If You Think Positive Quotes & Sayings

But it was only the twentieth century in Europe that had universal education and the belief in progress - a net gain of knowledge among all. And that's now been abandoned as a goal." "Why?" "It was too difficult. People weren't prepared to put in the hours on the donkey work - you know, dates and facts and so on. I think in retrospect my generation will be seen as a turning point. From now on there'll be a net loss of knowledge in Europe. The difference between a peasant community in fourteenth-century Iran and modern London, though, is that if with their meager resources the villagers occasionally slipped backward, it was not for lack of trying. But with us, here in England, it was a positive choice. We chose to know less. — Sebastian Faulks

We believe that 95% of your emotions are determined by the way you talk to yourself as you go throughout your day. The sad fact is that if you do not deliberately and consciously talk to yourself in a positive and constructive way, you will, by default, think about things that will make you unhappy or cause you worry and anxiety. Your mind is like a garden. If you do not deliberately plant flowers and tend carefully, weeds will grow without any encouragement at all. — Brian Tracy

Cognitive therapy is based on the idea that when you change the way you think, you can change the way you feel and behave. In other words, if we can learn to think about other people in a more positive and realistic way, it will be far easier to resolve conflicts and develop rewarding personal and professional relationships. — David D. Burns

I think that there is an infinite creative force that generates all consciousness and all matter and we are all connected and if you align yourself with this infinite creative force then you can be positive and you can be beautiful, I don't think its a person or god , I don't believe in any particular doctrine or dogma, only that humanity is connected. — Russell Brand

I have certain things that I stand for, certain things that I believe in, and if you don't like it and you tell me to go to hell, I think that's your God-given right as a fan. It's one of those deals where I'm that one guy who is outside of that realm of good guy, bad guy. I'm just me, and it elicits a response both positive and negative. — John Cena

If you are allowing something to upset or anger you, try this: Before giving in to those negative emotions, try and think of one positive thing, one learning that you will gain, a single glimpse of something that you can use to build a positive future. Here's a nudge to push you along: You own your mind. You choose to be either a victim or to take control. — Michael Holbrook

The concept of hard times resulting in a positive transformation is repeated in nature over and over again; it's why they say that a diamond is a piece of charcoal that handled stress exceptionally well! Think about how a caterpillar has to cocoon herself in darkness and wait, in a space which becomes far too small for her expanding wings. If you were to interfere with the process and help her out, she would never develop the strength she needs to fly; it's the struggling which makes her powerful enough to break free and become a butterfly. — Rosie Blythe

[...] what else motivated him to spend hour after hour with me, telling all the details of his story? I quote at length his answer.

"I suffered so much and for so long. Maybe if people read this they will realize that if I can make it,they can make it. Many people suffer only because of what happens in their head; I was also physically being tortured. I had no food. No water. If I can make it so can you. If one depressed person avoids committing suicide then the book is a success.

Be strong. Think positive. If you start to think to the contrary, you are headed to failure. Your mind has to be relaxed as you think about survival. Don't think about death. If you think you are going to die, you will die. You have to survive and think about the future of your life, that life is beautiful! How can you imagine taking your own life? There are challenges and punishment in life but you have to fight! — Jonathan Franklin

The Law of Attraction says that you are a "living magnet" and that you invariably attract into your life the people, ideas, opportunities, and circumstances in harmony with your dominant thoughts. When you think positive, optimistic, loving, and successful thoughts, you create a force field of magnetism that attracts, like iron filings to a magnet, the very things you are thinking about. This law explains why it is that you don't have to be concerned where your good is going to come from. If you can keep your mind clearly focused on what you want, and refrain from thinking about what you don't want, you will attract everything you need to achieve your goals, exactly when you are ready. Change your thinking and you change your life. — Brian Tracy

The secret to a happy life is your attitude. If you think positively, positive things will happen. If you think negatively ... well where is the happiness? — Gloria Tesch

If you are centered in peace and think thoughts that are kind and loving, you will attract the same kind of ideas and feelings back to you. Remember, thoughts are like very powerful magnets! — James Van Praagh

It's very hard, I think, for critics to write positive reviews, because there's not that much to say about something you like. You can kind of say 'I really like that band' and then if you're forced to fill up the rest of an article, you've got to start saying heady things. It's much easier to say negative things in a review. — Mitchell Hurwitz

Must've been off my head, wandering around the harbour so long. Didn't even get the nightgowns. Are the kids okay? Damn, I wish I didn't always have to be home at the right time. At the Day of Judgement, God will say Stacy MacAindra, what have you done with your life? And I'll say, Well, let's see, Sir, I think I loved my kids. And He'll say, Are you certain of that? And I'll say, God, I'm not certain about anything any more. So He'll say, To hell with you, then. We're all positive thinkers up here. Then again, maybe He wouldn't. Maybe He'd say, Don't worry, Stacy, I'm not all that certain, either. Sometimes I wonder if I even exist. And I'd say, I know what you mean, Lord. I have the same trouble with myself. — Margaret Laurence

If a thought serves you well or makes you feel positive, then keep it. If it does not, then let it go, reject it. This is one of the secrets to happiness, I think, and if you do it often enough, it becomes easy. — Sara Alexi

Chaotic people often have chaotic lives, and I think they create that. But if you try and have an inner peace and a positive attitude, I think you attract that. — Imelda Staunton

If you're lucky enough to get old, I think you should celebrate it. — Iris Apfel

I know there's millions of problems in the world, but if you dwell on those, then you're going to be miserable. I think my meditation helps me to transcend and get beyond the grip of all the negativity and regenerate from within a more positive attitude, which comes in very handy when you're going to do 150 concerts a year. — Mike Love

we all do think of doing something in life;be it significant or not, do something positive.If you pursue great footsteps, you leave great footprints — Ernest Agyemang Yeboah

Think positive thoughts! I can remember when I thought my thoughts didn't make much difference. After all, they were in my head and certainly weren't affecting anyone but me. I was wrong - and so are you if this is your attitude. Thoughts operate in the spiritual realm. You cannot see thoughts just as you cannot see angels, but they are real; they merely function in a realm not visible to the eye. Thoughts become words, attitudes, body language, facial expressions, and moods - and all of these affect the atmosphere we dwell in. — Joyce Meyer

Your mind is not just the wonderful power house that empowers your action and steps or the driver of your life but a wonderful city. A city in which people and things you think about dwell. Create therefore an effective and efficient licensing office in the city of your thought that will ensure that the right people and things live there. Do well to ensure that you differentiate between people and things that should stay permanently, those that should be just passersby and that which should not even get closer to this wonderful city. If you allow anything at all into this city, the city shall be filled with anything at all and you shall think about anything at all. Mind your mind! — Ernest Agyemang Yeboah

You can never expect to live a positive life if you continue to hangout with negative people. The way you think ... you will live! — Timothy Pina

When you go to a power spot, and you think negative or depressing thoughts they tend to grow stronger. Whereas, if you think more positive, happier thoughts, they tend to increase in strength. — Frederick Lenz

So what have I learned that is helpful? Well, if you are white, like I am, you can't get rid of the privilege you have, but you can use it for good. Don't say I don't even notice race! like it's a positive thing. Instead, recognize that differences between people make it harder for some to cross a finish line, and create fair paths to success for everyone that accommodate those differences. Educate yourself. If you think someone's voice is being ignored, tell others to listen. If your friend makes a racist joke, call him out on it, instead of just going along with it. If the two former skinheads I met can have such a complete change of heart, I feel confident that ordinary people can, too. — Jodi Picoult

Be positive and work hard. I think it's possible to overcome anything, if you're willing to work at it. — Sheryl Swoopes

I think people need to laugh everyday. Whether the economy is good or bad, I think the most important thing is to laugh and to feel positive, if you are laughing at something positive. But if you are laughing at mean jokes then it's a wash. — Ellen DeGeneres

If a bully mocks you, just think about your positive values compared to the bully and ignore his or her harsh comments. — Saaif Alam

If you let a child know that you think he is lazy, sloppy, untruthful, unpleasant, and thoughtless, he'll probably prove you are right. Obviously, it is much better to make him stretch to reach a positive image than stoop to match one at ground level. — James Dobson

I think positive. I always think we're going to score. Two minutes is a lot of time if you have timeouts and you're throwing every down. You have to make the right decisions. I've always had great receivers, which helps. It's not just me doing it. — Dan Marino

There's a Chinese proverb that says "Wisdom is avoiding all thoughts that weaken you & embracing those that strengthen you" Your mind is like a Ferrari (Or your favorite car) it is Awesome! ... but if you put sand on the gas tank it won't run. Don't put sand (negativity) on your mind. Think positive, encouraging, uplifting thoughts, & the negative will soon evaporate. — Pablo

If you constantly go back over your life and focus on the difficulties from the past, you are just bringing more difficult circumstances to you now.
When you think back over your life, let go of all the things you don't love about your life, let go of all the things you don't love about your childhood and keep only the things you love. Let go of the things you don't love about your adolescent and adult years and keep only the good things. When you do, you'll discover that you begin to feel happier and happier.
The more positive thoughts you entertain, the more you notice the things that you love and that make you feel good, and the happier you become.

Like attracts like, and when you're happy, you attract happy people, circumstances, and events into your life. This is how your life changes - one happy thought at a time! — Rhonda Byrne

If you are an outgoing, positive, can-do type of person, I think you'll love calling Charlotte home. — Harry Hoover

I think anything is possible if you have the mindset and the will and desire to do it and put the time in. — Roger Clemens

I think it's incomparably sweet when someone writes something for you..
even if it doesn't rhyme or even if it isn't very amorous..
even two lines of hatred written for you acknowledges the fact that someone spent a little of his time thinking about you. — Sanhita Baruah

If you're not happy in life then you need to change, calibrate, readjust ... flush your negative energy and fill it with positive energy; How do we do that you might ask? well I would start by making others happy, deseases are not the only thing that spreads easy. We are all connected in some form of unseen energy ... think how those around you will impact you and make you feel if they were happy? — Al Munoz

Everything have positive and negative side it's like Yin and yang. If you look you make a mistake for example you lost a lot of money, or you lose a friend which you can count on... If you look losing money it's a big risk it's something which is negative it's like going in casino or going to lottery you give money for bet and then you lose them it's a negative... If you look it from positive you have just learn a new lesson, what you have losed it's just one step out of the crowd, one step that you think as independent. — Deyth Banger

There will be times when something good comes to an end. Instead of thinking about the fact that it's over - stay positive that it happened in the first place. I was so sad to return home after spending time in Africa with my friends and family. We were all crying when it was time to go - no one wanted to leave such an amazing place. I can look back now, though, without crying. I'm so thankful for my time spent there with people I love, and I can't wait to go back. Goal: Think about a happy moment in your life and be grateful for the joy it gave you. Reflect on happy moments, even if they've passed. — Demi Lovato

To the last day of your life, be positive; try to be cheerful. Even at the very end, don't think, "I am finished." Instead of pitying yourself, you should be thinking, "O ye who are left on this desolate shore still to mourn and deplore, it is I who pity you." Death will not give you any trouble if you have a clear conscience; and if you go with this thought: "Lord, I am in Thy hands." — Paramahansa Yogananda

I started out as a television news anchor but I wasn't very good at it. I think I was too positive. I wanted to begin every newscast by saying, 'Good evening, in the news tonight ... everything's great! Go to sleep. We'll let you know if anything important comes up.' — Bob Burg

We want union with something, even if the opposite seems true. Bring two atomic nuclei together and their positive electrostatic forces will repel each other, but, with the patience and strength of the blind god of the galaxies, there comes a point where something bigger takes over and welds them together. Physicists call it the Strong Nuclear Force; I've called this magic glue God. All the elements heavier than hydrogen were so formed, forged in the great hearts of the stars: sulphur, potassium, gold, radium. Everything you can think of. — Sean J Halford

It's the feeling that really creates the attraction, not just the picture or the thought. A lot of people think, "If I think the positive thoughts, or if I visualize having what I want, that will be enough." But if you're doing that and still not feeling abundant, or feeling loving or joyful, then it doesn't create the power of the attraction. — Jack Canfield

If we don't hope, if we don't stay positive - at least about love, or finding love - then the rest of life becomes really just painful to think about, because for the most part, you know, day-to-day stuff is monotonous. — Nev Schulman

If you cannot be happy with the little you have, you can be confused with the lot you want to have — Ernest Agyemang Yeboah

The man who never weakens when things are against him will grow stronger and stronger until all things will delight to be for him. He will finally have all the strength he may desire or need. Be always strong and you will always be stronger.Picture in your mind your own best idea of what a strong, well-developed individuality would necessarily be, and then think of yourself as becoming more and more like that picture. In this connection it is well to remember that we gradually grow into the likeness of that which we think of the most. Therefore, if you have a very clear idea of a highly developed individuality, and think a great deal of that individuality with a strong, positive desire to develop such an individuality, you will gradually and surely move towards that lofty ideal. — Christian D. Larson

I don't think it's a bad thing to play a character that's not necessarily a super-woman. Even if the character is a little bit stereotypical, as long as the whole story is good and positive, or makes some sort of important statement, I think it's okay. But, on the whole, you can't just do that, especially as a black woman. It's more of a responsibility. You've gotta let the world see black women being successful, strong, smart, with power and who are self-possessed. — Megalyn Echikunwoke

If you have an ongoing relationship with a person, think of everything positive about that person that you possibly can and enter your interaction from that space. Ignore all the crap that used to drive you up the wall before. You will be amazed at what a change this attitude shift brings about. — Srikumar Rao

If you think, you are important, you are not. — Lailah Gifty Akita

You can think negatively or positively. If you are a positive thinker, you will base your decisions on faith rather than fear. — Robert H. Schuller

If you run your business fairly; if you treat people well; if you try to move your business into areas that are making a real positive difference to other peoples lives; I think you'll A. have much pleasant life, but B. I think you'll have a much more successful business. — Richard Branson

I think people look back on shows like "Firefly" or "Buffy," and they remember it with this glow about it of positive response, but if you look back ... If Twitter had existed, there would have been a lot of negative tweeting about "Firefly." — Jane Espenson

Are you a clairvoyant? A fortune-teller? If not, why anticipate the worst for yourself? Past does not equal the future, so why not think big and positive? — Maddy Malhotra

If your subject is an actor, he or she will also be shorter in person than they appear onscreen. This, also, you must keep to yourself. Even if you think you are giving their lack of height a positive spin, you aren't. 'You always seem larger than life in photos, but it's nice to see that in person you're just like us' might seem like a compliment, but what a star hears is 'You're stumpy, and you will lose jobs to taller people. — Jancee Dunn

If you look at any type of situation, I look at the positive and try to spread my light and truth. I think it helps with my outlook on life and correlates to football. But I don't think it helps me run any faster, jump any higher, or catch the ball or anything like that. It just helps me with perspective. — Arian Foster

If you believe in others and give them a positive reputation to uphold, you can help them to become better than they think they are. — John C. Maxwell

If you listen to the news, read the news, you'd think we were still in a recession. Well, we're not in a recession. We've had growth; people need to know that. They need to be more upbeat, more positive ... — Dan Quayle

If you are given a chance to be a role model, I think you should always take it because you can influence a person's life in a positive light, and that's what I want to do. That's what it's all about. — Tiger Woods

If you want to become a positive thinker, don't think lack, think abundance, for you and for everyone. Dream big; as bigger as the blue ocean. Become aware of your thoughts and you will be aware of yourself. — Israelmore Ayivor

In life, you may face hard times. But in the face of adversity, always seek to remain positive. What we think, will eventually become our life. And if you think positive, you will have a positive life. — Sarah Wilson

What do you think of the old boy?" said Jean.
"He's got a strangely sunny view of ten years of defeat", said Locke, "but if I get killed in the next six weeks, I want him to speak at my funeral. — Scott Lynch

You do have an effect on the universe. If you think positive thoughts, if you are happy and progressive, then that energy affects everyone on the whole planet, in subtle ways, perhaps, but it does. — Frederick Lenz

When two things occur successively we call them cause and effect if we believe one event made the other one happen. If we think one event is the response to the other, we call it a reaction. If we feel that the two incidents are not related, we call it a mere coincidence. If we think someone deserved what happened, we call it retribution or reward, depending on whether the event was negative or positive for the recipient. If we cannot find a reason for the two events' occurring simultaneously or in close proximity, we call it an accident. Therefore, how we explain coincidences depends on how we see the world. Is everything connected, so that events create resonances like ripples across a net? Or do things merely co-occur and we give meaning to these co-occurrences based on our belief system? Lieh-tzu's answer: It's all in how you think. — Liezi

If you get stuck in the memories of those times, you won't be able to appreciate all the fun that's happening right now. So don't think 'That time was fun', instead you should be thinking 'That time was also fun'. The really fun things can't be compared with one another. Ah, but here's a piece of advice: being able to find the fun that's happening right now, that is the best way to enjoy the present. Because of that you should be try your best to value the present, since it's going to change, sooner or later. — Kozue Amano

The more you believe it, the more it starts to become real for you. This is why it is so very important to believe in positive things, rather than negative things. Whatever you believe, you will find that you are correct. The universe has a way of presenting to you exactly what you believe. If you think life is great, you are correct. If you think life is tough, you will be proved correct too. — Anita Moorjani

I actually think that I'm a rather optimistic and happy person; it's just that I'm not a very positive person, if you see the difference. — Linus Torvalds

You've got to say, "I think that if I keep working at this and want it badly enough I can have it." It's called perseverance. — Lee Iacocca

If you have to dwell on anything, think of noble pure thoughts. — Lailah Gifty Akita

I think if you just look at life in a positive way, positive things will happen. — Jake Owen

Propaganda has a negative connotation, which it partially deserves, but I think there is some propaganda that is very positive. I feel that if you can do something that gets people's attention, then maybe they'll go and find out more about the person. — Shepard Fairey

I think you can make good things happen if you look for them. Life is a very positive thing. — Chris Gethard

Your life will follow your expectations. What you expect is what you will get. If you dwell on positive thoughts, you will move in that direction; if you continually think negative thoughts, you will live a negative life. — Joel Osteen

I think I probably learned something from almost every gig that I've done, not only because each occurred at a different phase of my development, but because each one had something different to offer. Ideally, you should be able to get something out of everything, positive or negative. And if it's negative, try to turn it into some kind of learning experience. — Vinnie Colaiuta

Each of us have a winner within. Tap into your potential and gain unlimited success! The only one who can stop you is yourself. Think Positive! Be Optimistic! Don't be fooled into thinking it can't be done. Look around amazing things are accomplished everyday. New inventions, discoveries are happening all the time. If you can get one foot in the door, you can make it happen. — Amaka Imani Nkosazana

I really think, if anything, there is more evidence to show that the violent games reduce aggression and violence. There have actually been some studies about that, that it's cathartic. If you go to QuakeCon and you walk by and you see the people there [and compare that to] a random cross section of a college campus, you're probably going to find a more peaceful crowd of people at the gaming convention. I think it's at worst neutral and potentially positive. — John Carmack

If you think of a work of fiction as a kind of scale model of the world, then the positive valences - where things turn out better than you thought they would - ought to be in there somewhere, too. — George Saunders

How forthright does the audience want the broadcasters to be? Because when you tell your truth, there's a lot of anger that comes out. I think it's a good question to ask TV people [executives] too. How much truth do they want to be told? How much truth does the league want told? Because the truth isn't just a positive truth. If you're going to tell the truth, you would be telling a lot of positive and some negative. — Jeff Van Gundy

Just think how beautiful you can be if kindness is your ornament of beauty. — Debasish Mridha

If you're a positive person, you're an automatic motivator. You can get people to do things you don't think they're capable of. — Cotton Fitzsimmons

It's an odd thing but when you tell someone the true facts of a mythical tale they are indignant not with the teller but with you. They don't want to have their ideas upset. It rouses some vague uneasiness in them, I think, and they resent it. So they reject it and refuse to think about it. If they were merely indifferent it would be natural and understandable. But it is much stronger than that, much more positive. They are annoyed.
Very odd, isn't it. — Josephine Tey

Do you have to think specific positive thoughts about your body in order for your body to be the way you want it to be? No. But you have to not think the specific negative thoughts. If you could never again think about your body and, instead, just think pleasant thoughts - your body would reclaim its place of Well-being. — Esther Hicks

I always said that the only team that I would coach would be a team of orphans, and now here we are. The reason for me saying this is that I have found the biggest problem with youth sports has been the parents. I think that it is best to nip this in the bud right off the bat. I think the concept that I am asking all of you to grab is that this experience is ALL about the boys. If there is anything about it that includes you, we need to make a change of plans. My main goals are as follows: (1) to teach these young men how to play the game of baseball the right way, (2) to be a positive impact on them as young men, and (3) do all of this with class. — Rob Rains

Our culture places a premium on work, not on relationships. Think about it. When we meet someone, our first question is not so what kind of positive impact are you having on the people around you?" No, it 's " what do you do for a living"? It's not "how are you investing in others?" Instead even if unspoken, it's "how much money do you make?" Our identity lies in jobs, titles, incomes,not in our connections to people. — Bob Welch

Yes, but I think if you look at it with a sort of gay sensibility and want everything to be positive about gay life, it could be interpreted as antigay. — John Schlesinger

I think adversity magnifies behavior. Tend to be a control freak? You'll become more controlling. Eat for comfort? You'll eat more. And on the positive, if you tend to focus on solutions and celebrate small successes, that's what you'll do in adversity. — Gretchen Rubin

There's no such thing as an actor giving positive criticism to a director. The minute you say 'Don't you think it would look nicer ... ', that director's going to hate your guts. Particularly if it's a good idea. — Peter Mullan

Don't be scared ... Be positive ... Please don't think that your life is about to end ... Take the right advice and act as soon as you can ... If there's an issue in your system, don't ignore it. — Yuvraj Singh

When you're put in a position to really affect young people who are going to run the world one day, if you're able to be in their life at a young age and make a positive impact, I think that's a beautiful thing. — Zendaya

I have my team. Like if you see everyone around me - I have my hair and makeup girl, my assistant. They're very calm, they're all about positive energy. There're no drama queens. Everyone wants everyone else to have a positive experience. There are no agendas. I think it creates a healthy environment and there are no boundaries to cross. — Fergie

I think the most important element of a power outfit is proper fit. The one item to focus on is a suit. If it's the right fit, you could wear it with a T-shirt and still convey the positive message. — Garrett Neff

The worst times can be the best if you think with positive energy. — Domenico Dolce

If you want to dismiss a negative thought, the only way to do so is to think of something positive and constructive. — Emmet Fox

You won't ever get ahead if you keep feeling sorry for yourself. You must stop all the negative talk and start thinking positive. You have a lot of potential but your life won't change until you change how you think. — Michele Woolley

Always think extra hard before crossing over to a bad side, if you were weak enough to cross over, you may not be strong enough to cross back! — Victoria Addino

To be candid, some people have given positive thinking a bad name. I can't stand to hear some gung-ho individual say that with positive thinking you can just do 'anything.' If you think about that one for a moment, you recognize the absurdity of it. — Zig Ziglar

There's not always going to be something out there for you, especially not a positive role, so once you get up there and start being well known, you can't just think projects will come to you. You have to start doing your own projects because if you don't, you'll miss out, and eventually your fame will be over. — Keke Palmer

If you think that I'm nuts, you may be right. But I'm a nut with a positive attitude, baby! — Jeffrey Gitomer

If you think you can't, you're right. — Carol Bartz

MAY 31 The Power of Your Words Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. PROVERBS 18:21 NASB OUR WORDS have tremendous power and are similar to seeds. By speaking them aloud, they are planted in our subconscious minds, take root, grow, and produce fruit of the same kind. Whether we speak positive or negative words, we will reap exactly what we sow. That's why we need to be extremely careful what we think and say. The Bible compares the tongue to the small rudder of a huge ship, which controls the ship's direction (see James 3:4). Similarly, your tongue will control the direction of your life. You create an environment for either good or evil with your words, and if you're always murmuring, complaining, and talking about how bad life is treating you, you're going to live in a pretty miserable world. Use your words to change your negative situations and fill them with life. — Joel Osteen

I believe that if you think about disaster, you will get it. Brood about death and you will hasten your demise. Think positively and masterfully with confidence and faith, and life becomes more secure, more fraught with action, richer in achievement and experience. This is the sure way to win victories over inner defeat. It is the way a humble person meets life or death. — Eddie Rickenbacker

I think we should stop treating ["God works in mysterious ways"] as any kind of wisdom and recognize it as the transparently defensive propaganda that it is. A positive response might be, "Oh good! I love a mystery. Let's see if we can solve this one, too. Do you have any ideas? — Daniel C. Dennett

People bring flowers and that's pretty memorable. I actually got a rose from one girl. She was so beautiful! I love all the screenings to be honest with you. I don't think I have gone to one single bad screening! Even if negative things happen, I turn it into positive reaction. — Tommy Wiseau

You don't know what it's like to grow up with a mother who never said a positive thing in her life, not about her children or the world, who was always suspicious, always tearing you down and splitting your dreams straight down the seams. When my first pen pal, Tomoko, stopped writing me after three letters she was the one who laughed: You think someone's going to lose life writing to you? Of course I cried; I was eight and I had already planned that Tomoko and her family would adopt me. My mother of course saw clean into the marrow of those dreams, and laughed. I wouldn't write to you either, she said. She was that kind of mother: who makes you doubt yourself, who would wipe you out if you let her. But I'm not going to pretend either. For a long time I let her say what she wanted about me, and what was worse, for a long time I believed her. — Junot Diaz