Inspirational Quote of the Week

I am going to make this a regular feature now, to inspire myself, and also make myself knowledgeable on people who spout great lyrics, phrases and anecdotes. Don't be surprised if you see a quote from my Dad on here at some point. His favourite being "Life is hard, get used to it".

This week's quote comes courtesy of Mark Twain, who authored the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer:

"In 20 years from now, you'll be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Explore. Dream. Discover."

I found it in Sunday's You magazine in an article written by journalist Sandra Paterson, who says it's one of her favourite quotes to reflect upon. Paterson moved from her busy urban life to the Island of Rarotonga in the middle of the Pacific Ocean to escape the onslaught of a midlife crisis. What she discovered there was peace, inspiration, health, friendly neighbours and paradise. Her story really inspired me.

For some time now I've seen myself as suffering from depression and lack of motivation due to my boring, grey, rain-soaked surroundings. I am, at heart, a Nature Child, and on the off sunny day that my boyfriend Dan and I rediscover the Welsh countryside I feel my problems settle and for a few hours I am relaxed by the watercolour-like scenery. But it is scarce in this country I'm afraid.

I take after my Dad in my aspirations to see the World and, with some luck, move away from Britain. The list of places I want to explore is endless: Austria, Rome, Greece, Paris, Japan (the majority of it), Hawaii, North America, Canada, Finland, Australia and New Zealand, South of France and any secret paradise's hidden in the Pacific. There's a whole world out there that I'm missing out on. It is my goal to see as much of it as I can before I drop off the planet.

So I hope this quote inspires somebody else as much as it has done for me.

I have one honourable mention this week - the ever hilarious Murdoc Niccals of Gorillaz:

"I'm ready to launch my new moronic TV talent show, Britain's Got Talons, any day now. It's a pointless search to find Britain's strongest bird. Each week we'll be pitting kestrels against ravens, eagles against magpies, and watching them fight it out to the death on live television! "

If that doesn't inspire a laugh then I don't know what will.