Quotes About Perspective

So what is the moral of this story? The answer out of Cajamarca is: Do what you can. You can't change skin, can't fix tongues, can't brighten eyes, but power is for the taking. Steal it, lie for it, kill if you have to. You can win the girl with the interesting eyes. Looking

I believed myself to be ready then; now, with the hindsight brought by greater age, I see myself for the naive and inexperienced young woman I was. We all begin in such a manner, though. There is no quick route to experience.

One does not cease to treasure a gem simply because one owns another that is larger.

Entomologists trap insects in their killing jars and then pin their corpses to cards, and no one utters a single squeak of protest. For that matter, let a gentleman hunt a tiger for its skin, and everyone applauds his courage. But to shoot a dragon for science? That, for some reason, is cruel.

It is remarkable what children will accept as normal, especially when their experiences have been sufficiently broad.

That image—last night's dream—made me think of the quote I had taped to the top of my screen, Professor Madison paraphrasing Mark Twain. There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and prophecy.

But one does not cease to treasure a gem simply because one owns another that is larger. I would have loved to place that in the jewelry box of my memory.

AUNT SHADIE: I see you - and don't worry, you're not white. ROSE: I'm pretty sure I'm white. I'm English. AUNT SHADIE: White is blindness - it has nothing to do with the colour of your skin.

Curious that it is impossible for a man to be original without attracting around him a set of unoriginal minds, as though he were a honey-pot and they the flies!

My aim throughout is to let facts speak for themselves. If they seem strange, unreal, even impossible, I can only say that the things of the invisible world must always appear so to those whose thoughts and desires are centred on this life only.

There are twelve hours in the day, and above fifty in the night.

Not having the best situation, but seeing the best in your situation is the key to happiness.

Just because someone doesn't like what you do doesn't mean no one else will. A person's opinion is not The Truth, it's their truth.

Remember—humans once believed the world was flat, that margarine was better than butter, and that an ice-pick lobotomy cured mental illness. Aren't you glad those days are over?

Even if this entire book is bullshit, can you think of a more empowering and pragmatic philosophy to embrace?

Our brains tend to reinforce what we already believe.

All beliefs are a choice and choices can be changed.

To be honest, most of our thoughts are pure caca anyway (yes, that's a scientific term). Nothing has meaning other than the meaning we give it. With practice, we can train ourselves not to take our thoughts seriously or personally—especially the nonenlivening ones. When they show up, simply say, "Thanks for sharing," and get on with your life.

it's important to stay mindful of your environment, especially as you work to incorporate new, more supportive and expansive beliefs.

appreciating the upside doesn't negate the hazards.

a belief is nothing more than a thought that you've decided is significant and true.

FEEL SAD, NOT MAD Imagine how painful and miserable someone's life must be to have time to be that mean.

confirmation bias means we look for and find evidence to support our beliefs. We cherry-pick information that confirms what we already know, while ignoring (consciously and unconsciously) information that challenges our existing beliefs.

Life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it." It's part of a longer passage, which reads: