When you love the unlovable and forgive the unforgivable, you’re free. Bernie Siegel More Quotes by Bernie Siegel More Quotes From Bernie Siegel Your body loves you, but if you do not love your life, it will end it far sooner, thinking it is doing you a favor. Bernie Siegel doing-youlove-youthinking To paraphrase something the anthropologist Ashley Montagu once said, the way I change my life is to act as if I'm the person I want to be. This is, to me, the simplest, wisest advice you can give anyone. When you wake up and act like a loving person, you realize not only that you are altered, but that the people around you are also transformed, because everybody is changed by the reception of this love. Bernie Siegel love-yougivingpeople Hoping means seeing that the outcome you want is possible and then working for it. Bernie Siegel hopewantmean People have taught me what most doctors don't learn, in other words, when somebody does better than expected, the doctor will tell them they're doing very well and to keep it up. I learned to say, "You didn't die when you were supposed to so what's going on?", and they always had a story to tell me. Bernie Siegel doctorsdoepeople It's not about curing the disease, but healing the life; then the physical benefits come. Bernie Siegel benefitsdiseasehealing Live by your experience and do not let limited beliefs alter your life experience. Bernie Siegel life-experiencelive-bybelief I see people who die a few minutes after a doctor tells them there is no hope of a cure. They give up and go. Others get angry and find joy in proving the doctor wrong. Something within them is challenged and hopeful. Hope is the divine motivator. Bernie Siegel doctorsgiving-uppeople There is no such thing as an incurable disease, only incurable people. Bernie Siegel incurable-diseasediseasepeople What thoughts are so important that it is worth holding on to them even when they make you miserable? Why are you holding on? You are in charge of your thoughts and feelings. If you are willing to search for the reason that you can't let go of disturbing thoughts, you can learn about yourself and restore your own peace of mind. Bernie Siegel mindletting-gofeelings When my body gets to the point where I can no longer function or feel gratitude, then I'll leave it and become grateful again. But until then, I will appreciate what I have and not whine about what I don't have. I will feel blessed by life and the opportunity to help others see that they are blessed, too. Bernie Siegel gratitudegratefulblessed The fundamental problem most patients have is an inability to love themselves, having been unloved by others during some crucial part of their lives. Bernie Siegel inabilityacceptancelove Studies of volunteers have shown there is a benefit to performing acts of love for other people. The irony is that it is actually in your best interest to be selfless. The things you do for the benefit of others not only make you feel fulfilled, they increase your chances of living a long and happy life. Remember that an act of love always benefits at least two people. Bernie Siegel twolonghappy-life Do not go looking for problems to feed your soul. Just let life be your teacher. It will nourish you with its inevitable difficulties. How will you know whether you are letting life teach you and nourish you? If your physical senses become more sensitive to the beauty you see, the words of love you hear, and the life you feel touching your body and soul, then you know you have discovered the great value of misfortune. Bernie Siegel soullove-youteacher What I try to get physically healthy people to understand is that they're going to die someday. There is no way out. And dying isn't failure, but not living is, so make use of your time. Don't keeping waiting. Bernie Siegel healthywaitingpeople Thoughts are chemical. They can either kill us or cure us. Bernie Siegel cureschemicals What if Jesus was the only normal person who ever lived? Bernie Siegel what-ifnormaljesus When you accept that you are not in charge of everything, you can begin to work with the one who really is in charge. This has been my experience; when I accepted that I was not in charge and started to work with someone else's plan, the Boss showed up. Now we are a team and I have less to be concerned about. He organizes my schedule. I just follow it, and when He is taking a day off my wife steps in. Bernie Siegel wifeteamacceptance It is astounding how much the immune system is strengthened by reducing daily mental stress levels with either visualization or meditation. The other great tonic for the immune system is love—loving ourselves as well as others. Bernie Siegel levelsstressmeditation Life is full of painful events, and people who have lost their way and hurt others. Our pain is not lessened when we respond with hatred. In fact, the opposite occurs: When we hate people who hurt us, we come to resemble what we hate, or worse, and then we suffer all the more. What is evil is our response. We have choices, and love is the most powerful eliminator of all. Bernie Siegel painpowerfulhurt Remember this: Now is the only time you have. When God created the universe, it was now. You can't say to creation and energy, "I'll do it later, not now." Later doesn't exist. Creation doesn't know anything but now. Whenever you get around to doing what you want to do, it will be now. The things you need to do to live a happier, more fulfilling life-the only time you can possible start doing them is now. Bernie Siegel doing-what-you-wantenergyneeds