Joseph Brodsky Quotes

Light sufferings give us leisure to complain.

We can take suffering to be an opportunity to learn and to grow. But if we are honest, we should remember that this is making the best of a bad job, and that minimising suffering takes priority over optimising its outcome.

I think I got a lot of life skills; I got a lot of wisdom; I've seen a lot of bad things happen to a lot of good people.

When any calamity has been suffered the first thing to be remembered is, how much has been escaped.

There is really only one way to deal with Misery. Accept her presence. Like most experiences in life, we must acknowledge the passage gracefully and let her move through our lives because she brings with her a hidden gift.

If there are negative people around me, I just try to distance myself from that.

You just have to learn to live with the criticism even if it is unfair. It is a fact of life.

Successful people are able to rise above crises by relaxing no matter what the external situation. Their belief in themselves, the strength of their self-image is impenetrable armor, which protects them against shattering events.

"Great suffering has a silver-lining that we can be grateful for, because it builds up a human being and puts him or her within reach of self-knowledge."

You can't avoid pain, but you can choose to overcome it.

When life gives you lemons. . . You might as well shove 'em where the sun don't shine, because you sure as hell aren't ever going to see any lemonade.

We have two lives, the life we learn with and the life we live with after that. Suffering is what brings us toward happiness.

Suffering can make saints of people as they learn patience, long-suffering and self-mastery.

Hardships make us strong. Problems give birth to wisdom. Sorrows cultivate compassion. Those who have suffered the most will become the happiest.

The burned hand teaches best.

What did you do when the worst thing that could happen to you had already happened - how did you live life then? You had to hand it to Theo Wyre, just carrying on living required a strength and courage that most people didn't have.

You must remember that no one lives a life free from pain and suffering.

Sometimes survival is the worst alternative there is

If circumstances are bad and you have to bear them, do not make them a part of yourself.

It's an awful truth that suffering can deepen us, give a greater lustre to our colours, a richer resonance to our words. That is, if it doesn't destroy us, if it doesn't burn away the optimism and the spirit, the capacity for visions, and the respect for simple yet indispensable things.

Sometimes the problem outshines the pain.

To suffer some anxiety, some depression, some disappointment, even some failure is normal.

As far as the physical miseries go, I am sure I will cope. I lived at Eton in the 1950s and I know all about life in uncomfortable quarters.

Every tribulation which ever comes our way either is sent to be medicinal, if we will take it as such, or may become medicinal, if we will make it such, or is better than medicinal, unless we forsake it.