[tweetmeme source= “unmaskd” only_single=false]
I refuse to give up on changing the future.
I accept that I will have my moments of weakness.
I refuse to be weak all my life.
I accept that I will never know all the answers.
I refuse to stop seeking them.
I accept that I may fail to achieve all my goals.
I refuse to make them less bold because of this.
I accept that some people may hate me just for who I am.
I refuse to care about their opinion.
I accept that with every minute I grow older.
I refuse to stagnate because of this.
I accept that occasionally I may have moments of fear.
I refuse to let fear control my actions.
I accept that others will always have expectations of me.
I refuse to shape my life only to meet these expectations.
I accept that at times the world seems to have gone mad.
I refuse to contribute to this madness.
I accept that every choice I make has consequences.
I refuse to hesitate to make choices because of this.
I accept that I will make mistakes.
I refuse to stop learning from each one of them.
I accept that I may be misunderstood, ignored of rejected.
I refuse not to express myself honestly because of this.
I accept that my dreams may never come true.
I refuse not to go after them with everything I’ve got.
I accept that I have limits.
I refuse to ever stop pushing them.
I accept that life is short.
I refuse to use this as an excuse to make it meaningless.
Unmaskd 
This is an excellent creed to live by. If only we could actually remember these every day.
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Bravo!
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This could have been written by me…it’s eerie even. But may I say, it sounds perfect and amazing. Go get em! Never give up, never give in. 🙂
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Beautiful words to live by…..bravo!
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Love this! The second lines are what distract me from living life to the fullest. This is going up on my wall. Thank you so much for posting this!!
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Best thing posted so far.
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This is wonderful. Truly inspirational This is my favorite post so far! Thank you
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I LOVE this!!! Agreed 101% 😉
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Unmaskd’s serenity prayer. I may have to use this as a reference. At the end of the day, doesn’t it mostly come down to fear as a stumbling block?
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Very good his manifesto! Can I make echo your words?
I totally agree with everything you wrote!
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i am having a very bad emotional day today, this blog is the most important blog (to me) that you have written so far.
I needed this.
More than you will ever know or understand.
I think next time I am able to clear my emotions, even for an hour, I need to start writing one of these myself and look at it every day… maybe it will help me to keep going?
Thank You
Leigh xo
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I think you should bottle this stuff and sell it.
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I leave it up to others if they feel like it. As long as they attribute this to me, I don’t care for royalties.
Come to think of it I should probably offer free t-shirts before others start charging money 🙂
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Wow. This is hot. I should read it 5 times a day, less i forget…that or write my own darn manifesto. Me likes.
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Insightful. Now if we can just live it.
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I really like the contrasting ideas of acceptance and refusal, one can accept certain facts but not make that their whole reality. They can choose to see things differently and move in a different direction because of that acknowledgment. The refusal is the action that comes from the acceptance to move forward…like I said before…”well done”!
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Warning:
These words may cause encouragement
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Wow its *definitive!*
What more do we all need than this??
If this doesn’t turn every one’s *Key*… nothing will!!!
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*Accept*
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nice one mask 🙂
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#Quote Paulo Coelho
On your journey to your dream, be ready to face oasis and deserts. In both cases, don’t stop
En el camino a tus sueños, vas a encontrar oasis y desiertos. En ambos casos, no te detengas.
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I love this quote. It is not MEANT to be smooth sailing. It’s about building a self, and it ain’t easy, but I suspect each obstacle is perfect and just what we need to grow into all we can be. Ah, the “price” of true power.
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Just xeroxed for my bathroom mirror and office. Thank you.
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Oops, meant “hard copied”. : )
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We should all be eternally grateful, you have let us all in to share this journey you are on. Thank you.
This is the beginning, everything else was just practice.
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Beautiful! I pray that this manifesto will guide you in the years to come!
I believe it will affect me and my life for the better, so if that means anything- I thank you for sharing!
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I accept your thought provoking, nourishing words.
I refuse to ever stop growing and learning.
Such empowering words–whether one is at a weak point or a strong point, these words empower and anywhere in between, they encourage one to strive to be their very best.
P.S. My dad gave the best talks of encouragement when he was alive. Your blog is kind of like having my dad around again.
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When speaking the truth on a journey to find our true self. Staying open minded to reach each individual’s highest potential within is truly liberating!
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Michelle says:
September 17, 2010 at 6:42 pm
Absolutely beautiful! Brought chills to my body and tears to my eyes.
Michelle, it did the same for me!!
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Ditto… on the fridge and on a bookmark. Handwritten, of course. 🙂 Thank u.
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Absolutely beautiful! Brought chills to my body and tears to my eyes. Thank you, Unmasked … you are special. 🙂
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Thank you all. I suspected it would resonate, but certainly didn’t expect it to resonate *that* much. It’s very rewarding to know that my words are helping others.
I’m thanking you all not only for you comments, but also for everything that’s been going on during the last few months here and on Twitter. Had it not been been for you, for your interest, for your involvement, I probably would never have gotten around to writing down these simple rules I’ve been trying to live by. Same could be said about all the posts on this blog, including poetry.
Thank you!
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Absolutely BRILLIANT.
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WOW! No words, except WOW!
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This is the reason why you are my favorite follow!! You’re almost to good to be true!! May you never change!! Thank you!! :))
“Had it not been been for you, for your interest, for your involvement, I probably would never have gotten around to writing down these simple rules I’ve been trying to live by. Thank you!”
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A Lyrical Version of similar feel reflecting our link with Nature…?
The Song Of Amergin
I am the Wind that blows over the sea,
I am the Wave of the Ocean;
I am the Murmur of the billows;
I am the Ox of the Seven Combats;
I am the Vulture upon the rock;
I am a Ray of the Sun;
I am the fairest of Plants;
I am a Wild Boar in valour;
I am a Salmon in the Water;
I am a Lake in the plain;
I am the Craft of the artificer;
I am the Word of Science;
I am the Spear-point that gives battle;
I am the God that creates in the head of man the fire of thought.
Who is it that enlightens the assembly upon the mountain, if not I?
Who telleth the ages of the moon, if not I?
Who showeth the place where the sun goes to rest, if not I?
I am a stag: of seven tines,
I am a flood: across a plain,
I am a wind: on a deep lake,
I am a tear: the Sun lets fall,
I am a hawk: above the cliff,
I am a thorn: beneath the nail,
I am a wonder: among flowers,
I am a wizard: who but I
Sets the cool head aflame with smoke?
I am a spear: that roars for blood,
I am a salmon: in a pool,
I am a lure: from paradise,
I am a hill: where poets walk,
I am a boar: ruthless and red,
I am a breaker: threatening doom,
I am a tide: that drags to death,
I am an infant: who but I
Peeps from the unhewn dolmen, arch?
I am the womb: of every holt,
I am the blaze: on every hill,
I am the queen: of every hive,
I am the shield: for every head,
I am the tomb: of every hope.
(Translation by Robert Graves, The White Goddess)
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Mmm on reflection …not sure what relevance that Celtic poem has…but its kinda cool!
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Should be a national anthem!
very cool. Take care.
Alan
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@unmaskd for president!!! campaign begins here…
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@Alan – thank you
@Sarah – if there’s one field I’m going to stay away from for a while (if not forever) it’s politics. It’s a necessary business, but it’s bit too dirty for my taste 🙂
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Good call unmaskd 😉
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This is fabulous. The one word that I’m most happy to see in your post is dreams -plural. Sometimes I feel like this community believes in following one big dream with passion and singular focus. In my life, it’s been a combination of dreams that together have enriched the journey. We are all unique, so the number of dreams we have probably spans a range. But this blog inspired me to spend quite a bit of time recently contemplating the way one’s life would change by following one dream vs multiples. My conclusion is that the impact would be significant.
As one of your “older” community members, I can say with certainty that you don’t stop dreaming because you didn’t achieve your initial goals. People change. Dreams change.
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@unmaskd Lol! (re *politics*) …
U said it (re) if not forever)…give it 5 years or so…(hoho)
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(I thought what wonderful words to write a song but I think this turned into a poem instead).
Pursuit
The past is gone, not giving up
Got the rest of my numbered days
In weakness I found strength
Changing the future to light my way
Can never have all the answers
Refuse to stop seeking them
Boldly working my life’s goals
Even if death may be lurking within
You may hate me for who I am
Don’t care about your opinion
Doesn’t matter to me anymore
I’m free to be me in my dominion
Won’t be stagnant as I grow older
When fear comes, I’ll keep on facing
Can’t shape my days around your expectations
My life is what I’ll be embracing
At times when the world seems crazy
I’m sending joy into madness instead
In my choices I will bear all consequences
Wisely choosing each step ahead
We make mistakes and must learn from every one
So as to not repeat an unending history
Misunderstand, ignore or reject me if you will
Won’t stop giving of the real me honestly
Maybe my dreams won’t ever come true
I will give all that I am to reach mine
I’ll break the limits of this short life
Etching meaning in my moments of time
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I’ve gotten negative feedback on this poem…from hate it to it’s no good because of the tone and offensiveness of pursuing no matter what gets in the way–but it’s not meant like that at all. What is your critique Unmaskd community? I believe if two or more people say something negative about anything in life, it’s worth examining and reevaluating. Wouldn’t it be fun to have an open forum section for everyone to share their art whether it is music, paintings, poetry, etc.?
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I thought it was great! 🙂 XO
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