Skip to content

Thich Nhat Hanh Quote on Suffering and Having Compassion For Those Who Are In Pain

    “When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over.  He does not need punishment; he needs help.  That’s the message he is sending.”

    Thich Nhat Hanh

    Beyond the Quote (76/365)

    Below, you will find an exchange between another person and I in regards to the quote above and the caption I put up for it.  It’s a good exchange and there are elements that I think are worth elaborating on and discussing.  Here is the exchange:

    Read More »Thich Nhat Hanh Quote on Suffering and Having Compassion For Those Who Are In Pain

    Don Miguel Ruiz Quote on Creating the Perfect Relationships—Starting With The One You Have With Yourself

      “When you make it your goal to create the perfect relationship between you and your body, you are learning to have a perfect relationship with anyone you are with, including your mother, your friends, your lover, your children, your dog.  When you have the perfect relationship between you and your body, in that moment your half of any relationship outside you is completely fulfilled.  You no longer depend upon the success of a relationship from the outside.”

      Don Miguel Ruiz, The Mastery of Love

      Beyond the Quote (66/365)

      The most you can ever contribute to the success of a relationship is 50%.  The fact that it’s a relationship implies that there are two and 100% of one out of two is 50%.  This isn’t to say that the most effort you can ever put forth is 50%.  You can undoubtedly give your 100%, but it’s only ever going to add up to 50% as a part of the whole relationship.  This is one of the key mindsets to understand in order to maintain a healthy relationship.  Let’s take a look at an example.

      Read More »Don Miguel Ruiz Quote on Creating the Perfect Relationships—Starting With The One You Have With Yourself

        “When you love someone, it’s not despite their limitations. It’s because of their limitations.  Of course, it’s complicated.  You don’t have to be in love with every shortcoming, and merely accept.  You shouldn’t stop trying to make life better, or let suffering just be.  But there appear to be limits on the path to improvement beyond which we might not want to go, lest we sacrifice our humanity itself.”

        Jordan Peterson, via 12 Rules for Life (Page 347)

          “In the end, after letting go of my ideals of perfection, after letting go of my striving for goals, after wanting things to be a certain way… what am I left with?  I’m left with Love.  This feeling of boudless love, not for one specific person and not even limited to human beings, can motivate me to get up in the morning and write.  It motivates me to be vegan, because my love extends to animals.  It motivates me to work out, because my love extends to me, and to my kids for whom I’m setting this example of an active lifestyle.  It motivates me to let go of attachments that lead to frustrations, because why fight with someone you love?  Love can move you to be mindful, to appreciate the reality of this current moment, to appreciate and embrace impermanence as something beautiful, to be grateful, to make the most of this dewlike life.  Love can move you to overcome struggles.  Love can transform bitterness into softness, anger into kindness, self-hatred into self-compassion.  Love is both the path, and the mover.” ~ Leo Babauta, Essential Zen Habits (Page 204)

          Quote on Loving People Without Placing Expectations On Them Of Who You Think They Should Be

            “In order to make a relationship last, you really have to flow with a person as they change. Give them space. My friend always told me about his grandfather who was with his wife for 60 years before she passed. His grandfather said that through all that time, his wife changed so much it felt like he had been with 8 different people by the end. But he said the secret to making it last was that through all those changes, he never suffocated his wife with his own idea of who he expected her to be. Rather he loved, fully, every new woman she became.”

            Unknown

            Beyond the Quote (45/365)

            Don’t suffocate your loved ones.  The more they feel suffocated, the more space they will need to breathe.  The more tightly you squeeze them, the more freedom they will need.  The more smothered they feel with expectations, the more resistance and disappointment you both will feel.  Love should not be suffocating; it should be spacious.  Love should not be limiting; it should be enabling.  Love should not be expected; it should be given—unconditionally and in full.

            Read More »Quote on Loving People Without Placing Expectations On Them Of Who You Think They Should Be

            Quote About Being Patient and Not Chasing Anything Or Anyone

              “I no longer chase anything or anyone. I work for what I want and I remain patient while going after it. So called friends who want to go, can go. Lovers who have forgotten how to love me, can go. I do not have energy to chase what is not for me. Life is too short for me to run miles for people who don’t take steps for me.”

              Unknown, Relationship Rules

              Beyond the Quote (32/365)

              Anything forced is ugly.  This is an expression that I find myself referencing often in my life.  Relationships of all kinds should be a metaphorical (and sometimes literal) joining of the hands and a shared walking forward of the same path, with excitement, grace, and love.  Relationships should never be a “tugging” of one person from one path to another.  And relationships certainly should never be “forced” or a “dragging” of one person who is trying to walk on a path of their own down a path of your own.  Forced relationships are ugly.

              Read More »Quote About Being Patient and Not Chasing Anything Or Anyone

                “What can be truly loved about a person is inseparable from their limitations.” ~ Jordan Peterson, via 12 Rules for Life (Page 341)

                  “Here is the secret we all know:  We all want to love.  We’re all afraid we are alone.  We’re afraid no one will know who we are.  Because on some level, we all know you can die without love, without anyone, without even you knowing who you are.  (Unless you take care of you, and give yourself love.  Unless you meet yourself, inside yourself.  Unless you know yourself like you were meant to.  Forgive yourself for being you—you have done nothing wrong and tomorrow is another chance.  I swear, there is a day after, every day.)” ~ Iain Thomas, Every Word you Cannot Say (Page 68)

                    “The journey of the bodhisattva warrior starts with the basic attitude of enlarging our motivation to include the welfare of others.  This is a simple response to this dark age.  Let’s begin right now by engaging love and compassion however we can—not tomorrow, but today.  By cultivating courage and confidence in ourselves and maintaining our seat, we can enjoy creating a sane environment; we can enjoy creating an enlightened society.  This doesn’t have to be overwhelming.  Start by looking at your own life and see what you can do, one step at a time.  Love is the saving grace.” ~ Sakyong Mipham, Turning the Mind Into An Ally (Page 212)