The Martha Beck Collection Quotes

“relinquishing the delusional hope that we can or must be flawless—allows us to seek happiness in the only place it can be found: our real, messy, imperfect experience.”
― Martha N. Beck, The Martha Beck Collection: Essays for Creating Your Right Life, Volume One

“I only put down on paper what works for me, and since I started out as a human train wreck, the ways I’ve learned to be happy also work for others.”
― Martha N. Beck, The Martha Beck Collection: Essays for Creating Your Right Life, Volume One

“Pleasing others is like sex: When we do it because we really want to, it’s a wonderfully life-affirming way to strengthen a relationship, but when it’s motivated by obligation, powerlessness, or calculated advantage, it’s the very definition of degrading. The key to an authentic emotional life, like the key to an authentic sex life, is to follow your real desires.”
― Martha N. Beck, The Martha Beck Collection: Essays for Creating Your Right Life, Volume One

“Buddha once said that just as we can know the ocean because it always tastes of salt, we can recognize enlightenment because it always tastes of freedom. There’s no essential difference between real love and enlightenment. While many people see commitment as a trap, its healthy versions actually free both lovers, bring out the flavor of their true selves, and build a love that is satisfying, lasting, and altogether delicious.”
― Martha N. Beck, The Martha Beck Collection: Essays for Creating Your Right Life, Volume One

“And remember that the finger that points to the moon is not the moon. Anything thoughtful or amusing or true you find on any page is mirroring your essence— that’s how you recognize it.”
― Martha N. Beck, The Martha Beck Collection: Essays for Creating Your Right Life, Volume One