42 inspiring quotes, mantras or words to live by

Recently, we asked our AWC community to share their favourite ‘mantra’ or words that inspire them each day. Having your own mission statement with which you live your life can be a powerful thing – highly recommended!

A huge thank you to ALL of you who sent us your phrases, quotes (many unattributed) and words – we had hundreds submitted. Obviously, these things are different for everyone, but we’ve chosen a selection of them to share and we hope that some will resonate with you. Enjoy!

ARIEL H:
“You have all the power you need, if you dare to look for it.” – Quote from “The Last Unicorn”

SHIVANI KANKANALA:
If not now then when, if not me then who?

TUREEM KHURSHEED:
“Don't go with the flow. Be the flow” – Elif Shafak

CAROLINE LIVANOS:
Those who travel unworn paths find the rarest flowers.

BILL FARRELLY:
Patience, Perseverance, Courage.

JEANETTE WORMALD:
GOLD
(It is valuable, it is beautiful, it is unwavering, it is “durable to the point of virtual indestructibility”. To me “choosing gold” symbolises aspiring and striving to be the best I can be.)

PAUL RODRIGUEZ:
The only way to fail as a writer is to stop!

KARIN EATON:
Find something to smile about every day.

MALCOLM RICHARDSON:
‘If in doubt, have a cup of tea!’
(It’s amazing how good it is to just take a five minute break and do something trivial and then return refreshed. Works especially well if you get stuck with brain fog whilst writing.)

ANDREA SHERKO:
Fall down seven times, get up eight.

KAREN LOUISE:
“In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety.” – Abraham Maslow

SHANELLE FERGUSON:
If it's meant to be, it's up to me.

ANDREA WALTERS:
Live the life you love. Love the life you live.

BETTE GUY:
Just do it! What have you got to lose?

JILL TAYLOR NEAL:
The difference between a dream and a goal is a plan of action.

MICHELLE CLEMENS and ROSEMARY DAWSON:
“Feel the fear and do it anyway.”

RHONDA MCCOY:
You are good enough. Write every day.

ROMAYNE PAVAN:
Just write.

FIONA VOGEL:
DRAGONS
(I like this one because it reminds me to hunt small dragons while they are small and that people's real problems are great opportunities if you can think of a way to solve them.)

CLAUDIO TIONG:
Keep your eyes up, chin down, and mind open!

ARHITA GREEN:
“Of all the souls that stand create, I have elected one” – Emily Dickinson
(Of all the things I could be, of all the paths I could walk, I found the one which was in harmony with my soul. Hence to me this line describes this process of discovery perfectly and I know that in case I'd get lost, it would be my lighthouse and direct me towards the place I'm meant to go.)

GIULIO DI SOMMA:
I am a difference maker!

CHANDRIKA R KRISHNAN:
Be stronger than your excuses.

JUSTINE SORENSON:
“With every broken bone, I swear I lived.” – from a song by OneRepublic

BRUCE POWELL:
The only thing that is certain, is uncertainty.

KATE FIEDLER:
We meet people for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

SARAH WEISE:
You are the artist of your own life. Don't hand the paintbrush to anyone else.

MICHELLE UPTON:
Love yourself hardest when it feels impossible.

LYDIA EVANS:
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” – Mahatma Gandhi

DAVID KIRKPATRICK:
Be like Kennedy, Create it then make it.

JULIE MILLER:
Elevation!
(This is our word for the year at Brisbane Book Authors (BBA). We use this to stay focused … We also sometimes dance to ‘Elevation’ by U2.)

CHRIS NEWCOMBE:
Gods and volcanos.

RACHEL MELVILLE:
Embrace Imperfection.
(It's been my mantra for years and reminds me that perfection is impossible and trying to attain it dooms me to failure.)

LORI ALDEN HOLUTA:
Life is too short to read bad books.

HELEN WRIGHT:
Every new chapter started with just one word.

SHERI-ANN O’SHEA:
Follow that star!

KARISSA CASTLE:
Always smile because you never know who is falling in love with it.

STEPHANIE BYSOUTH:
Play.

JUDY HOGAN:
“You can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page.” – Jodi Picoult

MELANIE HAWKES:
Be grateful.
(I have kept a gratitude diary every day for 980 days in a row. It is an important part of my daily routine and it has taught me that no matter what goes wrong in your day, there is always something to be grateful for.)

KAREN CASLEY:
“Every problem hides a well concealed opportunity.”

LEIGH BRIAR:
“Some days are typing days, and some days are deleting days, and some days are thinking days, and all of those are writing days.” – V.E. Schwab.