have we seen this behavior in our own lives? Like Mandela says, there is no passion in that kind of a life, no spark, no drive to push toward greater things...and yet many of us settle. The motivation behind this mantra is for you and I to no longer be content with average, normal and standard, but rather to live with greatness, test your limits of potential, and walk in the life that was designed for you to live; a life of adventures, successes, great memories, lessons and impact. Here's the deal, if you're going to get in the water, might as well make a splash. Live with purpose and passion in 2014.