101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think

by Brianna Wiest

Bad feelings should not always be interpreted as deterrents. They are also indicators that you are doing something frightening and worthwhile.

You think your past defines you, and worse, you think that it is an unchangeable reality, when really, your perception of it changes as you do.

The things you love about others are the things you love about yourself. The things you hate about others are the things you cannot see in yourself.

Happiness is not how many things you do, but how well you do them. More is not better. Happiness is not experiencing something else; it’s continually experiencing what you already have in new and different ways.

If you’re wondering “what you should do with your life,” it’s likely that you’re in the limbo between realizing you don’t want what you once did, and giving yourself permission to want what you want now.

Learn the difference between honesty and truth. The way you honestly feel can be different from how you truthfully feel—the former is usually temporary, the latter is deeper, and consistent.

Fire can burn your house down, or it can cook you dinner each night and keep you warm in the winter. Your mind is the same way.