Inspiration can come in a ton of forms, but whether it's a song, a statement, a poster, or whatever - it's important to deliver that inspirational message clearly and quickly. That's where some of us have a problem. I was born longwinded and was totally that kid you asked to help you pad a word count for an essay in class. So if you're looking for me to inspire you, expect a 15 minute TED talk and slideshow presentation. But, as that oh-so-appropriate saying goes, Keep It Simple, Stupid. The bits that people tend to remember are smaller and easier to digest tidbits of wisdom. There's just something profound about simplicity.
One Reddit user asked:
What's the most profound statement you've heard, that is extremely simple and uncomplicated yet helped you the most in life?
And yeah I could have written a 5 page essay based around any of these statements. Seriously I'm baffled at how people do this. Here are some of the shortest, sweetest, most profound responses.
Not A Boy
My daughter was about 2. She wanted me to play barbie dolls with her. I said I don't want to play barbie, I'm a boy. Her response was very wise and profound for her age.
"You're not a boy, you're a daddy."
I now play many things with her and let her do my nails.
Exercise
Recently I heard someone say, "Exercise because you love your body, not because you hate your body." I've been exercising and eating healthy for a long time but I definitely struggle with body dysmorphia and hearing that kind of made me realize that I should change the way I think about things.
Along those lines I heard someone say, "exercise is a celebration of what you can do, not a punishment for what you ate." I kinda dig it and I hate most all get motivated stuff.
Quit Digging
Giphy
From AA: "Your rock-bottom is whatever point you decided to put down the shovel and quit digging."
- PJMurphy
Slow = Fast
Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.
I've got ER/ICU nurse background, so it's easy in both areas of practice to get overwhelmed with the endless tasks. this helped me to remember I knew how to prioritize, and to do the things I needed safely to get on to the next one. totally helped relieve a lot of anxiety for me.
- amberliz
Priorities
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Stop saying "I don't have time to do this" and start saying "I am prioritizing thing x over thing y."
For instance, it's not that I don't have time to go for a run, it's that I am prioritizing watching an hour of TV over my health. Changes my thoughts about whether I go for that run or not...
Number One
We accept the love we think we deserve. Made me realize I put up with my abusive ex's disrespect because I didn't respect myself. I made gaining some self worth priority number one.
Care And Control
"Why do you care?"
Huh. Wow. I don't.
Sometimes that goes along with, "What control do you have (over x y z)?"
Until You Don't
"Do what you want, until you don't, then do something else" -My boyfriend to me when we were deciding to be exclusive. We wanted to be together and agreed to date each other until we didn't want to anymore. Going three years strong now.But it applies to a lot of things!
Simple Thoughts...
An old manager from my time at a gas station use to say this and I've stuck by it since.
"Work smarter, not harder."
Harder Better Faster Stronger! DustinDirt
Do You!
"Never argue with someone who is so committed to misunderstanding you!"
I stop many debates with ppl due to this. As soon as I realize things are going nowhere (normally quickly into a debate) I zone so far out because I don't want to convince anyone of my opinion. I have mine. They have there's. Mrst0530
~In the NOW!~
Giphy
Live in the moment. When you spend time worrying about the past, you get depressed over things you didn't do. When you spend time worrying about the future you get anxious over what might happen. But when you live in the moment you quickly learn it's usually good and even when it's not good you know that moment will pass. This philosophy has changed my life. Tazi752000
Tick-Tock.
"All you got is time, then you die."
Said to me by my father after I said I didn't mind working for less money than I'm worth because I have the time. lordrad
It's in the delivery...
My grandmother told me "Don't freak out until there is a reason to freak out." Something about the way she said it calmed me down and made me stop and think of what I was anxious about was worth it. WeirdAbbott
Never be idle...
While making idle chitchat I made a comment about trying to avoid things that are inconvenient. My conversational partner said "Everything is inconvenient in some way." I try to carry that thought with me, because some things are worth doing even though they're inconvenient, and I realized I was making excuses not to do things that I needed to. Narahiel
First Steps...
Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. GeebusNZ
Make good mistakes. rosekathlyn
If you want to be happy in the future, find a way to be happy presently. pencilpasta
I hear you Jamie!
Giphy
"What's on the other side of fear? Nothing." - Jaime Foxx, during a Tim Ferris interview. roserouge
The Inevitable!
When i was a kid my dad always used to say something to the effect of "no matter what happens, the sun is always going to set and then rise the next day." As someone who deals with a lot of anxiety, it's always a bit comforting to recognize that no matter how bad a day seems, it's eventually going to be over. no matter how scared you are for a certain test or interview, eventually that test or interview is going to be taken. raven_needles
Always a choice...
You may not be able to choose the circumstances in which you do something, but you can still make the choice to do something.
Sounds a little weird out of context, but the idea is that circumstances are never ideal. I was climbing with a buddy and we were supposed to meet some friends in town for dinner. Our campsite was in the opposite direction so we didn't have time to go back and clean up. I was fretting because I was dirty and sweaty, but he laid that nugget of insight on me. It made me realize that I would rather go to dinner with our friends despite my scruffiness than miss out on a jovial evening with them. InBellows
H/T: Reddit
I'm best when I'm at my laziest. Ok, that's a lie, but I don't care.
Zzzz...
Donald Duck Sleeping GIFGiphy"On weekends I sleep for 12-14 hours. I usually wake up a few times but I dream so much during those long sleeps that it’s basically become a recreation type thing and I love it."
HouseOfZenith
Warm it up...
"When I use the microwave, I’ll heat food for 1:11 or 2:22 because I can’t be bothered to move my lazy fingers."
fysicks
"I figured out that my microwave's turntable rotates once every 12 seconds. So, everything I cook is on a multiple of 12 seconds so that it always ends up at the front of the microwave when it's done cooking, and I don't have to reach all the way to the back of the microwave to get my food out."
unittwentyfive
Bang
"When I was a kid on a school day, I had this routine where I'd stick my legs out of the bed and bang around on the floor so it sounded like I got out of bed and then just lie there for a few more minutes."
bewarethechameleon
"Did you also get your toothbrush wet and squirt a wee bit of toothpaste in your mouth rather than actually brush your teeth? If so I may be your mom and you weren’t fooling me or the dentist and you sure weren’t fooling the plaque that attacked."
TigerLily98226
Pockets
"Whenever I clean the house I put on my housecoat with really big pockets. I just walk from room to room and put things in my pocket that don’t belong in that room. Once my pockets are full I go to each room and empty my pockets putting what is from each room in that room."
kindhearttbc
"That's not lazy... that's productive AF."
throwaway92715
Toss It
Pippi Longstocking Chaos GIF by ZDFGiphy"I don’t fold the fitted sheet. Just ball it up and place it in the closet."
SpaghettiSquash33
I just see people human. Don't he so hard on yourselves.
12 Hours
Tired Fight Club GIFGiphy"I once watched 12 hours of the golf Network because the batteries were dead in my remote control. I don't know if that's lazy or depressed."
sadbirdfox
I swear I was...
"I was taught to make a bed properly as a child, I swear I was. Hospital corners and everything. I even know how to fold a fitted sheet, thanks to my auntie, who's an Air Force nurse and therefore doesn't consider little problems like 'non-Euclidean geometry' to be a reason not to do it properly. The second I found out about duvet covers, that was over. Sure, it doesn't look as tidy, but five minutes a week plus 10 seconds in the morning instead of 10 minutes a day? I can live with that."
katie-kaboom
The System
"I don't fold laundry anymore. I have a system of laundry baskets like this where clothes gets sorted by type (pants, t-shirts, sweaters, etc). Most of my clothes is wrinkle free, and for the few pieces that aren't I just throw them on a hanger in the bathroom while I take a steamy shower."
User deleted
Genius!!
"Before I get out of bed in the morning, I will grab the top corners of my sheets with my hands and prop up the bottom two with my feet and move it into place. Then I slide out of bed without ruffling anything. Just like that, my bed is made."
Markymark142
"My sister has to do this before she goes to bed at night, even is she made the bed that morning. It's an odd little quirk and mostly harmless."
mel2mdl
Yummy
andrew huang pots GIF by SoundflyGiphy"Just eating food straight out of the pan."
refrshmts_N_narcotcs
None of that sounds so bad. That sounds... like my life. Don't judge!!
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Did you check the forecast?
"We sure are having a lot of weather"- r_Ju_Tacular.
"As a British person, the conversation usually starts like this:"
“'You alright?'"
”Yeah you?”'
“'Yeah not too bad, weathers a bit sh*t innit?'”
“'Yeah”'.
"The end."- chelstippins
Cloud Storm GIF by Weather UndergroundGiphyWhy beat around the bush?
"Straight to politics and religion."- Turd_Ferguson009.
Just let it happen.
"Make an observation."
"Literally anything."It helps if it’s something about them like an article of clothing that catches your eye, something they’re doing, anything that you can relate to or are interested in but it doesn’t have to be."
"It can be something in the environment that is drawing both of your attention."
"People bullsh*t about the weather all the time."
"Make a comment about it, gauge their willingness to talk about it to you and build off of what you get from the response."
"If all you get is 'haha yeah', leave it."
"No shame in silence."
"Some people just don’t want to talk."
I"f you’re talking about the weather, 'Man it’s a great day out today!'"
“'Yeah absolutely! I drove here with my windows down all the way here!'”
"Boom, you’ve got something to latch onto."
"They probably enjoy getting outside for some fresh air. "
"They probably enjoy driving."
"Ask about their car."
"Ask if they go on drives a lot."
"Ask if they do outdoor stuff."
"What kind of outdoor stuff?"
"Once you’ve got something to work with, the key is to ask."
"Let them do the talking."
"People love talking about themselves."
"You learn some light hearted things about the stranger, they feel more comfortable, and you can add bits and bobs of your own experiences in response so they get to know you too."
"It works in literally any situation."
"From an elevator ride to a first date."
"It’s so easy to personalize small talk and it makes it so much less uncomfortable."- 1arrocknroll.
"But enough about me, what do you think about me?"
"Usually people love to talk about themselves, so a few questions about them and some follow up questions to their answers usually does it."- I_can_see_the_music.
For Me GIF by Liz HuettGiphy"Food, glorious food..."
"Food."
"People typically love food."
"I mention I’m new/newer to an area."
"And ask them what they like, where they eat out."
"Usually works and people have their choices validated and I always know where to find good local snacks."- TheProfWife.
Pluto Flyby GIFCan you believe it?
"Did you see that ludicrous display last night?"- housemuncher.
Nothing!
"As a Norwegian - we leave strangers alone."
"No need to bother them."- neihuffda.
No Idea Reaction GIF by BounceGiphyThe sky's the limit.
"So, do you like stuff?"- Bwon669.
All of these seem like surefire ways to get a conversation started.
But use cautiously, as who knows how long it will take these conversations to end.
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