Conflict in close relationships is not only inevitable, it's essential. Intimacy connects people who are inevitably different. Martha Beck More Quotes by Martha Beck More Quotes From Martha Beck When we run from our feelings, they follow us. Everywhere. Martha Beck feelingsrunning Friends, there are many areas in which I need encouragement, but worrying is not one of them. I worry the way Renée Fleming sings high Cs: Effortlessly. Loudly. At length. Martha Beck encouragementworryneeds You are lovable. Can you show me any baby in any nursery who isn't priceless? No. There's no such thing as a worthless newborn. And the essential value that was born into brand-new-baby you can never be extinguished. This means that even if you think you're being absolutely honest, believing yourself to be anything other than astonishing, incomparable, and infinitely precious makes you a habitual liar. Martha Beck liarsbabybelieve Make stuff up. Anyone who ever did something new or interesting was making it up as they went along. Martha Beck something-newstuffinteresting If you're living completely on your own, break out of solitary confinement. Seek to understand others, and help them understand you Martha Beck solitarybreak-outhelping There's tons of magic in the world, and it's all science. Martha Beck magic-in-the-worldmagicworld To care for someone can mean to adore them, feed them, tend their wounds. But care can also signify sorrow, as in "bowed down by cares." Or anxiety, as in "Careful!" Or investment in an outcome, as in "Who cares?" The word love has no such range of meaning: It's pure acceptance. Martha Beck anxietyacceptancemean The heart is a tender but hardy organ. Daring to have a wonderful experience, even though you may get hurt, is the only way you'll realize its deepest desires. Martha Beck hurtdesireheart Your first daily priority should be stillness, attention to what you really know and what you really feel. Martha Beck prioritiesattentionfirsts Stop trying to change your behavior; instead, rethink your beliefs Martha Beck behaviorbelieftrying Many of us have spent a lifetime trying to be what we’re not, feeling lousy about ourselves when we fail, and sometimes when we succeed. We hide our differences when, by accepting and celebrating them, we could collaborate to make every effort more exciting, productive enjoyable, and powerful. Personally, I think we should start right now. Martha Beck differencespowerfulthinking Trying to motivate yourself with fear is like screaming Martha Beck knowingtryingchildren My deep belief is that all of us have the same lifelong work: to learn honesty, courage, and love. To learn, in other words, how to be our best selves. Martha Beck honestyand-loveself The shortness of life, which we all discuss, but which is very clear to me at the moment, makes keeping and spreading a joyful peace more crucial than ever before. Let us keep our minds on what matters, which is our work, which is astonishment and gratitude. From this quiet magic comes a power for all other new years wishes to come true. Martha Beck gratitudenew-yearwhat-matters If we're stuck with having expectations, there's a very good reason to embrace positive ones: it's that we often create what we anticipate. Martha Beck embraceexpectationsreason Heading towards that inner home will take you places-both inside yourself and in the external world-which your heart will recognize as its native environment, even though you have never been there before. Martha Beck homeheartworld The moment we begin tolerating meanness, in ourselves and others, we are using our authorial power in the service of wrongdoing. We have both the capacity and the obligation to do better. Martha Beck obligationmomentscapacity It's only by starting in a place of peace that we find our purpose and power. Martha Beck places-of-peacestartingpurpose Most people think that once they've found their purpose and the power to practice it, they'll finally be at peace. Actually, though, it's only by starting in a place of peace that we find our purpose and power. Peace is the first step and the final lesson we all need to learn. Martha Beck practicepeoplethinking Learning to spot narcissists and deal with their destructive behavior can save you the world of hurt that awaits anyone who mistakes the near enemy for a friend. Martha Beck hurtmistakeenemy
