Cendrine Marrouat - www.cendrinemarrouat.com

Cendrine Marrouat - www.cendrinemarrouat.com

Too often, we equate money with success. We just let ourselves be blinded by the superficial tip of the iceberg. 

Success remains the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. Any aim or purpose. 

Stop celebrating the intoxicating glitters of this world. They never last. 

Instead, learn to be good to your spirit. That's where your greatest success will ever lie.

Cendrine Marrouat - www.cendrinemarrouat.com

Happy belated new year!

I spent the last weekend of 2011 with a friend and her two children. They live in a small village in Ariège, Southern France. It was one of the greatest and most relaxing weekends in my entire life!

Below are some pictures of the area.

For more pictures of my latest trip to France, visit . 

Cendrine Marrouat - www.cendrinemarrouat.com

You may already know that I was born in Toulouse, Southern France. I also spent almost half my life in this city, which I consider one of the most beautiful in the world.

Every time I visit my family, I take hundreds of pictures to share with my friends.

I am currently in Toulouse for a few weeks and would like to show you around. Here are some of my favourite shots so far.

 

 

 

For more pictures of Toulouse, visit my Flickr page.

Cendrine Marrouat - www.cendrinemarrouat.com

From the smile of the child to the mind-blogging sight of any given sunset, there is beauty in everything.

Life is never more enlightening than when we decide that we want to experience it to the fullest. 

It does not matter if you are young or old. No one but you knows what the true calling of your soul may be.

Whether you are passionate about poetry, photography, physics, flowers, painting, or knitting, pursue it with all your might. And do not be afraid of going against the grain if need be. 

It's always about your happiness first. And it's the only way you can help others in the long run. 

Cendrine Marrouat - http://www.cendrinemarrouat.com

Thanksgiving. A day dedicated to expressing gratitude for all the things we have in life. 

We write beautiful messages and post pictures of turkey and yummy food on social networks. There is no room for negativity.

But when the day is over, we go back to our old ways.

So, let me ask you. What happens the rest of the year? Where do the gratitude and love go?  

Whether it is mental or physical, pain is never an enjoyable feeling. And yet, we seem to revel in it. 

No matter how bright the Sun seems to shine, we are more interested in looking at its shadow. 

No matter how big the Moon's smile is, we prefer focusing on the darkness surrounding it. 

We speak of change on a daily basis. We demand respect of others. We talk of unity. And yet, every disagreement makes us forget our humanity. 

We are the only animals with a brain powerful enough to do magnificent things. And yet, we destroy everything around us. 

Deliberate ignorance is the real disease of this century. 

Cendrine Marrouat - http://www.cendrinemarrouat.com

Children have this wonderful ability to teach us important lessons about life. Here is one.

Cendrine Marrouat - http://www.cendrinemarrouat.com

Change cannot happen without people.

It is not enough to talk about it. It is not enough to sit and wait for others to do the work for you. 

You must will change with all your might -- until even your bones demand action from you. 

"Change brings opportunity." - Nido Qubein

"Change is the only constant. Hanging on is the only sin." - Denise McCluggage

"If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living." - Gail Sheehy

Cendrine Marrouat - http://www.cendrinemarrouat.com

If you have no passion, you cannot have a sense of purpose. 

So, find what makes you tick and want to be the best you can be. 

You may think that you only have 24 hours in a day. But, each hour is made up of 3,600 seconds. And one second can make a complete difference in another person's life.

Smiling actually takes half a second.

Cendrine Marrouat - http://www.cendrinemarrouat.com

One of the greatest pieces of advice I have ever received on writing was this:

"Always share your happiest thoughts on paper. And force yourself to find a positive angle to the not-so-happy ones."

Well, the same goes for life. Every cloud has a silver lining. Nothing is impossible.  

The brain is a powerful machine that you can train at will. So, use it well! 

Cendrine Marrouat - http://www.cendrinemarrouat.com

"Let Love guide you until you feel

The hand of God on your shoulder

And hear His words in your mind.

Then, watch what happens!"

In this day and age, talk has become cheaper than cheap. As a result, praises without relevant actions have no value beyond a fleeting moment of ego-stroking bliss for both the "admirer" and the praised. 

The ego is part of us. Human beings actually need it to experience a sense of self. Unfortunately, it is an unruly toddler that we must keep a daily eye on. 

To make the world a better place, we must stop talking and start listening. Listening to the pearls of wisdom silence sends our way. 

Only those who are willing to let go of their fears can truly achieve greatness in their lives.   

Cendrine Marrouat - http://www.cendrinemarrouat.com