Like a lot of people, I collect quotes. I use them in my non-fiction writing and sometimes in my fiction. These are 3 quotes by the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. that have inspired me to be my best self.
(See more quotes here: 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020.)
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
The first time I saw this quote was in the movie, The Secret.
It stuck with me and it’s become one of my favorites of all the quotes I’ve collected. (I also included it in my book, Think Like an Entrepreneur: Transforming Your Career and Taking Charge of Your Life.)
If you’ve ever been indecisive, or unsure about what to do next, this speaks to you. And who hasn’t ever been in that situation?
When you’re at a point where you feel the next best step, but you’re still afraid, this quote says: take the chance. Take the step. Believe that it’s the right next thing to do. Have faith even though you don’t know how it will manifest.
“If you can’t fly, then run, if you can’t run, then walk, if you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”
So what if you can only take small steps, or you don’t have as much money as you’d like, or you’ve got some other issue that you’re dealing with–don’t stop moving towards your goal.
At times when things seem really tough, this is a powerful quote. To me it says, yes, things are going to be tough. You’ll feel like shit. You’ll be exhausted and worn out. You’ll want to quit. But don’t. Even baby steps are steps forward. Whatever you do, keep moving.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
There have been times when I’ve been tempted to fight fire with fire.
To be just as rude, snarky and mean as the person who’s pissing me off. To just wallow in the mud with people who get joy out of trying to pull me down to their level.
But at the end of the day, it’s not going to work. Getting down and dirty with people like that isn’t going to make them stop. Meeting hate with hate isn’t going to fix them. But it is going to change me into someone I don’t want to be.
Stand up for yourself, but do it from a place of self love. Be a light, if you can, by staying connected to the truth of who you are. By staying in integrity. Is it easy? Hell, no. But is it more important to be right, or to do what’s right for you?
Copyright © 2015 Deborah A. Bailey