“Nothing will work unless you do” (Maya Angelou)

“Nothing will work unless you do”

(Maya Angelou, 1928-2014)

I thought this was a great quote to start my blog today. For a while now, I’ve been thinking about creating a space where I can share the information I've gathered and my own thoughts, whether on a blog or elsewhere. Today, I finally made up my mind to start my English blog. Before I let this resolve fade, I decided to create a blog on Blogger.com and write my first post. In the “Words of Encouragement” category, I plan to post quotes that have been a source of strength for me during good and tough times. I hope that the words which have comforted and supported me can be of some help to you as well. I’d like to start with a quote from Maya Angelou, whom I admire.

Maya Angelou experienced a traumatic event at the age of 8. Though her attacker was convicted, he was released after just one day in jail. He was then murdered. Maya didn’t speak for nearly five years after that, believing that her voice had killed a man since she had identified her attacker. At 16, she became an unwed mother and worked various jobs, including as a waitress, singer, truck driver, and auto mechanic. Overcoming these challenges, she rose to become a respected freelance journalist, writer, poet, and a vocal human rights activist, advocating for women and the Black community. Maya Angelou left us with many memorable quotes, and I’d like to share a few of them.

• "We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated."
• "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude."
• "Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud."

In the same vein as the quote in the title, here are more words that encourage immediate action:

• "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." (Walt Disney)
• "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it." (Goethe)

Thanks for reading. Wish you grow rich slowly and surely!