Laurie Buchanan Quotes

Don't allow yourself to be held hostage by the opinion of others.

Just as we expect others to value our boundaries, it's equally important for us to respect the boundaries of others.

When we listen, we hear someone into existence.

Life is an expression of the choices we make.

Sound judgment is absolutely necessary to stay alive. Being judgmental—critical—is not. They are two very different things.

Any belief worth embracing will stand up to the litmus test of scrutiny. If we have to qualify, rationalize, make exceptions for, or turn a blind eye to maintain a belief, then it may well be time to release that belief.

True love is healthy, respectful, and nurturing, whether it's for ourselves or for another person. It's positive, uplifting, constructive, and healing to those in our sphere of influence, including the person we look at in the mirror every single morning—ourselves.

Clearing clutter—be it physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual—brings about ease and inspires a sense of peace, calm, and tranquility.

One of the hallmarks of social wellness is being inclusive, not exclusive, with our friendship.

Minimalism is about creating space to live simply and meaningfully; it’s about living intentionally.

Doing something for the mere joy of it—for one's self or others—is quite possibly one of the best returns on an investment of time that a person can receive.

One of the benchmarks of great communicators is their ability to listen not just to what's being said, but to what's not being said as well. They listen between the lines.

The characteristics of healthy boundaries include self-respect; non-tolerance of abuse or disrespect; responsibility for exploring and nurturing personal potential; two-way communication of wants, needs, and feelings; expectations of reciprocity; and sharing responsibility and power.

Alchemy is the process of changing lead into gold. Inner alchemy (personal transformation) occurs when we clear our clutter—internal and external—and let go of things that no longer serve us well. This creates balance and space, a place that nurtures contentment, which I believe is true success.

Individual choices have universal consequences.

Birth is not a beginning; it’s a continuation. That lends tremendous comfort because we then understand that, equally true, death is not an end; it’s merely a continuation.

Each of us views life through a different lens. What we think is colored by the baggage we carry, and what we think is what we live.

There is a tremendous difference between existing and thriving. Regardless of our age, we need the life force of joy—joie de vivre.

Never underestimate the influence you have on others.

Enlightenment is recognizing that we are all connected, then consciously living that realization—our thoughts, words, and actions an unshakable reflection of that understanding.

We may never pick up a paintbrush or sculpt a masterpiece, but each one of us—without exception—is an artist in our own way.

When we inhabit our own life—stop doing things based on the approval of others—we offload baggage and trade up to joy!

A minimalist by intent, I live a beautiful life with fewer things—simple, yet full.

I enjoy many types of music, but to my ears, there’s none more soothing or calming than the music a tree makes as wind passes through its leaves.

Establishing and maintaining boundaries are two very different things. Establishing a boundary is defining it and setting it in place. Maintaining a boundary is implementing it; weaving it into your lifestyle and checking it often to ensure that it holds. A boundary is effective only if its maintained.

Each of us has an undeniable responsibility to ourself and the rest of the world to be our personal best on any given day.

People who are adept in healthy self-expression exercise front-end consideration before speaking.

Joy is inexplicable peace that comes from within.

Meditation directly impacts our nervous system by reducing the body's production of stress-related chemicals such as cortisol. It's a great way to recharge our personal battery.

My creative muse is wabi-sabi, a practice where inessentials are trimmed away or eliminated. The intersection where wabi (minimal) and sabi (functional) meet is the platform for my creativity: space and quiet solitude, simplicity.

Assumptions aren’t facts; they’re opportunities for research and testing.

Be the spark—live light!

Be strategic about productivity—do less exceptionally well, instead of doing more in an average way.

Your time is now. Live in the moment.

Mindfulness is the open-hearted energy of being aware in the present moment. It’s the daily cultivation—practice—of touching life deeply.

A boundary is effective only if it’s maintained.

Each of us has an undeniable responsibility to our self and the rest of the world to be our personal best on any given day.

As a minimalist, I find empty space to be one of my greatest luxuries.

Forgiveness isn't for the other person. It's for you. Holding a grudge gets heavy and depletes energy. Forgiveness offloads excess baggage, freeing us to live light.

Life is messy. The only thing we can control is how we react to what happens to us and move forward.

Wholeness is ordinary, it's simple. It doesn't come with fireworks. It's the undisturbed calmness inherent to the space that is you.

All of us at some time will have someone to forgive for something they did or failed to do. And all of us at some time will need forgiveness for something we did or failed to do.

I don’t go with the flow, nor do I go against it. I create my own.

Don't go with the flow, or against it. Create your own.

Understanding your life purpose is vital to joy and dynamic participation in the world.

Compassion is divinity in action.

Unity, though concerned with the larger group, is birthed by individuals when we’re at our compassion-filled, authentic best.

For business and personal relationships to flourish, we must engage with the people in our lives. Together is better. Together is how we win.

Any belief worth embracing should be able to stand up to scrutiny. If not, it’s time to release it; let it go.

The very act of seeking sets things in motion.

Life is about showing up, so is writing. That’s why I sit at my desk every day and dance my fingers across the keyboard

Live light. Offload internal and external baggage for peace within and peace without.

Writer's don't write, they're written through.

INCLUSION—It's amazing what happens when we allow the flower that is us, the flower that is them, to become part of the bouquet.

Sometimes it isn't what a person says, but rather what they don't say, that tells you more than their words ever could.

In organizations where employees are happy you find two things present: trust and respect.

The way we behave, the way we treat others, the way we respond, the way we support, defines the work experience for everyone around us.

Be strategic about productivity. Do less exceptionally well, instead of doing more in an average way.

For me, writing is like stoking a fire; I enjoy being mesmerized by its flames.

My mission is to be a positive, uplifting, constructive, and healing influence in the lives of those I touch.

A major component of health and wellness, gratitude helps us to appreciate the blessings we already have and sparks the anticipatory pleasure of blessings to come.

When we invest in active listening, the dividend is an expanded capacity for compassion.

Not everyone is looking an an answer; often people just want to be heard.

Self-care is a deliberate choice to gift ourself with people, places, things, events, and opportunities that recharge our personal battery and promote whole health—body, mind, and spirit.

Creativity is more than the capacity to be inventive or innovative; it’s more than the ability to create great works of art, music, or dance. Creativity is an inherent tool that’s needed for wellness.

Color is simply energy, energy made visible. Colors stimulate or inhibit the functioning of different parts of our body. Treatment with the appropriate color can restore balance and normal functioning.

Each of us at some time will need to extend forgiveness to someone for something they did or failed to do. And each of us at some time will need to receive forgiveness for something that we did or failed to do.

My mother, Delle Hunter, was a physically small woman, yet she was the biggest person I’ve ever known. She had total focus, an attribute that deeply impressed me. She taught me by example that how we live impacts how we die. She lived a life of courage, beauty, and integrity; she died in the same manner.

When people ask me to pray for them or their loved ones, I explain that I’d be happy to hold HeartLight—sacred space—for them. The visualization I use is a sugar snap pea. In my mind’s eye, I unzip the pod, scoop out the peas, and place the person inside. Carefully, I rezip the pod and envision it as a ‘station,’ somewhat like an incubator, of vivid green, pulsing with vital energy that’s working for the person’s highest and best good—body, mind, and spirit.

Oftentimes we feel like we can't say no, but YOU'LL LOWER YOUR STRESS BY NOT SAYING YES all of the time.

Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.

Regardless of the religious tradition, spiritual path, or personal perspective we choose to embrace, the potential exists for it to encourage and uplift every aspect of our being and to affect the types of goals we may choose to set for ourselves.

HAPPINESS is based on externals; it fluctuates up and down every day. JOY, on the other hand, is internal; it can be cultivated and nurtured. We can be joyful even in the midst of a chaotic, unpredictable world.

No involvement means no commitment—no exception.

When life gives you juniper berries, make gin!

Love is divinity in action.

My definition of success is fulfillment. The bonus is that a person who’s fulfilled sleeps well at night and wakes up refreshed.

Sé estratégico con la productividad—haz menos cosas excepcionalmente bien, en vez de hacer más de forma promedio. ​— ​LAURIE BUCHANAN, COACH Y ESCRITORA.

Empowering beliefs are ideas that launch us forward and help us to become the person we want to be. Empowering beliefs are freeing, encouraging, and inclusive; they nurture and uplift. When we find ourselves harboring a limiting belief, we need to replace it with one that cultivates joy.

Writers are the wind that sail words across the page.

Communication is the mortar that holds humanity together; it’s the very currency of our society.

Sarah wrote to the president himself, Zachary Taylor. He refused. Did that stop Sarah? No! She waited for the next election and wrote to the new president, Millard Fillmore. He said no, too. Did that stop Sarah? No! She was bold, brave, stubborn, and smart. Sarah wrote to the next president, Franklin Pierce. Wouldn’t a national day of thanksgiving be wonderful? No, Pierce grumped. Sarah penned an elegant letter to President James Buchanan. She gave all the reasons why America would be better off if everyone gathered on the fourth Thursday in November to give thanks. President Buchanan disagreed. He had other things on his mind. Sarah felt like the stuffing had been kicked out of her. Everything was going wrong. America was at war, the North against the South. States that had promised to celebrate Thanksgiving changed their mind. The country was falling apart. It was a bleak and scary time. Did that stop Sarah? No way! Nothing stopped Sarah! Superheroes work the hardest when things get tough. She picked up her mighty pen and wrote another letter, this time to President Abraham Lincoln. America needed Thanksgiving, now more than ever. A holiday wouldn’t stop the war, but it could help bring the country together. She signed the letter, folded it, and slid it into an envelope. She wrote Mr. Lincoln’s name and address on the envelope and stuck on a stamp. She mailed the letter. She waited. And she waited. And then… LINCOLN SAID YES! LINCOLN SAID YES!

Each of us views life through a different lens. What we think is colored by the baggage we carry and what we perceive is how we live.

I strive to keep the space between the pages and the reader emotionally taut.

Be your best self. Live your best life.

A person's passion is the fuel that drives their purpose.

We don't have to be alone to be lonely. Loneliness is about the quality of our connection with people.

The thing that erodes trust in an organization faster than anything else is when employees feel that they're being treated unfairly.

Active listening is being humble and hunting and searching for the best idea possible.

The one thing that everybody appreciates and wants when they're speaking is to know that what they say matters so much, you might actually change your mind.

What the gym does for the body, meditation can do for the mind.

Diversity, in every sense, makes our world a better place.

In my experience, shifting one’s mental outlook (perspective), even slightly, can significantly change the trajectory and reveal the sun coming up beyond the dark horizon.

Painted in a corner? You've but to look at your own hand to see who's holding the paintbrush.

Many times, success begins when we leave our comfort zone.

Our personal ripple effect is the power of one generating hope and change in others for a better world. Like ripples radiating across the surface of a pond when a pebble is tossed in, kindness is powerful and has far-reaching, positive ramifications that bring about a tremendous sense of joy.

Just like the seasons, people have the ability to change.

In my life, I've found that when I align my wants and my needs, less becomes more.