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If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we are not really living.

Gail Sheehy

American author and journalist Gail Sheehy made a career of charting change, from working as a female journalist in the male-dominated media world of the 1960s and ’70s to becoming a prominent proponent of the more subjective New Journalism style. Her 1976 book “Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life,” excerpted here, is a testament to the transitions we undergo throughout our lives, from our first steps into adulthood through the metamorphosis of our golden years. Sheehy was an advocate for diving into change headfirst. As her quote suggests, change is a sign of growth — and of life itself. Sheehy’s affirmation of the importance of change serves as an encouraging push toward the unknown, reminding us that new experiences aren’t hurdles to overcome but opportunities to savor.

You exist only in what you do.

Federico Fellini

The movies of Federico Fellini may be a far cry from what’s popular in cinemas today, but he is still regarded as one of the greatest directors of all time. The Italian filmmaker remains hugely influential, and inspired everyone from David Lynch to Tim Burton, Stanley Kubrick, Bob Dylan, and Lana Del Rey. His movies, which include the classics “La Dolce Vita” and “8½,” are often dreamlike visions that probe the very nature of memory, fantasy, and desire. Fellini’s distinctive style takes ordinary situations and overlays them with hallucinatory imagery — and any type of art that mirrors this style is often called “Felliniesque.”

To go wrong in one's own way is better than to go right in someone else's.

Fyodor Dostoevsky

The theme of alienation from society takes center stage in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s classic 1866 novel “Crime and Punishment.” This is embodied by the novel’s protagonist, Raskolnikov, whose very name is derived from the Russian “raskolnik”, meaning “schismatic” or “divided.” He is a proud and disdainful man who looks down upon his fellow humans. In contrast, Dostoevsky created the character of Razumikhin, a humanist with a strong sense of morality. He doesn’t become gloomy or resigned at the thought of failure — instead, he celebrates it. “Through error you come to the truth!” he proclaims in the monologue that contains this quote. “I am a man because I err! You never reach any truth without making fourteen mistakes and very likely a hundred and fourteen.” These wise words from Razumikhin, whose own name comes from the Russian word “razum” (meaning “reason” or “intelligence”), remind us that although we will certainly fail many times throughout our lives, our failures belong to us and are vital for forging our identities.

A friend is, as it were, a second self.

Cicero

Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman philosopher who lived in the first century BCE and was one of the most influential figures of the Roman Republic. Often listed among the greatest orators and writers of all time, Cicero wrote extensively on many topics, including politics, philosophy, law, rhetoric, and literature. His writings are characterized by their clarity, precision, and eloquence, which can be seen in this heartwarming quote about friendship. His work has had a lasting impact on Western civilization and his ideas are still studied today.

Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.

Hal Borland

Hal Borland was an American author, journalist, and naturalist known for his reflections on nature and the outdoors. In his 1964 book "Sundial of the Seasons," Borland’s brief observations and insights on each passing day combine to form a bigger picture of the changing seasons, and his words encourage us to reconsider our perspective on time and experience. While the conclusion of a calendar year may seem like a finite endpoint, it's ultimately just another day in a continuous journey. The value Borland places on all our lived experiences throughout the year — the big defining moments as well as the day-to-day minutiae — reminds us to keep an eye on the big picture and not get too caught up in pinning our hopes on arbitrary holidays. Every day can be the start of a “new year” if we so choose.

The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely.

Louisa May Alcott

American novelist Louisa May Alcott is best known for her 1868 novel “Little Women,” but her prolific body of work also includes “Jack and Jill: A Village Story” (1880), excerpted here. Alcott’s riff on the old nursery rhyme follows two children severely injured in a sledding accident. The novel details their healing process and the moral lessons they and their friends learn along the way. Alcott penned this particular morsel of wisdom about a brazen friend in the group, Molly, who realizes the importance of relishing the small things in life after her father gives her some of her late mother’s small relics. The quote reminds us that harmony and happiness are far easier to find when we learn to appreciate the humble marvels of even the seemingly mundane facets of life.

Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

Bertrand Russell

One of the most prominent intellectuals of the 20th century, Bertrand Russell was a polymath who believed that ideas could change the world. In addition to being a mathematician, philosopher, and preeminent logician, he was also a humanist and a pacifist whose ideas at times proved controversial — his pacifism during World War I, for instance, earned him a six-month spell in prison. In a December 1951 issue of “The New York Times Magazine,” Russell published his “ten commandments” of critical thinking, including the one featured here. He reminds us that although our thoughts and ideas may not be accepted at first, every great thought and idea once had to face its share of skepticism and naysayers.

Nothing is inherently and invincibly young except spirit.

George Santayana

George Santayana was a Spanish-born American writer and philosopher in the early 20th century. A prolific man of letters, Santayana believed in the human capability to learn, regardless of age. He resigned his post at Harvard University after only five years to pursue his own studies, which led him to publish numerous works — from novels to philosophy treatises. His words here remind us that real youth is mental, not physical: In staying curious and lighthearted, we can experience youth at any age.

"Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase." Martin Luther King, Jr.

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

French author and pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupéry reexamined some of his personal tragedies through a different lens in his 1943 novella "The Little Prince," excerpted here. Saint-Exupéry’s real-life plane crash in the Libyan desert and the childhood death of his beloved younger brother are both weaved into this book that focuses on the contradiction between the no-nonsense busyness of adulthood and the slow, adoring wonder of childhood. This quote is spoken by a fox who visits the titular character, a young prince from a faraway star. The fox’s quote is a “secret” of earthlings that he bestows upon the extraterrestrial prince, reinforcing the boy’s idea that love, joy, and exploration usurp the concerns of more “serious” grown-up endeavors. Saint-Exupéry’s words teach us that fulfillment comes from that which is unseen and only felt, gently urging us to nurture the heart of our inner child.