(#Ad) 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think, the global bestseller and social media phenomenon, is a collection of author Brianna Wiest’s most beloved pieces of writing. Her meditations include why you should pursue purpose over passion, embrace negative thinking, see the wisdom in daily routine, and become aware of the cognitive biases that are creating the way you see your life. Some of these pieces have never been seen; others have been read by millions of people around the world. Regardless, each will leave you thinking: this idea changed my life. (Amazon review)
Top 140 Best Quotes
“Anything other than ideal is not failure. It’s life.” ― Brianna Wiest
“The things you love about others are the things you love about yourself. The things you hate about others are the things you cannot see in yourself.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Everything is hard in some way. It’s hard to be in the wrong relationship. It’s hard to be in the right one. It’s hard to be broke and miserable, it’s hard to achieve your dreams. It’s hard to be stuck in the middle, not really feeling anything at all. Everything is hard, but you choose your hard. You choose what’s worth it. You don’t choose whether or not you’ll suffer, but you do choose what you want to suffer for.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Accomplishing goals is not success. How much you expand in the process is.” ― Brianna Wiest
“The worst happened, and then it passed. You lost the person you thought you couldn’t live without and then you kept living. You lost your job then found another one. You began to realize that “safety” isn’t in certainty—but in faith that you can simply keep going.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Nobody cries at a funeral because the world will be missing out on another pretty face. They cry because the world is missing another heart, another soul, another person. Don’t wait until it’s too late to focus on what will actually matter: creating something that lasts far beyond your body.” ― Brianna Wiest
“At the end of the day, all we really want are a few close people who know us (and love us) no matter what.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Make a list of all the imperfect people you’ve known in your life who have had love. Who have had romantic partners and best friends and jobs you could only ever dream of. Make a list of all the people who are conventionally unattractive and spiritually adrift and imperfect and all the things each one of them had despite being that way. Make it your own personal proof that you do not need to be perfect to be good enough.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Your habits create your mood, and your mood is a filter through which you experience your life.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Your impermanence is a thing you should meditate on every day: There is nothing more sobering, nor scary, nor a faster-way-to-cut-the-negative-bullshit than to remember that you do not have forever. What defines your life, when it’s all said and done, is how much you influence other people’s lives, oftentimes just through your daily interactions and the courage with which you live your own. That’s what people remember. That’s what you will be known for when you’re no longer around to define yourself.” ― Brianna Wiest
“The universe whispers until it screams, and happy people listen while the call is still quiet” ― Brianna Wiest
“Happiness is not how many things you do, but how well you do them. More is not better. Happiness is not experiencing something else; it’s continually experiencing what you already have in new and different ways.” ― Brianna Wiest
“You think your past defines you, and worse, you think that it is an unchangeable reality, when really, your perception of it changes as you do.
Because experience is always multi-dimensional, there are a variety of memories, experiences, feelings, “gists” you can choose to recall…and what you choose is indicative of your present state of mind. So many people get caught up in allowing the past to define them or haunt them simply because they have not evolved to the place of seeing how the past did not prevent them from achieving the life they want, it facilitated it. This doesn’t mean to disregard or gloss over painful or traumatic events, but simply to be able to recall them with acceptance and to be able to place them in the storyline of your personal evolution.” ― Brianna Wiest
“There is no such thing as letting go; there’s just accepting what’s already gone. There’s losing ourselves in the labyrinth of the illusion of control and finding joy in the chaos, even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s not forever. It only remains as long as we hold on. As long as we fight. As long as we control. As long as we don’t accept what’s already gone.” ― Brianna Wiest
“An untamed mind is a minefield.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Whatever you feel you are not receiving is a direct reflection of what you are not giving. Whatever you are angered by is what you aren’t willing to see in yourself. So where you feel you are lacking, you must give. Where there is tension, you must unpack. If you want more recognition, recognize others. If you want love, be more loving. Give exactly what you want to get.” ― Brianna Wiest
“What qualities you admire most in other people. (This is what you most like about yourself.)” ― Brianna Wiest
“Work on closing the gap between who the world thinks you are and who you know you are. Your mental health will change significantly.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Make time for the friends you have more than you seek out the ones you don’t. Stop counting how many people are in your life as though hitting a certain tally will make you feel loved. Start appreciating how rare and beautiful it is to even just have one close friend in life. Not everybody is so lucky.” ― Brianna Wiest
“The obsessive desire for a passionate relationship is usually a reflection of a lack of love for oneself. The manic need to pursue a passionate career is rooted in an intense unhappiness with present reality. They are a series of soothing thoughts and deflection methods and escape routes: The monster everyone’s running from, of course, is themselves.” ― Brianna Wiest
“There are two mindsets people tend to have: explorer or settler. Our society has a “settler” mindset, our end goals are “finalizing” (home, marriage, career, etc.) in a world that was made for evolution, in selves that do nothing but grow and expand and change. People with “explorer” mindsets are able to actually enjoy what they have and experience it fully because they are inherently unattached” ― Brianna Wiest
“lack of routine is just a breeding ground for perpetual procrastination.” ― Brianna Wiest
You cannot save up your happiness; you can either feel it in the moment, or you miss it. ― Brianna Wiest
Meeting your own needs is the first step, not the ultimate goal. ― Brianna Wiest
You do owe something to the adult you are today. ― Brianna Wiest
Social media is actually making us more emotionally disconnected. ― Brianna Wiest
“You’re one of those people who tries to find comfort in overanalyzing old things to make more sense of them, when in reality, complexity is a product of insecurity, and insecurity a product of being unable to accept the simple reality of the situation” ― Brianna Wiest
“When you start considering things not as obligations but as opportunities, you start taking advantage of them rather than trying to avoid them.” ― Brianna Wiest
“What you learn and who you become is more important than how you temporarily feel.” ― Brianna Wiest
“To fully accept your life—the highs, lows, good, bad—is to be grateful for all of it, and to know that the “good” teaches you well, but the “bad” teaches you better.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Stop thinking that being sad or broken makes you unlovable or “bad.” Your honest moments don’t destroy relationships, they bond (as long as you’re being genuine).” ― Brianna Wiest
“You’re resentful of whomever you think is responsible for your pain, or your lack of success, or your inability to choose.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Bad feelings should not always be interpreted as deterrents. They are also indicators that you are doing something frightening and worthwhile.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Nobody is thinking about you the way you are thinking about you. They’re all thinking about themselves.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Anxiety builds in our idle hours. Fear and resistance thrive when we’re avoiding the work. Most things aren’t as hard or as trying as we chalk them up to be. They’re ultimately fun and rewarding and expressions of who we really are.” ― Brianna Wiest
“The path to a greater life is not “suffering until you achieve something,” but letting bits and pieces of joy and gratitude and meaning and purpose gradually build, bit by bit.” ― Brianna Wiest
“The foundation of a happy relationship (and life, really) is unconditional kindness. It’s synonymous with love, and maybe even more effective, because it shows you the action as opposed to the feeling or expectation.” ― Brianna Wiest
“When you regulate your daily actions, you deactivate your “fight or flight” instincts because you’re no longer confronting the unknown.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Everything is hard; it’s just a matter of what you think is worth the effort.” ― Brianna Wiest
“You are your struggles. You say, “I am an anxious person” rather than “I sometimes feel anxiety.” You identify with your problems, which is likely a huge reason why you can’t overcome them.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Find meaning and joy in the work you do, not the work you wish you did. Finding fulfillment in work is never about pursuing your idea of what your “purpose” is. It is always about infusing purpose into whatever it is you already do.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Everything you do, see, and feel is a reflection of not who you are, but how you are. You create what you believe. You see what you want. You’ll have what you give.” ― Brianna Wiest
“The most successful people in history—the ones many refer to as “geniuses” in their fields, masters of their crafts—had one thing in common, other than talent: Most adhered to rigid (and specific) routines.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Happiness is not only how we can astound our senses, but also the peace of mind that comes from knowing we are becoming who we want and need to be.” ― Brianna Wiest
“They don’t think that being fearful is a sign they are on the wrong path. The presence of indifference is a sign you’re on the wrong path. Fear means you’re trying to move toward something you love, but your old beliefs, or unhealed experiences, are getting in the way. (Or, rather, are being called up to be healed.)” ― Brianna Wiest
“When you’ve lost sight of the magic of the little things, it’s not because the magic has gone elsewhere, only that you’ve chosen to disregard it in favor of something else.” ― Brianna Wiest
“They listen to hear, not respond.” ― Brianna Wiest
“What you have to know is that suffering is just the refusal to accept what is.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Defensiveness is born of fear; assertiveness is born of confidence.” ― Brianna Wiest
“Every conscious thought you have either circles you back into the mental cycle you’re in, or it liberates you from it.” ― Brianna Wiest
“As children, routine gives us a feeling of safety. As adults, it gives us a feeling of purpose.”― Brianna Wiest
You will be grateful for what you struggle with once you get to the other side. ― Brianna Wiest
Change is in building what’s next, not in dismantling what was. The ultimate path to happiness is non-attachment. ― Brianna Wiest
If you genuinely disliked something, you would simply disengage with it. ― Brianna Wiest
You’re learning, and evolving, and can identify the ways in which you’ve changed for better and worse. ― Brianna Wiest
Nobody wants to believe happiness is a choice, because that puts responsibility in their hands. ― Brianna Wiest
When things go beyond that limit, we sabotage ourselves so we can return to our comfort zones. ― Brianna Wiest
Most prefer the comfort of what they’ve known to the vulnerability of what they don’t. ― Brianna Wiest
You can have an incredible life and mourn wildly when it’s over, but at least there was a means to that end. ― Brianna Wiest
Seek what’s positive, and you’ll find that your threshold for feeling it expands as you decide it can. ― Brianna Wiest
You will never be ready for the things that matter. ― Brianna Wiest
(#Ad) 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think,
“The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice.” ― Brianna Wiest
Just write down one sentence that sums up the day before bed. In a year, you’ll be grateful you did. ― Brianna Wiest
Go through your belongings and only keep what’s purposeful or beautiful to you. ― Brianna Wiest
Call your mom. Not everybody has the privilege. ― Brianna Wiest
Do the most important things immediately in the morning. ― Brianna Wiest
Shed what no longer serves you. ― Brianna Wiest
Do not make decisions when you’re upset. ― Brianna Wiest
Take inventory of all the things you’ve thought and worried about that have turned out not to be real. ― Brianna Wiest
Make sure you’re living more than you’re thinking about living. ― Brianna Wiest
Identify your comfort zones, and step back into them now and again. ― Brianna Wiest
Do not live in the grey area when answers are available. ― Brianna Wiest
If you’re uncomfortable, you’re being pushed to think beyond what you’ve known. ― Brianna Wiest
Learn to see each day from the perspective of your older self. ― Brianna Wiest
Let your choices be guided by the person you hope to become. ― Brianna Wiest
Create vision boards. Seeing the life you want is the first step to creating it. ― Brianna Wiest
You’ll regret what you didn’t do, not what you’ve done. ― Brianna Wiest
You get better, not perfect. ― Brianna Wiest
The more you accept other people, the more you’ll accept yourself. ― Brianna Wiest
Ask for help when you actually need help. ― Brianna Wiest
Fear is an indicator that something is powerful and worthwhile. ― Brianna Wiest
Learn how to relax. Work on learning how to happily do nothing. ― Brianna Wiest
If we want to find peace, we need to know there’s a purpose for suffering. ― Brianna Wiest
People’s opinions of you are largely projections of how they see themselves. ― Brianna Wiest
Many people write well. Few people write well and consistently. ― Brianna Wiest
It’s just a matter of having the (often uncomfortable) commitment to keep growing. ― Brianna Wiest
“Safety” isn’t in certainty – but in faith that you can simply keep going. ― Brianna Wiest
“Enjoy what you do each day, no matter what you’re doing” ― Brianna Wiest
People who never get anything done wait to feel inspired. ― Brianna Wiest
(#Ad) 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think
Take photos to remember happy moments, not prove that you looked good or did something cool. ― Brianna Wiest
Just take a photo of whatever’s in front of you (however unworthy of Instagram it is) ― Brianna Wiest
The only way you grow is by stepping into the unknown. ― Brianna Wiest
Life isn’t about being “certain,” it’s about trying anyway. ― Brianna Wiest
You hold yourself accountable for your own happiness. ― Brianna Wiest
What you learn and who you become is more important than how you temporarily feel. ― Brianna Wiest
You have every right to rage and rant and hate every iota of someone’s being, but you also have the right to choose to be at peace. ― Brianna Wiest
Ask yourself what you most feel you are lacking, then look at how little you’re giving them. ― Brianna Wiest
People who waste their lives search for reasons to love rather than ways to love. ― Brianna Wiest
Life is small and simple and more than enough. ― Brianna Wiest
You’re always busy, yet never productive enough. ― Brianna Wiest
The one true sign that you’re moving ahead with your life is that you don’t know where you’re going. ― Brianna Wiest
It’s doing, not thinking about doing, that creates a life well lived. ― Brianna Wiest
“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” C.G. Jung ― Brianna Wiest
Figure out what you crave, and figure out how to feed that need yourself. ― Brianna Wiest
Figure out what you most need to heal within yourself by seeing what you most want to change in others. ― Brianna Wiest
You choose what you think about. ― Brianna Wiest
It’s all about growth at the end of the day. ― Brianna Wiest
It’s not about how much you get right, it’s how much you get better. ― Brianna Wiest
A good life is not how it adds up in the end but what you’re counting along the way. ― Brianna Wiest
If it’s in your life, there’s something to be learned from it. ― Brianna Wiest
If you want to be understood, explain. ― Brianna Wiest
If you want to be happy, choose it. ― Brianna Wiest
Choose change. Never sit and fester in frustration. ― Brianna Wiest
If something can be solved, solve it. If it cannot, worrying and fretting will not suddenly change that. ― Brianna Wiest
You can choose who you are every day and it doesn’t have to be the same person you were yesterday. ― Brianna Wiest
You don’t remember years, you remember moments. ― Brianna Wiest
Growth means being able to experience and see more because you are aware of it. ― Brianna Wiest
I am always one choice away from changing everything. ― Brianna Wiest
Give love and do what you most genuinely want to. ― Brianna Wiest
For how many more years are you going to let your demons conquer you? ― Brianna Wiest
Learn to live your life more than you’re inclined to sit around wondering about it. ― Brianna Wiest
Rather than work toward an end goal, work toward liking the process of getting there. ― Brianna Wiest
If you’re looking for an excuse as to why it’s not the right time, you’ll always find one. ― Brianna Wiest
Acceptance is the root of abundance. ― Brianna Wiest
Living to work as opposed to working to live is not a quality of life. ― Brianna Wiest
You’re allowed to be great at a lot of things that don’t necessarily relate to one another. ― Brianna Wiest
You do not have to be a novel; you can be a book of stories. ― Brianna Wiest
It’s a matter of how you connect, not who you have around. ― Brianna Wiest
You should say no when you want to say no. ― Brianna Wiest
The happier you are with what you do, the less you need other people to support you. ― Brianna Wiest
Learn to keep your needs simple and your wants small. ― Brianna Wiest
You don’t need to know what you’re doing to still do something extraordinary. ― Brianna Wiest
Focus instead on what you want to do with each and every day of your existence. ― Brianna Wiest
Your life exists in its days. Not in your ideas about those days. ― Brianna Wiest
The opposite of pain isn’t joy – it’s acceptance. ― Brianna Wiest
You are only as alone as you think you are. ― Brianna Wiest
You cannot squeeze someone into your brokenness and expect that to make you whole. ― Brianna Wiest
You have to stop believing that you need other people’s permission to be okay with yourself. ― Brianna Wiest
How often you make time to do the things you want, not the things that are expected of you. ― Brianna Wiest
Brianna Wiest
Brianna Wiest is the international bestselling author of (#Ad) 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think, The Mountain Is You, When You’re Ready, This Is How You Heal, and two poetry collections, Salt Water and Ceremony. Her books have sold over 1M+ copies worldwide, and are currently being translated into 17+ languages.
