Just Who Will You Be? by Maria Shriver

• I'm still a work in progress, and I'm writing my next act now.
• Sometimes life happens to you, and--bingo!--your idea of who you think you are just goes up in smoke.
• Fame isn't a goal worthy of your life.
• Just because people know your name, it doesn't mean they know who you are.
• Figuring out who you are, finding your own passion, fulfilling your own dreams--now that's a goal worthy of your life.
• "What do I believe--and who do I want to be?" Answering that question is crucial, because what you believe is the foundation upon which you build yourself as you continue to grow.
• The only way to find a life of meaning and joy is to find your own voice, find your own path, follow your own heart, and live your own life, not an imitation of somebody else's.
• You have a choice. You can spend the rest of your life trying to measure up, trying to figure out and then fulfill other people's expectations of you--or right now, you can make a decision to let all that go. And you can start by talking about what you know, what feel, and what you think. You can start talking about just who you want to be!
• We're all worthy of being loved just for being ourselves.
• It's OK to change. Sometimes it's not just OK, but mandatory. You can let go of some beliefs that maybe have served you well along the way, but just don't work for you anymore. We're supposed to grow and evolve. We have to give ourselves the permission and freedom to stay open to change.
• We are first and foremost human beings in our own right. We're entitled to our own lives, our own dreams and goals, our own legacies.
• You are the only person on this planet with your story. What's the point of being here unless you share it, pass it on, and help somebody else?
• I will try to live an authentic life that feels true to me--which means living life as myself, not an imitation of anyone else, and not the reflection of myself in anyone else's eyes.

11/2/2010, 6:37 pm