"Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” Helen Keller

"Such is human psychology that if we don't express our joy, we soon cease to feel it." Lin Yutang

Don't be too hard on yourself, there are plenty of people willing to do that for you. Love yourself and be proud of everything that you do. Mistakes are opportunities for growth and part of the journey.

Thank You Dr. Hershey for posting these uplift statements.

They are helping me.

Meds only go so far, and I'm grateful for them.

Psychosis is a God-Awful thing to go through, and I will do everything in my power to stay out of that state for the rest of my life !

My full-time job is to keep myself stable.

This helps.

Thank You,

Burt B.

Thank you Burt B. They put a positive lift in my day too!

One kind word can change someone's entire day.

Be yourself, everyone else is taken.

“The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.”

Albert Ellis

HOWEVER...

"No, our wills are not completely free, nor are we completely governed by our heredity and environment. We seem to be born and reared with some degree of choice, agency, or self-control but have to work at accepting its limitations and push ourselves to use it adequately."

Albert Ellis

Les,
I love Albert Ellis. Great quotes! Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy is actually on my list of article topics/ideas.

"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, I'M POSSIBLE!"
-Audrey Hepburn

I love this quote!!! LOL. Never heard this one before. But if there is one piece of advice that will cure us all of our insecurities and self-doubt, it is this quote.

Anyone who has left a mark on any sector of society, from the entertainment field to industry and science, is a unique individual. He/she has the courage to be himself/herself without apology. And no one is perfect but in fact our "flaws" shape who we are. Make those flaws work for you.

“Heroes are those who can somehow resist the power of the situation and act out of noble motives, or behave in ways that do not demean others when they easily can.”
― Philip G. Zimbardo

OR

As exemplified in George Orwell's "1984" when confronted with his worst fear (a menacing rat) Wintston Smith lost his sense of decency, humanity and self- when he screamed "Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia! Not me! Julia! I don't care what you do to her. Tear her face off, strip her to the bones. Not me! Julia! Not me"- the following quote is extremely salient.


“The line between good and evil is permeable and almost anyone can be induced to cross it when pressured by situational forces.”
― Philip G. Zimbardo

If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
-Wayne Dyer

“We must not allow other people’s limited perceptions to define us.” ~ Virginia Satir

It's time for you to look in the mirror and know that the person looking back at you is precious beyond measure.

When I read your quote, Dr. Hershey, I imagined myself doing this and a warm sensation rippled through me.

Thank you. My goodness. I actually felt love for myself. That has been the hardest thing for me.

Lori,
Your post made me smile !!

I notice that some people find it hard to "love" themselves in this way. People sometimes think that feeling that way about yourself is selfish. This is not so. You can't give out to others what you don't have.

"When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help." - Thich Naht Hanh

That is so true. That is why it is important to try not to condemn or judge another. Because we just don't know what is going on in his or her internal world.

The greatest challenge in life is discovering who you are.
The second greatest challenge is being happy with what you find.

This quote is so important Dr. Hershey.

For a long time, I struggled with finding who I was as an individual in this world. But, as I continue to live every day, I am slowly figuring out who I am and what purpose I have in this world.

This quote is very true. It's all about perspective!

Keep 'em coming Doc !!

I'm a recluse / hermit / mystic so I need this connection with the outer world.

-- Burt B.

Yes, we love them!

Never apologize for being sensitive or emotional.
Let this be a sign that you've got a big heart and aren't afraid to let others see it.
Showing your emotions is a sign of strength.
-Brigitte Nicole

Dominique, thanks for joining in! I read your article on sleep for teens....very good!

Who is Brigitte Nicole ?

As a man, my family encouraged such expression.

But, being very androgynous that acceptable male expression went out of style en masse after the disco and dance craze died down.

So, now I'm a anachronistic lost pup ! !!

-- Burt B.

P.S. Dr. Hershey Rocks !!
She even made it to the Big Board

To Wit:

Top Posters (30 Days)
Beetlemess 1463
Rosie L 651
Lori-Dreams 127
Debbie-SpiritualityEditor 124
Lisa LowCarb / VideoGames 123
Sandra - Investing 121
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Connie - ADD/Sandwiches 114
Terri-Exercise Editor 113
Dr. Hershey-MH 112

Burt,
LOL....the big board. I love it.

Brigitte Nicole is a woman who lost a ton of weight and started a blog.....

Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you'll understand what little chance you have in trying to change others.
-Jacob M. Braude

I'm glad you got a chuckle out of it Doc !

Thanks for clearing up the mystery of who that lady is.

I was wondering if you could read this article and comment upon it:

http:
//forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/806358/Finding_the_Peace_Within

Also, see if you can invite this lady to come over to bella online and post...

She is the one who taught me, " If the psych doctors were really out to harm you through a plot with meds, why would they work so hard, so long to get that level of education " ?

It took me about 18 years to realize that the meds were there to help me -- as a male, you're just supposed to ' tough it out '.

http:
//natashatracy.com/

Also, I would like you to take a look at her various stands on quite a few mental health issues and compare and contrast them here in a bullet format.

Wow !!

I'm really cashing in on the one LOL I got from you !!!

I just want to get better and stay better.

The more I know, the more I can sort through and stay stable.

I think I'm a Highly Sensitive Person ( HSP ) also.

The mind is a powerful thing, and if I don't sit and think for hours on end to work through my thoughts and feelings I can grab a thought or sometimes emotions churn up and I have to be extremely careful not to de comp.

I cannot de comp.

Never again.

My parents are gone and Connie and I are not legally married so HIPPA will not allow her to act on my behalf.

Period.

End of story.

Love, Kisses and Hugs,

Burt B.

Let's keep this Valentine Thing going all year long !!!

I literally keep a set of Christmas Lights burning out in the window every single night of the year !

Don't beleive me ?

I'll take a picture.

Cheers,

Burt B.

I'm a million different people every single moment of the day.

Isn't there a song like that ?

Burt,
Give me a few days to review the two links you provided.
Also, can you and Connie, with the guidance of a lawyer, draw up a legal document that helps to protect each other without being legally married?

Okay...my mental health quote for the day...

"Unless you learn to face your own shadows, you will continue to see them in others, because the world outside you is only a reflection of the world inside you."

[quote=Dr. Hershey-MH]The greatest challenge in life is discovering who you are. The second greatest challenge is being happy with what you find. [/quote] It is really a great challenge to discover who we really are, we can easily judge other people but we cannot judge immediately ourselves, shall we say, sometimes, we are in denial on what we really are. Acceptance is one key.

Dominique,
Good for you. It takes a strong and brave person to be on the journey of self reflection and awareness.

djesse,
That is very insightful and so very true. Sometimes we are not ready to see certain things about ourselves...may be too painful. I think this thought can be a segue into the next quote....

"If we could look into each other's hearts and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care."
-Marvin J. Ashton

It's about love.
It's about compassion.
It's about kindness and faith.
It has nothing to do with luck.
You get what you give so give good.

Loving yourself empowers you to make better choices, which makes for a better life.
~Mandy Hale

"Freedom is instantaneous the moment we accept things as they are."

"If you know someone who's depressed please resolve never to ask them why. Depression isn't a straightforward response to a bad situation, depression just is, like the weather.

Try to understand the blackness, lethargy, hopelessness and loneliness they're going through. Be there for them when they come through the other side. It's hard to be a friend to someone who's depressed, but it is one of the kindest, noblest and best things you will ever do."

~Stephen Fry

"Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle."

That is one of the hardest things for people to accept: Their own self-worth.

If they only knew their core value. Their astounding nature rife with all possibilities! They would never be so hard on themselves. They would be infinitely grateful for who they are: All powerful, all creative, all love.

My own journey to this discovery was rocky and painful, but here I am.

Isn't that something Lori,

Rocky and painful.

I always wondered why that had to be.

But I guess if I was not hungry and homeless and penniless in this journey, I would never appreciate the people who have been there also.

Every day, I almost allow myself to be tormented for being a nothing and a nobody.

Power, Money, Prestige seem to be the great striving of this civilization.

Yet, in being a nothing and a no one in particular, I serve the street people in a mom and pop 1950's style motel.

I had some plumbing work to do yesterday, and a real rough and tough guy and his girlfriend complemented me on the job.

He even started the conversation by saying, " I'm a nothing and a nobody, but I do plumbing for a living and you did a great job " !!!

How do you like that ?

I stand upon, " What you have done to the least of these my brethren, you have done it to me ".

I serve God, not street people because he lives in every single one whether they know it or not !!!

It made my day.

Love,

Burt B.

What a fantastic post. You made *my* day by sharing this great experience. I love it.

Do you see now how vital it was for you to experience poverty and hunger? You said it yourself that unless you did, you might not have had the appreciation or the compassion for others in this state.

Be thankful you know what it is to be a nothing and a nobody. We all are at once nothing but yet everything. Nobody and yet everybody.

You serve God indeed as you serve everyone you meet.

Burt, I too have suffered from self-torment and self-hate. How could I escape from my tormentor when my tormentor was me?

It took remembrance. Remembering who I am at the core of my being. Remembering the God within and how all-powerful He is.

He has very different standards than society for what defines the value of a human being.

quote=Lori-Dreams What a fantastic post. You made *my* day by sharing this great experience. I love it.

Do you see now how vital it was for you to experience poverty and hunger? You said it yourself that unless you did, you might not have had the appreciation or the compassion for others in this state.

Be thankful you know what it is to be a nothing and a nobody. We all are at once nothing but yet everything. Nobody and yet everybody.

You serve God indeed as you serve everyone you meet.

Burt, I too have suffered from self-torment and self-hate. How could I escape from my tormentor when my tormentor was me?

It took remembrance. Remembering who I am at the core of my being. Remembering the God within and how all-powerful He is.

He has very different standards than society for what defines the value of a human being.

Lori,

Words cannot express how grateful I AM to know, speak with and share a word, an experience and an expression with a fellow human being that knows who I AM within.

God forgive me, but there are so few on this planet who have such a self-awareness.

It makes me feel that I'm O.K. after-all.

Geeze, life really is eternal, and the peace and understanding I share with you even now is a stabilizing effect upon the entire planet.

Everything is recorded in the ethers via the subtle energies of Akasha.

Our road has been rocky because we inherited a collective sub-conscious sewer.

Every war that has ever been, every child that has been abused, every violent domestic relationship that there was or is now we feel and are connected to it.

Whenever there is the violence of fear and the violence of death it impacts us -- yes, you and me and others who are sensitive to life itself.

Yet, Life is Eternal and all accounts are exceedingly accurate.

" Every Jot and Tittle ".

Love,

Burt B.
P.S. I'm glad my post encouraged you

There are many like us who have such self-awareness. But instead of gathering together, our energies are better spent being among those who need to be reminded of who they are.

It can feel lonely but we are not alone, really. How can we be lonely when we are connected to the ALL?

Burt, you continue to remind me of important thoughts:

"Everything is recorded in the ethers via the subtle energies of Akasha." YES! YES! I forget how great this is! That is why we should never despair about our physical limitedness. Even our sincere thoughts can positively affect, influence and change the world. Yes, "the peace and understanding we share has a stabilizing effect upon the entire planet."

"Life is Eternal and all accounts are exceedingly accurate. Every Jot and Tittle." YES! YES! Yet man goes about seeking to disprove, discredit or deny what everyone else experiences. And therein lies the cause of earthly conflict.

Yes, you are ok, Burt. More than ok. You are perfect.

We are sensitive to energies, positive and negative. It is vital that I learned to draw the line between my true self with the earthly incarnation that is me now. The me now experiences, learns and then chooses what role(s) I will play here. Those role(s) aid my soul growth and the growth of others. The exciting part is now I see my true self coming forward into the me now.

I think that it is time for all of our true selves to step forward, don't you?

"The heart is like a garden. It can grow compassion or fear, resentment or love. What seeds will you plant there?"

I have also heard that it is a cathedral and looks very much like the Gothic representations of the middle ages.

( Knowing that your heart really is as large and larger than these physical structures is quite a concept. It can only be accomplished through the understanding that consciousness is not limited to time or space. Scientists today have recognized 10 or 12 dimensions. Let's say that Love is so profound that visualizing your heart to be as large as a Notre Dame is quite an exercise in expansion ) !!!

I also think that Buddha taught it to be a " Jeweled Island ".

Sometimes fear comes unannounced.

I strive to put compassion there and warm glowing thoughts and feelings for all life everywhere.

Yet, like today, I feel like a scared rabbit.

No wonder they call it Bi-Polar -- Cosmic Dimensions and growth -- then ' wall flower ' fade away.

Go figure.

I think I dreamed about fighting with my brother.

But hey, coffee and time to wake up peacefully does wonders !!

Love is the drug I'm thinkin' of !! !!!

quote=Lori-Dreams Yes, you are ok, Burt. More than ok. You are perfect.

Only God is perfect, yet he lives within me and is me. That me is not perfected yet.

I think that it is time for all of our true selves to step forward, don't you?

I agree entirely. But how do you do this without getting beaten half to death, incarcerated, and/or institutionalized ???!!!

Forgive me, but that has been my experience as a male. Now, you women folk have just as much of a challenge bringing your true self forward, and I could use some pointers.

Spring is in the air -- pretty pastels !! !!!

Well, Burt, that depends upon your definition of perfection. There is perfection in imperfection. That sounds contradictory but it is a divine dichotomy.

The yin yang. Which side is perfect? Are they not perfection together?

That you have imperfections makes you a rather perfect human being.

And to Dr. Hershey, I'm sorry we hijacked this thread with unrelated topics.

Back to mental health quotes!

“My therapist told me that I over-analyze everything. I explained to him that he only thinks this because of his unhappy relationship with his mother.”
― Michel Templet

"As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives."

~Henry David Thoreau

I don't have any quotes but always wondered why the majority of marriage therapists are divorced ??

Sorry for hijacking... don't know what else to do..

I noticed that as well. One marriage counselor I saw wanted me to divorce. She was going through a divorce and thought it was a good solution for my marital problem. I knew better so I stayed and worked things out.

Mental Health quote:

“We all talk to ourselves. Those we call mad just talk a little louder.”
― Marty Rubin

No worries Burt.

Lori, I love that one! HA!

"Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly."
~anonymous

I have surrendered all things, and all things have returned to me with love.

-- Burt B.

"You gotta look for the good in the bad, the happy in your sad, the gain in your pain, and what makes you grateful not hateful."

"How people treat other people is a direct reflection of how they feel about themselves."

"You will recognize your own path when you come upon it, because you will suddenly have all the energy and imagination you will ever need."

"Depression is not selfish. Anxiety is not rude. Schizophrenia is not wrong. Mental illness isn't self-centered, any more than a broken leg or the flu is self-centered.
If your mental illness makes you feel guilty, review the definition of "illness" and try to treat yourself with the same respect and concern you would show to a cardiac patient or a person with pneumonia."

Dr. Hershey, your quotes are enlightening. This one is so so true. It's important to remember this one. If we do, there never will be cause of feeling offended.

Ah, more eternal wisdom here. I have to remember this one so when I am getting distracted or overwhelmed, all I need to do is check to see if the energy is flowing (it flows from the universe when I am connected.)

Thanks Lori. I feel the same way regarding the universe and being plugged in. I think I was connected the other day because I felt such intense happiness and I couldn't specifically say why.

"Everyone wants happiness. No one wants pain. But you can't have a rainbow without a little rain."

"New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings..."
~Lao Tzu

THE VOICE

There is a voice inside of you
That whispers all day long,
"I feel that this is right for me,
I know that this is wrong."
No teacher, preacher, parent, friend
Or wise man can decide
What's right for you-just listen to
The voice that speaks inside.

Amen !! !!!

Since I haven't posted for a few days, I have two quotes today.

"When you forgive, you in no way change the past, but you sure do change the future."

"The Bad News: There is no key to happiness.
The Good News: It isn't locked."

"You must learn a new way to think before you can master a new way to be." ~Marianne Williamson

"Resist impulses to label yourself with descriptions that limit you in any way. Statements such as, "I'm not good at," or "I've never been interested in..." only serve to strengthen your self-image of limitation. You can be good at and enjoy anything if you decide to."
~Dr. Wayne Dyer

Dr. Hershey, these quotes have a powerful impact upon my psyche.

I love and follow many of the people you quote.

As for the no rainbows without pain, yes, I get that. So I try to reframe how I see difficulties and crises. I ask, "Ok, so what can I learn from this? How can I grow from this opportunity?"

Sometimes, it's just, "Wow, what a curious experience this is. Feeling this emotion." In this way, I can say that my life experience has been rich with opportunities to feel the vast range of human emotion. Can I appreciate pain or sorrow? In a way because juxtaposed against their opposites, I can more fully experience and appreciate being pain-free and happy. I know relief. I don't take this day's well-being for granted.

"To everything, there is a season." I have lived through tremendous grief, pain, worry, demoralization. I look back and now can see the blessing and wisdom of it all.

I am thankful.

I especially like Dr. Dyer's quote about labels. My life has taught me that we are powerful creators and our words create.

Lori,
I think I have read every Dyer and Chopra book....They are both so very inspirational.

Two quotes today...

"Don't carry your mistakes around with you. Instead, place them under your feet and use them as stepping stones."

"There are plenty of difficult obstacles in your path. Don't allow yourself to become one of them."
~Ralph Marston

Ah, mistakes! How they would torment me with regret and shame! It took me a while but I finally understand that I need to forgive myself for being human because making mistakes is part of the life journey.

Do we humiliate a stumbling toddler as he learns how to walk? We're all little children from an eternal perspective.

I see that there are no obstacles, just lessons to guide us down new paths.

Lori,
Right! Mistakes are opportunities to reflect, learn and grow.
If we all look back I am pretty sure we can remember some "mistakes" that we are now glad we made as that "mistake" may have lead us on a road that ultimately lead to happiness and love.

Mistakes can also be moments of clarity. They help us to look at ourselves more clearly and more deeply.

Now onto more mental health quotes.....

"Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge."
~Eckhart Tolle

"At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want."
~Lao Tzu

"A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not on the branch but on it's own wings. Always believe in yourself."

This particular quote really spoke to me. Thank you Ilyssa.

You are welcome. I am enjoying your money quotes....some are very funny!

Loving these quotes. They uplift and inspire me.

I love the bird quote most. Where did you get that quote. Is that yours? I would love to tweet that with attribution!

I wish I was the author! I found it on pinterest with no author to give credit to. I did a search but came up with "unknown".

"Don't listen to people that only tell you what to do. Listen to people who encourage you to do what you know in your heart is right."
~Author Unknown

"Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving. When we can be alone, we can be with others without using them as a means of escape."
~Bell Hooks

To Dr Hershey,

First thank you for your recovery wishes on my stabbing.
Second ,the great news .Received a phone call today from a "shrink" for my terror nitemares.His fees are covered by our
health system.She tought,I had nightmare problems,but when I told her they were TERROR NITEMARES,her tone changed.I should have my first rendez vous within a month.
Had to share it with you.

Respectfully
loong

Loong,
I'm glad you are well!
in regards to your night terrors, I posted/responded on the Night Terror thread.

"To be beautiful means to be yourself.
You don't need to be accepted by others.
You need to accept yourself."
~Thich Nhat Hanh

Well, this is many decades in the making, but gradually it is coming to pass.

I spend a lot of time alone, because I want to get to know me.

This relates to the false self and the true self.

I'm a tryin'

-- Burt B.

Hi Burt,

Some of these quotes are so true but hard to do. We all try and that alone is a "beautiful" thing.

I think this is my favorite quote of all time!!

"There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief...
and unspeakable love."
~Washington Irving

"Some people think that to be strong is to never feel pain. In reality the strongest people are the ones who feel it, understand it and accept it."

"Good friends help you to find important things when you have lost them...
your smile,
your hope,
and your courage."
~Doe Zantamata

"Life becomes easier when you learn to accept an apology you never got."
~Robert Brault

"Loneliness is missing the other.
Aloneness is finding oneself.
Out of aloneness, a totally new kind of love arises."
~Osho

Aloneness can be deconstructed into All-Oneness with life everywhere

I spend all day, every day alone, but hardly ever lonely.

By God's Grace Only.

-- Burt B.

"Roses are red, violets are blue. I'm a Schizophrenic, and so am I".

~Burt B.

"I would rather have a bottle of wine in front of me, than a Frontal Lobotomy" !!
~Burt B.

Burt,
LOL.

"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom."
~Aristotle

I'm glad you got a chuckle out of it !

Good Quote for the rebuttal.

Excellent.

-- Burt B.

"Sometimes what you're most afraid of doing is the very thing that will set you free."

I really like this quote.

"It's not an easy journey, to get to a place where you forgive people. But it is such a powerful place, because it frees you."

Loneliness doesn't come from having to one around you, but from being unable to communicate the things that are important to you.
~Carl Jung

Judging a person does not define who they are...
It defines who you are.

May I have the courage today
To live the life that I would love,
To postpone my dream no longer
But do at last what I came here for
And waste my heart on fear no more.

~John O'Donohue
Poem: Morning Offering

Your imagination should be used not to escape reality, but to create it.

Dear Doctor,

And what may I ask ,is REALITY?

loong

Ah! There are as many answers as there are people.

Is it a particle or a wave?

To Dr.

As there are moments.

loong

Well said loong, well said !!

"We often get caught up in our own reactions and forget the vulnerability of the person in front of us." ~Sharon Salzberg

When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free. ~Catherine Ponder

This is very true.

"May love always be your light and may your heart always give you sight."
~Melanie Moushigian Kouburis

A lovely sentiment.

Thank you for posting this,very beautiful quote.