"We often mistake letting go for giving up. Knowing the difference betweenthe two can make all the difference in the end."

"Our lives follow the stories we tell ourselves."

"If we never challenge our shortcomings, we ensure that they remain our Achilles' heel."

"Indulgence comes in all varieties: a mouthful of gourmet chocolate, a hot stone massage, a week in Paris or 20 uninterrupted minutes to getlost in a book."

"When life hands you lemons, why stop at lemonade? Create an entire product line."

"The help we give to others creates the ripple of good feeling we give to ourselves."

"As long as you're breathing, it's never too late to reconnect with a long-held love."

"Few experiences are more satisfying than becoming someone we always imagined we could be."

"Cultivate the art of maximizing serendipitous opportunities."

"If you can't remember when you last basked in your own glow, it means you're overdue."

"Then I'd go home, return to a pattern of worry, unable to tap the surrender core to travel's inspiration. What was different?"

"Is there a place you can go to break away for a little while? If you haven't yet built your tree house, it's never too late to start."

"At times, productivity means doing nothing at all."

"Stand up for yourself by not standing yourself up."

"Practice trust in small matters for huge returns in the large ones."

"For all the energy directed toward the stratagem of big city living, New Yorkers are never too distracted to respond to, and more often, proactively assist visitors. Tourists tracing the routes of subway maps with their fingers, squinting at street signs or staring at a slip of paper with confusion are typical recipients of our generosity. We know our city can be as challenging as it is fascinating, and we want visitors to have a good experience."

"If you built the box, you can also break it down."

"Sometimes our dreams are affirmed in the most unlikely ways by the mostunlikely people. That's why we need to speak our commitment out loud."

"If you've broken any promises you've made to yourself, now is the time to make up for it."

"Feeling lonely? Wish you had a special someone to help fill the void? Reconsider your definition of romance, reconnect to your passions and be swept away."

"Whether you need to make a call or answer one,don't put your passions on hold."

"Till your inner garden and your outer landscape will flourish."

"Life only plants the seeds. It's up to us to help them grow."

"Experiment with grounding yourself with who you are, not what you do."

"If "Been there, done that isn't your mantra,then make haste down your "bucket list."

"We can talk about it, dream about it and dissect the fine print.In the end, only action satisfies our longing."

"Increase the number of adventures you act on and you'll lighten the weight of regret."

"Don't wait for a genie to grant your wishes. That power is yours."

"If you are feeling constrained by a group that you belong to, ask yourself,"How can I participate in this community and still be who I am?"

"Whether by plane, bus or carpet, own the magic in your ride."

"Until that rainy Sunday at the movies 31 years ago, for me, companionship had been a mandate for life's good times. After Orca, it became a choice. My trip to the theater helped me to distinguish between loneliness (experienced by default), and solitude (choosing when and how to enjoy my own company), as I began a journey of engaging the world on my own terms. Over the years, that journey deepened as I traveled life's roads with increasing independence and confidence, whether I was attending graduate school at night while working during the day, buying my first house or changing careers."

"What do you believe about who you are? About your capabilities? When was the last time you trusted yourself enough to test them?"

"Never underestimate the lingering effects of a dash of spontaneous comfort."

"Those who receive the blessing are those who see beyond its disguise."

"Because travel was an area of my life where I felt most vital, I wanted to continue to invest in that, too. I had quit a full time job, drained my retirement account to invest in a long-held dream, and used the realization of that dream to enter a void with no guarantees. I didn't want financial struggle to be the sole outgrowth of the risks I had taken. More than money, I had put my belief systems on the line."

"If it's true we only live once, then raise your red velvet curtain every chance you get."

"Stop now and always wonder. Press forward and tap the wonder."

"Body follows mind. If the mind compares itself to others this could lead to overtraining. Tune out what other runners do and how fast they run. Tune in, instead, to how your body wants to increase speed and distance."

"Once back home I would adjust my lens to the resolution through which I perceived the people and provinces of the globe. My daily commute, the supermarket check out line, neighborhood walks, pedestrian tasks of any job would inspire me as much as the stir of white linen canopies in Venice's Piazza San Marco; the velvety dunes of the eastern Sahara; Bali's kaleidoscope of color; my Vietnamese sisters."

"If companionship is a mandate for all of our experiences, then we will miss out on many of life's blessings."

"You'd be surprised who will back down when you speak up."

"Distinguish between getting lost and losing your way. The first is a shift in direction. The second is the absence of perspective. Cultivate perspective and you will be able to steer home."

"When your safety is in question follow your intuition. It will help you balance along the precipice between vulnerability and adventure."

"The next time someone tries to make you feel bad about feeling good,respond by continuing to live well."

"Go for it. It will make a great story."

"Putting the dream in motion involved significant personal downsizing, moving three times to trim housing expenses and continuing to freelance. I sold one piece to The New York Times Magazine, many more to The Courant, and another to The St. Petersburg Times."

"The alchemy of diamonds from the rough is to mine every moment."

"No need to queue up, step forward and count yourself in."

"Follow your heart. Then root its longing with the facts."

"If you want it badly enough, it's yours."