"You're not a creature in a body. You exist as the stars exist, participating in their stillness, their immensity." -- Louise Glück #wisdom #quotes #goodlife

"People can sometimes be held hostage by their expectations. They have a dream of something they would like to achieve or a path they intend to follow, but their mindset falls apart when things don't work out how they had hoped. The key is to reach for an extremely high bar, but to be adaptable enough to reframe the failures, disappointments, and defeats into fuel for the next thing. Give your best effort, but no matter how it works out, trust that life will be good for you. Focus on how the world is working with you, not against you. Everything you are given is material for the next move. Everything." -- James Clear #wisdom #quotes #goodlife

"Think positively about somebody else's well-being, and you'll find you're gladdening your own mind." -- Laurie Santos #wisdom #quotes #goodlife

"Always remember the kind of impact you can have on someone by recognising, quietly, what they are going through, and, instead of stumbling to say something, just showing, with a simple gesture, that you understand and are there." -- Julia Baird #wisdom #empathy #quotes #goodlife

"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance." -- Alan Watts #wisdom #spirituality #quotes #goodlife

"We so often underestimate the significance of random encounters with strangers, and how even the briefest of exchanges can have an impact on our lives. As we walk through the world, preoccupied with our own trials and dramas, we should keep in mind the concept of ‘sonder’, and remain aware of our myriad everyday interactions with people we don’t, or barely, know." -- Julia Baird In case you don't know what #sonder means (I had to look it up), here is a definition from

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Sonder is a term that refers to the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own. It's the profound understanding that every person you see, whether it's someone on the street, a coworker, or a stranger on public transportation, has their own unique experiences, emotions, and stories. This concept can be both humbling and overwhelming, as it acknowledges the sheer depth and richness of human experience that exists beyond your own individual perspective. Sonder encourages empathy and appreciation for the intricate lives of those around you. #wisdom #kindness #quotes #goodlife

"Start right now. Take a small step you can call your own. Don't follow someone else's heroics." -- David Whyte #wisdom #spirituality #quotes #goodlife

Here's a link to Ryan Holiday's book recommendations for 2025:

The Painted Porch Bookshop

Read These Books In 2025

I've already read about half of them already and I can recommend every one of those. Some are timeless, some are timely, but they all help you reflect, understand and shine some light on these chaotic times. It's surprising how much can be learned from history and applied to today. I can't wait to read the remaining ones. Yesterday I've started with Julia Baird's "Bright Shining - How Grace Changes Everything". #wisdom #books #goodlife

"Wiser people don't feel lonely and vice versa. Obviously, this doesn't prove that increasing wisdom will reduce loneliness, but it certainly points in that direction ... It is logical to expect that wisdom will counter loneliness." -- Dr Dilip Jeste (Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego) Wisdom being defined here, among others, by these components: -) Empathy -) Compassion -) Self-reflection -) Emotional regulation -) Discipline #wisdom #loneliness #quotes #goodlife

"There are at least a billion people on earth at this moment who would consider their prayers answered if they could trade places with you." -- Sam Harris #wisdom #gratitude #quotes #goodlife

"One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again." -- Abraham Maslow #wisdom #spirituality #quotes #goodlife

Physical exertion is a must for me, even though it took me decades to come to this realization. When I am active during the day I feel way better, both physically and mentally, and most importantly I sleep better. This leads to more energy the following day, which means better performance during exercises and the cycle continues. Exercise is a win-win-win. 💪 #exercise #sports #health #goodlife

Expressive writing is therapeutic and helps deal with difficult emotions and trauma, more so than pills and other conventional treatments. We've known this since 1986 when James Pennebaker first published his findings. They have since been replicated countless times, but still are not widely used. Popping pills is apparently easier. Still, expressive writing is side effect free and works! I can attest to that. Writing helps me process difficult emotions and situations. It's like confiding in a friend, but without judgments, poor listening and too quick consoling. Paper is patient. It helps you process what's on your mind, helps you make sense of it. But you have to do it correctly. It's not about superficial recording of events, you have to dig deep, examine your emotions, understand them, draw meaning from them. For me it works every single time, no matter how riled up I am. The picture are notes from Austin Kleon, written during a lecture by James Pennebaker. All this was compiled in the book "The Notebook" by Roland Allen, which I highly recommend. #writing #journals #psychology #trauma #goodlife

"Mastery is the best goal because the rich can't buy it, the impatient can't rush it, the privileged can't inherit it, and nobody can steal it. You can only earn it through hard work. Mastery is the ultimate status." -- Derek Sivers #wisdom #quotes #goodlife

"It's very simple to be happy. But it's very difficult to be simple." -- Rabindranath Tagore #wisdom #spirituality #quotes #goodlife

"At any moment, you are one good choice away from a meaningfully better life." -- James Clear #wisdom #spirituality #quotes #goodlife

"We become visible and real when we give our gift and stop waiting for the gift to be given to us." -- David Whyte #wisdom #spirituality #quotes #goodlife

"Talking and reasoning does not even have one thousandth the influence a true example has. All lessons about how to behave are worthless when children see the opposite in real life." -- Leo Tolstoy #wisdom #spirituality #quotes #goodlife

"If in our heart, we still cling to anything - anger, anxiety, or possessions - we cannot be free." -- Thich Nhat Hanh #wisdom #spirituality #quotes #goodlife

"In my experience, psilocybin can be a doorway to a different reality that is free from the limiting beliefs of my ego, feelings, and personal history. Because I was able to experience that limitlessness and peace - albeit transiently - I now know what is possible and can work to access that state through daily habits. I know that the mind is more powerful than we think and can conjure huge, positive, creative visions if we simply allow it to, and that this potential of thought shifts what’s possible in our day-to-day lives." -- Casey Means MD Sounds intriguing. Do you have any experience with #psilocybin or other #psychedelics?