My Interpretation

I was inspired to write this due to an image of lemons I saw on the app Miraquill. Some of them, I had never heard until I googled "positive quotes." Those ones will be marked with an asterisk (*).

1. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

I personally don't really like this old saying because lemonade is (sometimes) bitter, as are lemons. However, I do understand that it means to make something good out of a bad situation.

2. She believed she could, so she did.

As much as I like the meaning of this quote (basically, keep trying and it will happen), nothing is guaranteed. I used to think I was going to college, majoring in psychology, and getting a bachelor's. Only two years later, I changed it to wanting a certification from a community college that I planned on never going to.

3. Let your smile change the world but don't let the world change your smile.

I really like this one because to me it says, "Make a difference in the world but don't let the world change who you are; don't let the world make you depressed."

4. Common sense is not so common.

This was added more for humor but I do agree that common sense is very rare at this point.

5. Don't follow your dreams, chase them.

* I like this quote because in my mind it says, just following will get you nowhere. You need to put in the effort if you want your dreams to come true.

6. I have found that if you love life, life will love you back.

* I don't completely agree with this one, but I like the notion that it has. If you try to enjoy life, you are more likely to have good things happen. Like anything, there are exceptions. For example, my grandma, the nicest woman I have ever met, loved her life but she battled pancreatic cancer for four and a half years.

7. All things are difficult before they are easy.

* I wouldn't say all, I would say many though. As an example, I thought I could never go back to college and get this medical office assistant certification but now I am only 7 classes shy of having it and getting a job I want.

8. You only fail when you stop trying.

* I understand the premise behind it but I believe it is possible (but more unlikely) to fail, even when trying.

9. Sometimes later becomes never. Do it now.

* I love this one because it tells the reality of some situations in a gentle way. I thought I could never go to college after taking two years off but the pandemic convinced me that I needed to so that I could help others.

10. If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.

* I like and dislike this one at the same time. I like that it says to get up after you fall. I dislike that says "yesterday" and "today" because I believe that when you fall, you should get up and dust yourself off as soon as possible.

11. The number one skill in life is not giving up.

* I don't think I could agree any more than I do because if you give up, you will get nowhere. If you don't give up, so much more is possible.

12. Recovery is not linear.

This is one from my years of therapy. I love it because it helps avoid those feelings of guilt and shame when a person relapses, whether it is self-harm, drugs, alcohol, or anything else. What matters is if you get back up and keep trying.

13. Fall in love with taking care of yourself.

This is another from my years of therapy. If you don't take care of yourself, who will?

14. Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right.

I have mixed feelings about this because there are some things people think they can do, but for other reasons, they can't and vice versa.

15. Train your mind to see something good in every day.

* As hard as this is, practice makes progress. Practice seeing the good things when you aren't depressed or anxious and you will likely do a lot better seeing the good when you are feeling depressed or anxious.

16. The best is yet to come.

* Sometimes this doesn't feel true but if you compare yourself to where you were even a week ago, you will likely see improvement.

17. Always be positive.

It isn't realistic to always have a good day; everyone has bad days and that is perfectly fine. I mostly disagree with this quote.

18. Never give up.

I know there are times when giving up feels like the only option, but it's almost always the worst option. If you give up, you don't know what could happen.

19. Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.

* When I saw this one, I really liked it. It is a good reminder that you can stay grounded while seeing the positive around you. Being grounded is staying in the present and not fixating on the past or future.

20. When it rains, look for rainbows. When it's dark, look for stars.

I love this quote because it basically says, "Look for the good in bad situations." It is hard to but it is so worth it. You will likely learn much more than you think you will.

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If you enjoyed this list, please let me know. It was fun to do something different but still give my opinion and share some stories along the way. Although it is not required, tips are greatly appreciated.