Quotes
Epiphanies
Bible Verses

The purpose of Epiphanies is twofold : 1) to share practical information in a concise manner, so what took others awhile to learn, you can learn more quickly, and 2) to inspire you to write down what took you awhile to learn, so that others can learn more quickly.  Epiphanies are meant to be shared as a Guardian Angel Brainstorm in the pursuit of helping others, not as a launching pad for ongoing discussion.  So, ponder all of them, use what works for you, and Always Improve.  And since learning is a never-ending lifelong journey, these Epiphanies never end.  So, whenever you get a chance to write down some of your best Epiphanies, I would greatly appreciate if you would anonymously email them to me at : viennakellen@gmail.com so that I can add your unique wisdom to the knowledge base.  Those that follow, Thank You!

Imagine you have a Board of Directors counseling you.  On the Board is Yourself at Age 10, Yourself at Age 20, Yourself at Age 30, Yourself at Age 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, and 150, and each one gets an equal vote in what you say and do.  When you have a choice to make, Consult the Board and take a vote.  Introspection with Multiple Perspectives.

80/20 Rule of Productivity : Prepare to do the 80% of things that take 20% of the time, and then when time allows, do the final 20% of things that take 80% of the time.

Never Retire.  Pace yourself with a balanced life, and do it forever.

80/20 Rule of Punctuality : Prepare to be early 80% of the time, so when the 20% of unexpected delays pop up, you'll still be on time.

For new classes, get the textbook ahead of time and read it for fun first.  Then, when school starts, the second reading will be much easier.

Develop as many skills as you can at least up to "C" level, so like a Swiss Army Knife, you'll always have an adequate tool for whatever task arises, and you'll increase the probability that your passions will be well rewarded.

Be a Kitten, not a Spider.  Explore every corner; don't just pick one corner and imagine it's the best.  Explore and make sure.  And when you find your perfect corner, don't look down on others' choice of corners.

The Secret to Being Happy no matter what is to be happy no matter what.  Happiness is a choice, not the result of luck.

The Best Things come to those who make the best of the things that come.

Don't Envy other peoples' successes.  They’re on a different path, on a different part of their path, and carrying different baggage.  Focus on doing your thing as best as you can and continually improving.

Don't be a Sole-Perspective Information Gatherer.  Break out of your mental comfort zone slot canyon, and learn to survive and thrive out in the world of ideas, so you can triangulate the truth from multiple perspectives.

Welcome being corrected, because the goal for everyone is to find the truth, not to pretend that you knew it all along.

80/20 Rule of Preparation : Prepare for the 80% of things that you can reasonably expect, and don't worry about the 20% of things that you have no control over.  Instead, cherish that 20% of mystery as a treasure chest of surprises that makes life exciting and challenging, knowing that somehow you'll be able to handle them when they pop up.

Try to Combine Physical and Mental Tasks that you can do together, like exercising while you work/read/watch TV.

If you don't have a treadmill, walk in place while you work/read/watch TV.  If you don't have a jump rope, jump.  If you don't have a gym to go to, do pushups, planks, and jumping jacks.  Then at the end, you've at least improved physically, if not mentally.

Instead of watching a screen loading/buffering with the spinning wheel or hourglass, close your eyes and relax for 5 seconds.  If it's still loading/buffering, close your eyes and relax for 10 seconds.  Whenever possible, trade mindlessness for mindfulness.

Be a Prepper.  Whenever you leave the house, prepare for it to be : a bit hotter than expected (hat), a bit cooler than expected (extra layer), a bit wetter than expected (rain jacket), a bit drier than expected (chapstick), a bit longer than expected (food/water), a bit shorter than expected (reading material), a bit brighter than expected (sunglasses), a bit darker than expected (flashlight), a bit more walking than expected (good walking shoes), a bit more out of touch than expected (phone), a bit more dangerous than expected (bandaids), and a bit more expensive than expected (cash and credit cards).

Work Ahead, even if it's not due yet, to avoid inefficient and ineffective all-nighters.

Find your Go-To Exercise that's mentally relaxing for you, so it can be a daily break to look forward to, rather than a chore to put off.

Don't give others the power to make you feel inferior.  Recognize the difference between Constructive Criticism, which is private, helpful advice from people who want to help you, as opposed to Competitive Criticism, which is public, hurtful advice from people who want to hurt you, in an attempt to boost their own self-esteem.

View Yourself as an Entrepreneur, developing and marketing a product (yourself) that needs to be perpetually improved in order to meet the needs of a changing world.

Khanacademy.org and other sites : Free omniscient tutors, always ready to help you improve.  If you want to learn, the learning opportunities are unlimited.

Do One Thing toward a goal each day.  No matter how big your goal is, you'll make progress and eventually get there.

What you do Daily defines you.  Think about what you want to become, and do whatever it takes on a Daily basis.

Freedom is great when people maintain a small footprint, are able to control their arm-stretching without bopping others in the nose, and are builders, not destroyers.  Be a small footprint, low-maintenance, problem-solving person.

Always Improve.

If You Do Good, the people you come across will each tell 2 people and they'll tell 2 people and they'll tell 2 people, and you'll eventually be rewarded in priceless ways.

Do Not Fear taking Calculated Risks.  Use your 20s to take calculated risks with minimal downside, like getting degrees and certifications, starting a business, buying a rental unit, or traveling the world.  Then in your 30s, you can think about the family thing.

Always give 100%, except when giving blood.  Donating blood or selling plasma is quick, easy, and helps people anonymously.  And your body easily makes new blood and plasma for free.

When Things Get Messy, do a 5-Minute Cleanup.

When Things Get Busy, rather than imagine that everything has to get done today, figure out what can wait until tomorrow.  And once you switch over to a 2-day perspective, you'll be able to relax sufficiently to be more effective today.

Keep the needle in the middle.  Balancing between extremes will keep you vertical.  Otherwise, you’ll find yourself leaning precariously one way or the other, ending up horizontal before your time.

Avoid the RIP : Requisite Immediate Panic.  Relaxing will allow you to think of a solution more quickly.

Don’t Worry about trying to please everyone.  Some people’s happiness and livelihood may be dependent on your failure.

God's Trains are always on time.  Prepare and watch for the Green Lights.

Learn at least the basics of Chess, just so you can Think Like Chess.  Learn to anticipate others in order to maximize your opportunities and minimize your entrapments.

Don't Post Anything Anywhere that you don't want Anyone to take out of context at Anytime.  You may miss opportunities.

Don't Kill Yourself in order to accomplish something.  Skip it in order to handle lots more.

Don't Chase Every Dollar.  Opportunity Costs may be hidden a bit, but they always accompany every choice.  When making a big decision, list out all the Costs and Benefits first, and then make the best decision based on all the information you have at the moment.

Be Super Quick to say "Thanks, but No Thanks" when presented with things that are clearly not in your best interest.

Do Not Fear Time Alone Without Your Fidget Phone.  Use the time to think.  And as a bonus, people will talk to you more, if your eyes, ears, and mind are untethered. 

Go to Bed and Read at 8pm every night.  Wake up when your body wakes you up.  Good sleep on a regular basis should not be underrated.

Coconut Oil.  Protect your skin.

Brushing and Flossing.  Protect your teeth.

Sunglasses.  Protect your eyes.

Earplugs.  Protect your ears.

Go the extra mile.  Spread goodwill around for the same reason that you save money in the bank.  You may need to withdraw a bit some day.

80/20 Rule of Frugality : Prepare to be frugal with your spending 80% of the time, so when priceless life experiences pop up, you'll be able to take advantage of them.

In the same way that being flexible with food tastes increases your ability to enjoy whatever food is available, being flexible with life experiences increases your ability to enjoy whatever happens to you.

Instead of swearing, learn to say “Fantastic” to whatever comes your way.  At the end of the day and your life, you’ll be look back on all the fantastic things that happened to you.

The Secret to Weight Loss is to eat less and exercise more.

Drink Water.  If you keep finding that you're thirsty, you're not drinking enough.

Don’t be satisfied with just 10,000 daily steps.  Work up to 20,000 daily steps, and keep improving.

When you feel insignificant, look in a microscope.  When you feel superior, look in a telescope.

Never Brag.  Instead, wait till others compliment you.  It may take forever, but the difference will be priceless.

Don't Put Others Down, no matter what.  Everyone has quirks.  Instead, figure out their passions and try to learn from their lifetime of experience.

Please, Thank You, and Compliments are marathoners.  They go a long way.

What you say to others is often forgotten, but how you make them feel will always be remembered.

Think of ways to make life easier and better for others.  You may invent something cool.

Don't be someone who annoys people.  Do be someone who makes people relieved to see you.  Be helpful.

Start conversations around what other people like.  Besides making other people happy, you'll learn a new perspective.

Pick Up Trash.  Every time you're walking toward a trash can, see if you can pick up 2 pieces of trash before you get to the trash can.  Others’ will see you, respect you, and copy you.

Be Minimal-Mindful.  If you can be happy with the least, last, and the worst, then you can always be happy with more.  But if you always need more to be happy, odds are good that you won’t be.

Write Thank You Letters to your family and friends for them to read after you’re gone.

Be Observant.  It’s less boring.

Be Prepared.  It's less frustrating.

Be Optimistic.  It's less depressing.

Believe in God.  It's less meaningless.

Try New Things.  Once you get over the first rollercoaster hill, you may think it's the greatest thing ever, and you’ll wonder what held you back.  And as a special bonus, you’ll minimize regrets.

Set High Goals, and then figure out how to get there.  Rinse and repeat.

Don't Feel Sorry for Yourself or think the world owes you.  Play the hand you were dealt as best as you can.  Imagine that your Guardian Angels are preparing you for something big, that they know that you can handle it, and they expect you to try.

When you fail, Fail Fast and think of your failures as necessary Learning Experiences.  Every failure is priceless new knowledge of what doesn't work, which will eventually guide you out of the labyrinth toward what does work.

Don't Expect Immediate Results.

Be Prepared and Be Willing to Pivot.  Small tweaks to your plans are inevitable.

Be Willing to Admit That You Are Wrong, and that doing a 180 degree turn may be the shortest path to your goal.

Be comfortable Thinking, Saying, and Doing things differently when you discover a better way.  Don’t just be a follower, just because everyone thinks, says, and does it a particular way.

Don't say, "They Should".  Do say, "I'm Going To".  And even better, wait till you do it and say, “I Did”.  And even better, wait till others say, "You Did".

Honey Over Vinegar.  The helpful/friendly/courteous/kind person commands respect via choice.  Others are forced to demand respect via force.

Function Over Form.  When creating something, make sure it will work well long-term and then improve how it looks.  Form is nice, but secondary to Function.

Learn from the past, but don't dwell on it.  Live and thrive in the present, but don't forget the big picture.  Prepare for the future, but don't worry about it. 

Avoid Regrets like the plague.  Recognize when windows of opportunity are open and take advantage of them, as if they were only going to be open once.

Your Guardian Angels may be trying to give you clues.  Avoid the Red Lights, despite the short-term temptations.  Follow the Green Lights, despite the short-term difficulties.

Finish it now.  You’ll save time remembering where you left off later.

Put stuff where it goes now.  You’ll save time remembering where you left it later.

Write down important logins and passwords now.  You’ll save time remembering them later.

Learn from the good and bad behavior of others.  Everyone has a bit of each.  Copy the good.  Vow not to follow the bad.

Realize that you are setting an example for others to thrive, not just survive.  Others are watching you and copying you.  Use your secret power wisely.

Anticipate living productively until age 150.  If you only set your goal at the average 80 years, you'll be setting your mind/body countdown alarm way too early.  Somebody has to be above average.  Why not you?

Settle for more.  Shoot for your reach, Neptune, and you'll at least bag your safety, Jupiter.

When talking about someone, phrase it as if they were right there listening, and anticipating you making them look good in some way.

It’s harder to overdo compliments than it is to overdo sarcasm.  So, when in doubt, compliment.

Pace your life discoveries and pleasures.  The journey is a quite enjoyable part.

If you start a business, start small, grow slowly, and keep improving.

Walk More, Sit Less.  Free exercise thereof.

Less Inside Screen Time looking down, More Outdoor Sky Time looking up.

Don't Hold or Carry Grudges.  They'll burn your hands and break your back.

Give People the Benefit of the Doubt.  Don't be a hornblower the second the light turns green.  You've been the one totally messing things up in the past, and you'll get to be that person again.

Professors and Bosses appreciate those who help get the job done, because it makes their job easier and makes them look good.  Help them, and they’ll help you.

View unexplained events that happen to you as Puzzle Pieces that get set aside until you figure more stuff out.  At some point, it'll all make sense.

Never view yourself as a victim held back by imaginary villains.  View yourself as your own hero able to solve any problem.

You may not know what's around the corner, but be confident that when you get there, you'll be able to handle it.

Don't view the world as bad and purposefully aggressive, so that attaining goals are hopelessly impossible.  View the world as good with a bit of randomness that has to be prepared for, so that attaining goals are hopeful, possible, and fun.

Listen, Wait, and Respond appropriately.  Conversation is like ping pong.  Hit the ball back with a soft, friendly volley and everyone wins.  Smash it and everyone loses.

Sometimes people need Sympathy instead of Solutions, Confirmation instead of the Truth.  Give it to them.

Excuse Timetable : Ignore, Deny, Justify.  In other words : Nothing happened, I didn't do it, I'm a victim.  Recognize it in others, but don’t copy.

Don't always try to convince others with talk.  Persuade them by living your life as best as you can, and write a book with the details, so others can then choose to learn from you when they’re ready.

Many problems that first appear as Boulders, often later turn into Pebbles, if you think about it a bit.

Do Steps while Standing and Waiting.  Even if it's just 10 Steps, it's better than 0, and you'll find that doing 10 Steps often leads pretty quickly to 100 Steps.  And 1000 Steps is only a few minutes away.

Sharing is Caring.  Don't just say you care, Share.

Make friends with those who need a friend, like the new person.  Good odds on mutual success.

Keep your knowledge undercover until necessary.  Let others reveal their lack thereof.

Bigotry is what happens when you leave your superiority glasses on too long, and everyone starts to appear dumb.  Instead, Meet and Learn from anyone and everyone you can.

Mental Laziness leads you into a Mental Atrophy Cocoon, which is great for short-term survival, but not so good for long-term health.  At some point, you’ll need to stretch your mind out of its mental comfort zone, being confident that when you become a Mental Butterfly, you’ll be able to explore all the world’s ideas, and thrive.

Challenge your mind like you challenge your muscles, for the same reason, so you can be quicker and stronger, mentally and physically.  When in doubt, choose Mindfulness over Mindlessness.

The most logical explanation is the probable explanation.  Don't panic over every remote possibility.  Think and keep thinking.

Backpackers prepare for the likeliest stuff to be encountered, not the best or worst case scenerios.  No room for Just-in-Case items.  So, if you want to go far, only carry what you can physically and mentally carry easily.

For big projects, set aside DDTT, Deep Deep Thinking Time, with absolutely no interference from people or fidget phones.

When you complete projects, totally complete them, so you can start clean with your next project.  Don't let the past slow down your future. 

Wash away past coulda/woulda/shoulda regrets, and start clean with your improved mental knowledge and focus.

The best age for physical/mental productivity is somewhere between 20 and 60.  See if you can lower the average by gaining knowledge and focus more quickly by not just learning from your mistakes and successes, but by learning from others' mistakes and successes.  And then as you get older, see if you can raise the average by continually improving, physically and mentally.

It's easy to learn from Success, because people love to talk about it, take credit for it, and remind others of it.  Learning from Mistakes, however, is a bit more sketchy, because no one wants to talk about it, admit it, or even remind themselves of it.  Nonetheless, learn from both.

Keep making good decisions.  Eventually, you’ll be rewarded.

Before making big decisions, gather others' perspectives with something like, “Let me know what you think" to minimize unnecessary assumptions and maximize the necessary information in order to triangulate the best solution.

Where the price is costless, the cost is often priceless.  Resist the temptation for the Free Shiny Lure, as it often comes with a Hidden Hook.

Perspective is the mother of Fairness.  If you could live the lives of 365 people from around the world, being a different person each day, by the end of the year, you’d have quite a different Perspective on Fairness.

View yourself as a Unique Individual with unique skills and a unique mission to solve unique problems.  Don’t use others’ limitations to limit yourself.

Seek your passions.  Let others seek their passions.

Don’t “Should” others.  Let others be.

Do what you can when you can, including working ahead now, so you can minimize the stress of having too much to do later.  And you'll also maximize your surprise opportunity flexability.

When the going gets tough, relax and think.  You'll be better prepared to solve the problem.

Water off a Duck's Back.  Shake off past troubles to maximize a productive and long life.

Lies go around the world before Truth ever wakes up.  Truth will, however, eventually show up..

Happiness is precariously balanced between Fear and Greed.  Try to stay balanced in the Happy Middle.

Read Long Obituaries to see what others’ finally figured out what really matters in life.

When you lose something, imagine that others never had what you had, and that you can probably live without it, too.  Then if you find it, be extra thankful.

Don't search for the negative needle in the haystack.  Life is a pretty good haystack.

Initially, New Things often seem to be huge, scary monsters, but over time, you realize how cute and cuddly they really are.

When you're not sure if you can handle something, remind yourself that : 1) If you prepare for it, you can handle it. 2) If you've prepared for it, you can handle it. 3) Just Do It.

Emotions are like a Roiller Coaster, curvy, hilly, and bumpy, with occasional twists and loops.  Brains are like a Train, straight and flat and smooth, with occasional pivots.  Both are good and necessary.

When you’re in the fog of life, you can never see where the fog ends, so, you often imagine that you’ll be fogged in forever.  And then suddenly, the fog disappears, and everything becomes clear again.  Relax and be Patient.  What you can't see at the moment, you'll eventually come to see clearly.

Include a “Whoa!” or “Exactly!" or "You're Right!!” in every conversation to show you’re listening, learning, and care.  How you make others feel may be all they remember about the conversation.

To Save Time, while cooking, Soak Dishes and Clean Hot Pans. 

To Save Time, when moving stuff around, use Each Direction to Carry Something.

To Avoid Stress, if you have too much to do, carry, or think about, Split the Job in Half.

Use your Fidget Phone as a Tool.  Don’t Let it Tool You.

The beauty of considering yourself a Victim is the Freedom from guilt for not solving problems.  The beauty of considering yourself a Hero is the Freedom to solve problems.  Be a Hero.

The more difficult your accomplishments were in the past, the more you’ll know what you can handle in the present, and the more you’ll know what challenges you’ll be able to handle in the future.  And while you're challenging yourself, Cherish Current Difficulties for the future memories they'll produce.

The more difficult your studies or your job, the more you’ll be rewarded, and the less likely a computer or robot will replace you.  Cherish Current Difficulties for the future benefits they'll produce.

Be quick to praise someone in front of people.  It’s something priceless they can't do for themselves, but you can do it for them easily and free.

Slow is your Secret Weapon.  When you’re doing something new, like learning to drive, if you can take it slow, it allows you and others around you to react and correct mistakes more easily.

Be more discrete, tactful, and small footprint.  Oddly as it may seem at the time, people generally do not want to listen to your phone conversation or your music in public areas.

God always provides a Handhold and a Foothold when you need it.  Just look around.

Like rock climbers, make sure that your next goal is on the path to your ultimate goal.  Then focus everything on getting just to that next goal.  Rinse and Repeat, one goal at a time until you get to your ultimate goal.

When you’re carrying several things and one is valuable and breakable, like your phone, put the phone in a safer place, like a pocket or a purse.

The most discrete exercise you can do in public is good posture.  After that, tummy crunches.

Don’t rush to choose something valuable.  Wait until as many green lights are flashing as possible.