Quotes from Peter McWilliams

Mistakes, obviously, show us what needs improving. Without mistakes, how would we know what we had to work on?

To overcome a fear, here's all you have to do: realize the fear is there, and do the action you fear anyway.

If our early lessons of acceptance were as successful as our early lessons of anger how much happier we would all be.

Guilt is anger directed at ourselves.

It is a risk to love. What if it doesn't work out? Ah, but what if it does.

there is nothing to be done. only accept it... and hurt.

When we put things off until some future-probably mythical-Laterland, we drag the past into the future. The burden of yesterday's incompletions is a heavy load to carry. Don't carry it.

Don't accept the limitations of other people who claim things are 'unchangeable'. If it's written in stone, bring your hammer and chisel.

Stubborness is also determination. It's simply a matter of shifting from won't power to will power.

You can't afford the luxury of a negative thought

Fear is something to be moved through, not something to be turned from.

Our thoughts create our reality -- where we put our focus is the direction we tend to go.

I'd have a nervous breakdown except that I've been through this too many times to be nervous.

Pain (any pain--emotional, physical, mental) has a message. The information it has about our life can be remarkably specific, but it usually falls into one of two categories: We would be more alive if we did more of this and Life would be more lovely if we did less of that. Once we get the pain's message, and follow its advice, the pain goes away.

Worrying is the interest paid on a debt you may not owe.

There is more empty space in the book you're holding, than book. The electrons in the atoms of the book are moving so fast, they give the illusion of solid ink on solid paper. It's not. It's just an illusion. If all the electrons would stop moving for even an instant, the book would not just crumble into dust, it would disappear. Poof

Negative thinking is always expensive -- dragging us down mentally, emotionally, and physically -- hence I refer to any indulgence in it as a luxury.

Do what you love and the necessary resources will follow.

The news media are, for the most part, the bringers of bad news… and it's not entirely the media's fault, bad news gets higher ratings and sells more papers than good news.

The more severe the pain or illness, the more severe will be the necessary changes. These may involve breaking bad habits, or acquiring some new and better ones.

Life is not a struggle. It's a wiggle.

Be willing to be uncomfortable. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. It may get tough, but it's a small price to pay for living a dream.

Some of what we learned early on turned out to be true (the earth is round; if you want a friend be a friend; cleanliness is next to impossible) and some of it turned out to be false (Santa Claus; the Tooth Fairy; Kansas is more fun than Oz).

Self-confidence is being able to say to another, I am what I am, and as long as I am not physically harming you or your property, your not liking what I am is your problem.