Train Your Mind

Which is worth more, a crowd of thousands, or your own genuine solitude? Freedom, or power over an entire nation. A little while alone in your room will prove more valuable than anything that could ever be given you. – Rumi

There couldn’t be a safer way for kids to learn about difficult topics, gain new perspectives, and explore the world and their place in it than by reading words on a page. – Heather E. Schwartz

Black women have not only led, they’ve created spaces for others to join. We will continue to call out injustice and dismantle systems designed to disempower us. And we will not capitulate when the slings and arrows strike because we know that when we fight, we win. – Stacey Abrams

When I’m asked about the relevance to black people of what I do, I take that as an affront. It presupposes that black people have never been involved in exploring the heavens, but this is not so. Ancient African empires – Mahi, Songhai, Egypt – had scientists, astronomers. The fact is that space and its resources belong to all of us, not to any one group … If we’re not there from the beginning, helping to determine what happens to these resources, we’ll have no say in how they are used. – Mae Jemison

What I want young women and girls to know is: You are powerful and your voice matters. You’re going to walk into many rooms in your life and career where you may be the only one who looks like you or who has had the experiences you’ve had. But you remember that when you are in those rooms, you are not alone. We are all in that room with you applauding you on. Cheering your voice. And just so proud of you. So you use that voice and be strong. – Kamala Harris.

Lose the fear that you may make mistakes. That is a fact. But keep on going. That’s failing forward.

Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing. – Denis Waitley

Each person is an island unto himself, in a very real sense; and he can only build bridges to other islands if he is first of all willing to be himself and permitted to be himself. – Carl Rogers.

The sharing of joy, whether physical, emotional, psychic, or intellectual, forms a bridge between the sharers which can be the basis for understanding much of what is not shared between them, and lessens the threat of their difference. – Audre Lorde

And once you realize that you can do something, it would be difficult to live with yourself if you didn’t do it. – James Baldwin.

Believe this: you will be more interesting, more serene with the knowledge that, yes, it may have already been done, but it hasn’t been done by you.

Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.
– Frederick Douglass

The future never just happened. It was created. – Mae Jemison

There are gifts and talents that have not yet been used and power which has not been applied. – Sunday Adelaja

Every small positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future. – Alice Walker

Advance is difficult and departure from the accepted path is dangerous; but difficulty and danger are old acquaintances. – Elizabeth Catlett

The life of a nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful, and virtuous. – Frederick Douglass

Truly, it’s being who you want to see.

I’d love to read your thoughts on anything related to your experience in woodworking and becoming your own best self.

Leave a comment and let me know who you are.

That’s all and remember the shop is open.