17 Gems of Wisdom for a Fresh Start
There’s something about fall that feels like the real new year. The buzz of back-to-school, the rhythm of routines returning, the crisp air that practically shouts, “It’s time to begin again!”
It’s a great time to refocus and re-engage with what matters most in our lives. It’s a season that invites us to let go of what no longer serves us and to embrace the possibility of starting fresh.
To kick off this new season on the right note, The Sunday Paper team re-read the last few years of our visionary’s beloved I’ve Been Thinking columns to bring you 17 gems of wisdom from Maria on everything from starting fresh, finding courage, boosting your resilience, and more.
Here’s hoping Maria’s words will help guide you into fall and beyond with renewed energy, a clearer focus, and the confidence to imagine what’s possible.
On Starting Fresh …
“May I treat each day like a fresh start and a new chance to become who I want to be. Every moment you’ve granted us is a gift and an opportunity.”
“Go out there today and act like it’s the very first day of your epic life. Let’s run towards the life we want to create for ourselves and for others. Let’s go!”
“Starting something new in my sixties has been invigorating…Sure, it’s been challenging, and who knows where it will lead me, but the risk has been worth it.”
“Finding our way home—to ourselves and one another—is possible. You might not see it yet, but I know this. This I believe. After a dissolution, there is always a rising.”
On Personal Growth …
“Life is indeed a magical mystery tour, so run towards the unknown. Embrace the magic and the mystery. You are strong enough to handle your life, and you have all you need deep inside. That’s the truth.”
“No matter where you stand today, the work of creating and designing your authentic and meaningful life cannot be put off for another day. It’s actually the job of this very moment right now.”
“The life I want to live at 91 must be tended to now. The relationships I want to carry me forward must be cultivated today. Not one of us is guaranteed to make it to 91… That’s why today is all we have.”
On Courage and Resilience …
“Getting through life requires courage. Staying true to your principles requires courage. Falling down and getting back up requires courage. Starting again requires courage. Going, staying, persevering—it all requires courage.”
“This is not the time to abdicate your courage. It’s not the time to lie down and wait for some so-called savior to come along. This is the time to see yourself as smart, capable, and courageous, no matter your age, no matter what you have been through.”
“Never doubt that you can rise, even when you feel like you have dissolved. You are here to rise. This I know for sure.”
“We can’t settle with the status quo in any area of our lives because if we do, we will become numb—numb to joy, to hope, and to possibilities… I share this just in case someone is telling you to settle, or to not push so hard, or to not dream so big. Settling shouldn’t be in our vocabulary.”
On Looking Ahead and Envisioning the Future…
“Even though so much of my life is behind me, I still need something to run towards. Actually, it’s not that I need it. It’s that I want it for myself. I still get to dream, as do you.”
“When I think ahead, at times the future can feel daunting…But not anymore. Today, I’m in my life, in my body—thank God I’m breathing in and out. I look forward to my next year with a gasp of wonder.”
“Each of us can be an ambassador of our values, ideas, and thoughts. We are each here to leave a mark on someone else’s life. We are each here to do something significant, and we get to decide what we want that to be.”
On Hope and Possibility …
“May we honor the beauty in every ending and trust the promise of each new beginning. May we walk forward with open hearts, knowing we are always being led home.”
“Your stories of rising are exactly what is needed. Your stories of hope, courage, and shared humanity…We need visions that can inspire us to stay the course, not give up and retreat.”
“In times such as these, we must be our own healers. The broken. The poets. The artists. The creatives. Those who are scared. Those who don’t give up. Those who have hope. Yes, you. You are the ones who will move us forward.”
The full archive of Maria’s I’ve Been Thinking essays is an exclusive offering of Sunday Paper PLUS. To access the archive and more exclusive benefits, click here.
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