How a Post-It Note Changed My Life Forever

I love Post-It notes. I also love inspirational sayings and motivational quotes. Together this makes for an unhealthy obsession.  Luckily, it’s an obsession that seemed to turn my life around.

You see, I’m the type that has to write things down. If it’s not written down, it’s not getting  done. Therefore my Post-It Notes became my to-do lists, shopping lists, bookmarks, and bill organizers. Somewhere along the way, task orientated notes turned into inspirational notes the day I was surfing the web and found a quote I liked and wanted to remember for a school project some years back. I stuck the Post – It note with the phrase to the inside of my textbook. A few days later, I opened my text book after a really hard day to study for a test I was nervous about. As I cracked opened the pages, I came across the note I originally wrote that said, “Happiness is a choice. Choose wisely.” At the time, the note didn’t hold much significance. It was just a cute distraction from my studies, but from that moment I was hooked. I began sticking notes with motivation and inspiration in various places. In my lunch box. Under my book. In my wallet. In a notebook. In my underwear drawer. You name it; I put a Post-it note  there. My logic was that it would provide for a great pick me up when I come across one of my own hidden notes. If I was already in a good mood when I found one, it would just be a pleasant surprise. Little did I know how powerful, my surprise messages would be until a few years later…

I remember the day so vividly. It was another day at my dead end job that I merely liked. The only things that kept me going were my  coworkers and the promise from my boss that in six months I’d get a raise. So when six months came I was prepared with a speech to get the raise I was promised. I put on my most professional attire, rehearsed my lines, and walked into my boss’s office only to get rejected. I didn’t get the raise, but I did get more vacation time. (Yippee. Because an extra week of vacation was really going to help pay the bills!) Ten minutes after getting rejected for the raise I was promised and deserved, I got a phone call from my best friend telling me she just got promoted. Needless to say, I felt like a loser. Of course, to make matters worse I was reminded that my Citibank Student Loans were due.

I held back tears as I reached into my purse to pull out my checkbook and sign the check for hundreds of dollars and my life away to the devil. As I opened my checkbook, I was confronted with my fears, the reality of my bank account and the truth… Because there within my checkbook held the words I needed to see so badly… “Hang in there. You are stronger than you know.” At that moment, I dried my eyes of my tears and smiled because I knew it was true. It didn’t matter that I didn’t get a raise. It didn’t matter that I was drowning in student loan debt. And it didn’t matter that I was losing myself in a job  I didn’t love. I knew  I was destined for better and I would overcome my situation because I can do the impossible. My entire perspective on life had changed in that moment because I finally had faith in my strength. I began putting my life in motion to improve my situation and things have never been the same since then. It’s only gotten better…

Who knew an obsession with post-it notes and motivational quotes could do so much? I didn’t, but sure glad I started it. To this day, I still continue to hide notes with inspirational phrases and get just as moved and excited each time I find one. It’s one addiction I hope never dies.

Do you have a favorite quote that inspires and motivates you? 

TERRIfic Quip: On the other side of fear lies freedom.