9 Quotes to Inspire a Fresh Start

Most of us will be happy to have 2017 in our rear-view mirror. For many, it was a long year of negativity, chaos and uncertainty.  But hope springs eternal and there are good reasons to suspect that next year is going to be better (even if it’s just the assumption that it can’t be as bad as last year…).

With that in mind, here are 9 quotes that might help you get your mind right for making next year a fantastic fresh start.

 

The beginning is always today.”    – Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

 

It’s easy to sucked into the idea that we’re already on a path, that we’re committed to whatever it is we’ve been doing.  And commitment is a great thing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a fresh start today.  There is always an opportunity to start over.

 

The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.” – J.P. Morgan

 

The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this:  Decide what you want.” – Ben Stein

 

Although it sounds like these 2 quotes might conflict (it’s tough to have 2 first steps) they actually work really well together.  Change happens when you determine that you’re not happy with what you have and when you identify what it is that you want.  Of course, figuring out what you really want isn’t an easy thing to do, but if you can do it, it has a lot of power.  When’s the last time you took a few hours to think about what you really want?

 

Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”   – George Bernard Shaw

 

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”        – Theodore Roosevelt

 

Once you’ve got a clear idea of what you’d like your fresh start to be, it’s important to remember that you are the key to making things happen.  Yes you can stumble into great things, but it’s far more likely that you will create the outcomes – and the best way to go about doing that is to just get started with the resources you have on hand.  Don’t wait for things to be perfect or for someone else to step in – now is the time.

Or to put it another way…

 

Whatever you can do, or dream you can begin it.  Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” 

         – Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

 

Jumping in with both feet is a great trait, but you also have to have the right mindset if you’re really going to make things happen.  You have to believe…

 

It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” 

          – George Elliot

 

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”   – Helen Keller

 

I suspect optimism is hard to come by these days. Spend 10 minutes watching the news and you’ll be saturated with doom and gloom and it would be easy to believe that nothing good ever happens.  News (and attention in general) is built on pushing the negative but you can choose to walk away from that negativity.  You don’t have to put your head in the sand, but it will be a healthy step to minimize your exposure to news, social media and and friends or acquaintances you might have who are exceptionally negative.

Try an experiment of only looking for positive messages in the next week and see if that doesn’t start to change your thinking.  And… if you really want to ramp up this idea – also start a gratitude journal for the same week.  Take 5 minutes every day and write down at least 3 things  you’re grateful for every day.  If you’re consistent and really focus on this – it can change your life for the better!

 

Finally – there’s one more critical idea that you need to embrace if you really want to have a great, fresh start:

 

Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.”   – Meister Eckhart

 

Beginners understand that they don’t know everything and they are willing (and even anxious) to learn.  Even if you’re an expert in your field, you would be wise to at least attempt to be a beginner as often as you can.  The world is moving fast and only those who are willing and able to keep learning are going to thrive.

 

What about you?  What’s your favorite inspirational quote when it comes to fresh starts?  Do any of these resonate with you?  We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Shawn Kinkade    Kansas City Business Coach