Do you have a favorite dialogue, lyric, quote or affirmation? Please share with us below.

Tracey Troop | Residential Interior Designer

Janice Feldman, founder of Janus et Cie said, “Design is both a blessing and a curse … because to do good work, we become obsessed. It is our calling.” There probably isn’t a living, breathing interior designer who can’t relate to that statement! It resonates with me because it eloquently describes the organic, intrinsic nature of our process. We all have our systems to follow for design development, but for me the real work is always happening in my imagination. My clients often know little of the time, effort, revisions, moments of inspiration, or frustration of solving a particularly tricky issue (I playfully call these a “design opportunity”), because our presentations can belie that deep dive we take. I always know my obsession pays off by my clients’ overjoyed reactions to their curated interiors, the sanctuary of their home, and/or embracing a new lifestyle because, finally, their home represents the best of themselves. Read more>>

Jill Gurr | Writer/Founder and CEO of Create Now

“What you give is what you get.” This is my motto in life and the title of my autobiography that I’m currently writing. I love it because I believe that the work we do and the energy we put out affects everything, like a ripple effect. Many people, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, live in fear. That attracts more of the same. However, if we generate positive actions and send loving thoughts to those in need, we can shift the focus to creating positive change. Read more>>

Patrick Hotra | “Wood worker” Was Good Enough For Sam Maloof, and It’s Fine for Me.

There are two quotes that made a big impression on me, when I first started wood working classes. They came from two different shop teachers. In the first one I asked him how good a particular joinery technique should be. He was the Manager of a local cabinet shop and his response was; ” Well, I can’t see it from my house”, indicating that there was some amount of latitude in executing the joinery. I asked the same question of a different teacher, who taught wood shop full time at a community college, and he said, ” It should be perfect”. This made a lasting impression on me, and was the answer I was looking for. I wanted to know that excellence mattered, and that was where the bar was set. It was also a constant reminder if I found myself rushing to finish a project or wondering if it was good enough. Perfection is not a goal, however, but a principal that guides each step in designing, selecting materials, executing the design, and selecting a finish. Read more>>

Shaan Sharma | Working Actor, SAG-AFTRA Board Member, Educator, Writer, and Casting Professional.

“If a man’s life had any meaning at all it was to fight evil.” – Taylor Caldwell’s novel “Bright Flows the River,” 1980. What do almost all of us want, deep down, more than anything? It’s to have the best quality of life we possibly can during the short time we’re alive on this speck of dust in an infinite universe. Apart from the natural causes of suffering, like death, genetics, and natural disasters, how much do we inflict upon each other, either intentionally or unintentionally? So, so much. And it’s the suffering we can actually control. I consider “evil” the intention to destroy others or cause their suffering. And, recognizing my own failures, hypocrisy, and thoughts I’m horrified to admit invade my thoughts at times, it’s also been in my nature since childhood to want to stop such intentional destruction; be it violence, bullying, teasing, or verbal, physical, and emotional abuse. Read more>>

Laurey Bennett-Levy | Artist and Art Advocate

“I shall gather myself into myself again, I shall take my scattered selves and make them one, Fusing them into a polished crystal ball Where I can see the moon and the flashing sun.” -Sara Teasdale My beloved grandmother gave this to my mother when she was struggling. My mother then gave it to me when I was in an extremely dark place. As I’ve read it over the years, I think about my growth of how I’ve heeled and trusted myself over the years and use it as a reminder that I am capable. I definitely use art as a distraction to repair, but the discipline truly connects me to so much and ignites me as my life constantly changes up. Read more>>

Leah Berman | Landscape & Nature Photographer

One of my go to quotes is said by Wayne Gretzky; “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” I always keep this one in mind while shooting photos and in editing. In my experience, sometimes the most absurd composition or even the wildest edit of a photo can become something amazing for someone somewhere. Read more>>

Bertinelli Sound | Music Production and Mixing Services

Yes! “The goal is to die with memories, not dreams.” The reason why I love this quote is because I am always dreaming and I strive to make that dream real. I always try to convince myself I can do it, and I give everything I can, sometimes even more than what my body or mind can handle to get it. Read more>>

Renata Velasco | Designer/ Creator

Almost everything is possible to accomplished, if put your mind in it. Read more>>

Jaye Rosenberg | Actress & Creative

My favourite quote is from Leonard Cohen’s song “Anthem”. It’s: “There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in”. There are so many gems in Leonard Cohen’s music and in this song in particular,  but I really love this. What do I like about it? It’s true. We are all human and perfectly imperfect. To me, that is where our unique beauty lies. Not just physical beauty, but beauty of mind, body, spirit. These days tweaking faces and bodies to perceived perfection has been completely normalized and maybe even prioritized, ignoring so many other important values and traits. But I don’t see those fake, superficial elements as beauty at all. This quote just reminds me of that and what I value. It also reminds me that after adversity, there can be triumph and to try to trust the process, sometimes the cracks are a blessing in disguise, because that’s what allows the light to get in after all. 🙂. Read more>>

Sophia Hyun | Artist

My favorite affirmation comes from the S.H.A.P.E. program at Saddleback Church: “I am not who I think I am, and I am not who you think I am. But I really am who God says I am!” S.H.A.P.E stands for Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. This program inspired me to create my first abstract painting, titled “My Identity,” for a group exhibit at the Saddleback Church Art Gallery three summers ago. In the S.H.A.P.E. class, I discovered God’s purpose for my life, including my gifts and talents. The class helped me understand that I was created with a purpose on this earth and that I must share with others the gifts and talents God gave me, while giving Him the glory. S.H.A.P.E. opened my eyes to a new perspective and a specific reason to integrate art creation into my life. I love this affirmation because it fulfills my longing for completeness in life, and it explains why certain things – both positive and negative – have happened over the course of my lifetime. I often meditate on this affirmation, and most of the time, I find in it the completion I am looking for. Read more>>

Bumdog Torres | Bum/Filmmaker/Writer/Photographer/T-Shirt Maker

“Do nothing and nothing will not be done.” Taoism. Things come and go as they please, when you are just being yourself, what you need to sustain that “self” will naturally come to you. You dont have to push or pull or strain against fate to bring it to you. It comes to you because that is who you are. Read more>>

Justo Ontario | Recording Artist/Songwriter

Sanity over everything. Read more>>

Nick Rosen | Music Director / Producer / Artist

My general life affirmation is to turn poison into medicine, to remind myself daily that winter always turns into spring and that all my struggles and obstacles are a sign of greatness to come. I try to remind myself daily that the impossible can be possible and that I need to not only have more appreciation for my current life but also don’t let current circumstances dictate how large I can dream. I like to do 5-10 year planning exercises where I pretend I already have achieved the end goal and then I work backwards from there creating yearly, monthly, daily tasks for myself. I then can see that everything that I could ever want is fully attainable. Read more>>

Josh Squyres | Strength and Conditioning Coach

I have many quotes that are meaningful to me. However, I guess I would have to discuss the quote I am most famous for, “Will It? Will it.” This quote is the answer to it’s own question. It is synonymous with my message to others. In fact, it is the name of my website, WILLITWILLIT.COM. I developed this quote years ago as a result of my own training and coaching discoveries. It is a simple play on words. Yet, there is a profound meaning with rich layers inside. What does “Will it? Will it.” mean? It means to find a way. There will always be an excuse to accept the status quo. There will always be an obstacle that is blocking the path. There will always be circumstances that put an individual in a deficit. Such is the universe we live in: hard, cruel, and burdensome. Now the question is, how does one rise above his or her current state of affairs? Reality begins in the mind and springs forth into the physical. So then, if one wants to change reality, the individual must transform his or her mind. The first step towards achievement is creating intention. Read more>>

Nakia Smith | Holistic Practitioner

“I have everything I need and want. My deepest desires are fulfilled” I wrote this affirmation over 20 years ago and its simplicity is what makes me love it. It covers all aspect of a concern and it is firmly rooted in the now. Read more>>

Tori Higa | Artist and Children’s Book Author/Illustrator

One of my favorite quotes when it comes to creating art is by Theodore Roosevelt. He says, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” That quote has influenced me greatly over the years. It’s always tempting to want to purchase the latest art supplies, but I find that when I use what I already have in my immediate surroundings, my art turns out better and I have used more of my creativity than I would have if I just went out and bought some sort of new supply. I have found that I don’t need the latest and greatest things to be creative which is why I love to work with vintage fabric or paper scraps so much. The quote also speaks to me in regards to using my talents. I may not be considered to be as gifted as another person, and that is OK. We are all gifted with different measures of talent. The quote reminds me that I need to focus on the gift that has been given to me and use it where I am right now in this moment. I don’t need to wait until I am better or have accomplished more. I can simply do what I can, with what I have, where I am. Read more>>

Denise Samantha Mendoza | CEO & Real Estate Broker

“Frame your Lifestyle” which is our company’s motto. Los Angeles is a large city known for all of their neighborhoods. Beverly Grove/Fairfax, Echo Park, Silverlake, to Venice and the list goes on. We pride ourselves by influencing our transplant clients to even the local Socal clientele by focusing on what they do outside of their job. It’s about their interests, foods and culture or desired atmosphere. Lifestyle for us, means a broader sense of their way of living. If they own a dog they may want to live near a dog park or Runyon Canyon, if they enjoy the arts, they may want to live in DTLA near the Arts District or if they love a quiet residential area they may enjoy Hancock Park/Mid-Wilshire. We make it apart of our brokerage to acknowledge and familiarize ourselves with our clientele and match what they desire to stay inspired with the city of LA. Read more>>