Positive Quotes Archives - Page 2 of 19 - Stephanie DelTorchio

A Map Is A Good Idea

Yogi Berra quote/befat.net/Stephanie DelTorchio/inspirational quote/motivational quote

A road map is a good idea when you don’t know the journey by heart.

Having a co-pilot is a choice when you want to share the journey. A reliable source who shares your vision and looks out for dangerous curves and potholes can save you time and money.

Being a “panster” means you take the road as it comes and make it up as you go along. No map. No true destination. No end zone.

It’s exciting to live this way — open, rogue, fearless — so long as you’re okay where you land. Someday.

BE F*CKING AWESOME TODAY!

Original graphic: Stephanie DelTorchio

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You’re Perfectly Aligned

3 signs that you're perfectly alighned today/inspirational quote/Stephanie DelTorchio/befat.net

On any given day we get crabby. Life has handed us a boatload of lemons and we’re in no mood to make the lemonade.

Rather, if no one is looking, or f*ck, even if “they” are, you’d be well within your right to hurl those lemons at the first moving object that tells you “every little thing’s gonna be alright.”

But let’s be reasonable humans a second. Physical violence doesn’t become us. Normally.

Today, take a quick assessment of the world around. Go on…you know the drill. You are blessed with…FILL IN THE Blah-blah-blah. Maybe on THIS DAY you’re not feeling the universal hug of all you possess.

No problem.

Be Kind To Strangers

A. A. Milne quote/kindness quote/Stephanie DelTorchio/befat.net

The old man, wearing ratty loose pants and a coat with questionable stains, dug through recycling containers looking for bottles and cans to redeem for a nickel. He went about his work methodically from house to house. Tossing the occasional bottle or can into a large trash bag.

His rust bucket of a car with its bumper held in place with duct tape didn’t exactly fit into the neighborhood. On this street, these kinds of visitors are rare — they stand out.

We have no idea the struggles of a stranger. Instead of creating an imaginary story about what their life must be like, today, when you come into contact with a stranger, be the first one to smile. Such a small random gesture might pivot their entire day for the better.

A woman ventured from her home and tightened the belt on her coat as she walked to the end of the driveway. She approached the man hovering over her recycling bin, and her sudden presence caught him off-guard. Holding up her hands, she smiled to let him know everything was okay.

“Do like turkey?” she asked.

“What?” the old man said, pointing to his ear.

She nodded. Ah, yes…This time she asked in a louder voice, sure to move her lips slowly in a way he could understand.

“Turkey? Do – you – like – turkey?”

“Yes,” he said. His tone was quick and crisp but not offensive.

She motioned for him to wait.

When she disappeared, he continued digging through a neighbor’s bin.

A few minutes later the woman returned with a filled grocery bag — sliced deli turkey and cheese, a loaf of bread and some cookies. She handed it to the man and patted his arm.

He thanked her, put the food in his car and carried on with his work day.

By now his trash bag bulged from a neighborhood where they tossed money out like trash, one nickel at a time.

A few houses down the street, the old man was approached by a gentleman about his own age. The man smiled, opened his wallet and handed over a folded twenty dollar bill.

“Son, I want you to get yourself a nice hot lunch.”

“What?” the man said.

“A hot lunch.”

“Okay. I will.”

Sweet, right?

But this “bum” old man is a retired gentleman who could probably buy and sell that neighborhood. He’s old-school frugal and a supporter of free enterprise. He owns a state-of-the-art hearing aide but refuses to wear it while he’s “working” because people interrupt his rhythm. Collecting cans? Well, to him, it’s a way to stay busy and stick it to the government — eight grand a year tax-free. The old car? He’s not about to litter his “nice new car” with bottles and cans most people don’t bother to rinse out.

For the rest of the week he enjoyed turkey and cheese sandwiches for lunch. And let me know that the $20 went to someone who really needed it.

BE F*CKING AWESOME TODAY!

Original graphic: Stephanie DelTorchio

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The F.A.T. Creative Method

Paul Arden quote on creativity. befat.net/Stephanie DelTorchio/creative life/motivation/inspirational quotes

Every breathing human is creative.

If you can imagine it, you can create it. You don’t need to be a writer or painter or actor. Axe the “I’m not the artsy type so therefore I can’t be creative.” That’s B.S. If you’ve used duct tape, a paper clip or a Band-Aid to fix a leak, repair a loose seam, or unlock a kid in the bathroom, you are VERY creative.

Here’s a newsflash:

No universal law says you must make a vase from raw clay or put random musical notes in a unique order to be creative. If you have a brain (YOU DO) and you can use that brain (YOU CAN), then you my dear friend, are a bonafide creative soul (YES YOU).

Think about all the ideas, projects or goals that have swirled around in your head for days, weeks, months, possibly years. Are there too many that you have trouble getting started?

We know that a scrambled confused mind can’t make a decision. This is when we cast off the very notion that we can be creative. Instead it’s easier (i.e. less hard, more practical) to say I CAN’T and instead go vacuum the car or eat a family-size bag of Twizzlers.

Cancel “I can’t” which is basically an another excuse that REALLY means “I don’t want to.” Gets you off the hook for ever having to try, but then where are you?

Listen darling, you are a thinking, brainstorming, imaginative member of the planet. By this very definition you are “creative”.

I think the hesitation (ahem, excuse) is more sticky than we’d like to admit.

It isn’t so much that we don’t “feel” creative. The deeper underlying feeling is FEAR. We’re afraid. So we internalize the fear of creativity with thoughts like: “I’m not sure I will be good enough or successful.”

Screw that thought.

Nobody can hold a measuring stick to your creativity and imagination — it’s all subjective. And the only person your creation should matter to is YOU.

Adopt The F. A. T. Method to nudge your creative imagination along.

FIND

Find a creative pursuit.

Scribble down every idea that comes to mind. Out of the dozens holding your creativity hostage, you’re looking to FIND the ONE that you come back to over and over. Something that makes you happy just thinking about it. And if you had extra time in the day, you know you’d want to spend that time on this. By process of elimination, cross out as many as you can until you narrow it down. Draw a big circle around that one. You can come back to the others later.

ACTION

Act on one idea at a time.

To stay focused, tackle one creative challenge at a time. And just friggin’ DO IT already. Start with a five minute spurt. If you have an afternoon, immerse yourself. Once you begin, it’s very likely the time will fly. MOJO runs like a well-greased engine. Allow yourself to feel the freedom that comes from doing something you love.

TEST

Test your creative idea.

There are only two possible outcomes: Yea or Nay. Yea, you’ve found your groove and will forgo dinner to continue. You might take a vacation day or delegate household chores to keep going. Or Nay, you acted and it didn’t work out like you’d planned — the grass wasn’t so green after all. No big deal.

On the plus side you have the satisfaction of knowing you gave it a shot. There won’t be the lingering “I’ll try it someday, tomorrow or later” excuses.

Time to move on to the next idea, and another bag of Twizzlers.

BE F*CKING AWESOME TODAY!

Original graphic: Stephanie DelTorchio

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Get Out Of My Way

Get Out Of My Way. Empowerment. Inspirational quote. Motivational quote. Stephanie DelTorchio. befat.net

You have SO MUCH POWER over what you do today. What, my darlings, will you do with it?

Okay, sure, there are uber obligations — most notably your job and your family, but there’s some wiggle room there, too. Unless physically unable, your family is capable of feeding themselves and finding clean underwear without your help. Trust me they can. An entire generation survived on two day old undies and SpaghettiOs, and we’re still here.

At work, take five minutes to be alone. Don’t say “you don’t understand my boss”. Oh, yes I do. Even more reason to lock yourself in the bathroom. Take a drive around the block. Walk up the street.

Nobody can suck you in or drag you along without your permission. Seriously, you guys, NOBODY.

People with their hands raised, shouting “ooh-ooh pick me!” doesn’t obligate you to do so. Every schoolteacher I know has learned to tell the class: “Put your hands down.”

I know…you’re so nice and want to make everyone happy. It’s sweet. And the world loves to take advantage of your always being one they count on to volunteer. To give a ride. Stay late on Friday night to finish the proposal. Think about your time you’re giving up to a person or situation that doesn’t A. Have your permission and B. Doesn’t make you feel good/helpful/appreciated for doing it.

People pleasers are asked to turn in your badges as you exit this life.

Stop accepting the belief that everyone is entitled to your time and space just because they invade it.

There is no rule that says you must open your door just because somebody knocked on it. Put up a freakin’ force shield. Draw a circle around your space. Install caller-ID.

Just as the world clambers for a piece of you, be sure you’re not stepping on somebody else’s day without permission. Respect in this world is a two-way street, so my mother said. Thank you, Mom.

You have dreams, goals and desires. They are waiting for you to breathe life into them. Make the time TODAY to work towards what you want to achieve.

When someone gets in your way, play a friendly game of “Mother, May I?” If you answer “yes, you may take two baby steps forward,” at least it’s on your terms. (The other answer is of course, “No, you may not. And for the love of God, change your underwear.”

BE F*CKING AWESOME TODAY!

Original graphic & quote: Stephanie DelTorchio

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Finish, Continue or Begin

Finish, Continue or Begin. positive posts. inspirational quote. inspirational blog. befat.net Stephanie DelTorchio Carry on.

BE F*CKING AWESOME TODAY!

Original graphic: Stephanie DelTorchio

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Be Smart. Be Safe. Keep Your Head On.

Be Smart. Be Safe. Keep Your Head On/inspirational quote/parenting quote/Stephanie DelTorchio/befat.net I‘ve uttered these three little sentences countless times. Mostly to teenagers. Or younger work colleagues on Fridays at five o’clock. Occasionally as fair warning to a wayward comrade. Often to myself.

It’s an amazingly simple request from a parent to child as they run out the door and into a car full of other equally clueless classmates. Of course they are smart. Ask them. Be safe I say to eye-rolling. Keep your head on is met with: Where else would I put it?

You really want to know?

But when you get the call at midnight or hear about the party the next day you wonder…did you hear me? I know you did. But did you listen?

Then I’m reminded that giving advice, even loving, caring, all-knowing, all-seeing parental advice, drifts off almost as soon as it’s said.

“Wise men don’t need it and fools don’t heed it,” goes a paraphrased quote from Benjamin Franklin.

Be Smart. Be Safe. Keep Your Head On.

It’s going to be printed on a t-shirt. Or tattooed to someone’s forehead. Do you hear me?

Original graphic and quote: Stephanie DelTorchio

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To Survive and Thrive

Maya Angelou quote/Passion quote/quote/befat.net/Stephanie DelTorchio/9.24.2016

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Original graphic: Stephanie DelTorchio

Quote by: Maya Angelou

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If It Ain’t Broke

I need to remodel the master bathroom.

Why? The ugly dark green floor tile for starters. I find it hard to believe that the original builder sorted through hundreds of options and decided: “Yes! I love it!”

He loved the construction-grade piece of crap vanity, too. And the goofy light fixture which makes the term “bathe by candlelight” all too real at six o’clock in the morning.

The entire room feels too small, too dark, too dated — everything any HGTV prospective homeowner would call “a complete gut job.” Seriously, I’m that crazy lady in Lowe’s constantly on the look-out for Matt Meunster and the Bath Crashers team to makeover my bathroom.

For thirteen years I’ve wanted to take down a wall and open up the space so that the sitting area isn’t so cheek-to-cheek. The room cries for natural light because the genius builder put the loo in the middle of the house. Our solution is a skylight. So we bought one. It’s in the box wedged behind other stuff in the garage, waiting patiently.

My husband and I agree the room could use a spruce up but we’re in opposite corners when it comes to a major overhaul. He says no, naturally I disagree.

Do men not realize that women fantasize about chic bathtastic renos? I have ideas people. Lots. Magazine cut-outs, a Pinterest board, samples, swatches. Forget visions of sugarplums dancing in my head. Friends, my dreams are of glass tiles, dual sink vanity, rain shower, water closet, the damn skylight installed. I’m ready to sledgehammer the space to the studs and turn it into a luxurious spa retreat.

And then…

I look at my sweet little EN SUITE with a less critical eye.

Nothing major is broken.

The toilet functions. Hot and cold water flow nicely. There’s a tub and a separate shower. The closet is ginormous. A new light fixture recently replaced brightens up the space. So what’s the complaint?

A major renovation wouldn’t make the bathroom function any better. It would be used the same amount of time. For the same people. Serve the same purpose.

After much thought, I think with a few tweaks it will be just fine.

Paint is a cheap and easy fix. Swap out the vanity. Add a towel bar. A new shower curtain.

If it ain’t broke, right? A few minor changes and VOILÁ.

Now about that skylight…

BE F*CKING AWESOME TODAY!

Original graphic & Quote: Stephanie DelTorchio

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It’s Going To Be A Good F*cking Day

Just putting this out there today…for anyone else like me who need a shot of reinforcement with their coffee. Because let’s face it, 4 a.m. is a little too early to start drinking.

Please pass it on.

BE F*CKING AWESOME TODAY!

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Original graphic & quote: Stephanie DelTorchio

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