Tag Archives: inspiration

(get over the) hump-day inspiration: Werner Herzog

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Werner Herzog inspirational quote

Today’s words of wisdom come from an unlikely source: my favorite anti-hero, Werner Herzog, who reminds us that life is violent and painful and that the times we’re living in are particularly banal and bleak. It’s very freeing, actually.

Unfortunately I cannot take credit for the inspired creation above. It comes from this Tumblr of Werner Herzog motivational posters. Best Internet discovery in years.

More brilliant madness by and about Werner Herzog, if you ever need a giggle:

One of my favorite pieces of writing, ever.

Continuing an interview after being shot by an air rifle.

Laugh out loud musings on adventure.

(get over the) hump-day inspiration: Arthur Ashe

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Arthur Ashe quote

I’ll try my best to remember this the next time I re-start a sentence for the seventh time in an awkward attempt to talk my way around the words I don’t know.

(get over the) hump-day inspiration: C.S. Lewis

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CS Lewis quote

Because 34 is the new 14.

This photo, by the way, is from my first glimpse of South America along the Chilean coast. It would have been a more profound moment had I not flown through Toronto and been delirious with exhaustion. In retrospect I peg it as the kick-off to my new era of crazy dreaming and scheming. At the time I just stared and stared and thought, I will process this after I sleep.

(get over the) hump-day inspiration

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Rilke quote

I happened upon this quote the day after I bought my ticket to Argentina. The timing could not have been more perfect. I had gotten slightly dizzy and felt something close to panic immediately after clicking the purchase confirmation button. I had just committed to embark upon my first truly solo trip out of the country, to a place where I didn’t know the language or a single soul. I had no idea where I would be staying or what I would be doing. I had no tie to the culture, no connection to the country, no knowledge of its history. It was terrifying, even though it was also something I really, really wanted to do.

Rilke’s words assured me in the most beautiful way that fear is just the flip side of exhilaration, and it may even be something to relish and embrace instead of running away from. That’s exactly what happened with Argentina. I leaned into the fear, it quickly dissipated, and my trip turned out to be one of the most enlivening experiences I’ve ever had. I’ve come back to this quote whenever I need a reminder of that important life lesson. Including now, when I’m afraid I’m wasting my time attempting the impossible with this later-life-language-learning thing.

(Photo: Wordjoy on Etsy)