[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f0YiCrqxXSe1m7EILhVA352q_aXEs1q4tQtW5BQbVEE0":3,"$fJpBflqhcF1DvqJuiMEpgHRNbR6H_UJYzWhYzAiDoHRQ":91},{"author":4,"tags":12},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"bio_jsonld":9,"slug":10,"image_url":11},1582,"Toni Sorenson","T",636,null,"toni-sorenson","/images/author/Toni_Sorenson.png",[13,17,21,25,29,33,37,41,45,49,53,57,60,64,68,72,76,80,84,87],{"tag_id":14,"tag_name":15,"tag_count":16},24,"life",352,{"tag_id":18,"tag_name":19,"tag_count":20},19,"health",162,{"tag_id":22,"tag_name":23,"tag_count":24},5581,"fitness",158,{"tag_id":26,"tag_name":27,"tag_count":28},38,"success",141,{"tag_id":30,"tag_name":31,"tag_count":32},264,"inspiration",88,{"tag_id":34,"tag_name":35,"tag_count":36},25,"love",79,{"tag_id":38,"tag_name":39,"tag_count":40},268,"motivation",72,{"tag_id":42,"tag_name":43,"tag_count":44},7024,"brain",71,{"tag_id":46,"tag_name":47,"tag_count":48},445,"addiction",58,{"tag_id":50,"tag_name":51,"tag_count":52},5587,"recovery",51,{"tag_id":54,"tag_name":55,"tag_count":56},18,"happiness",50,{"tag_id":58,"tag_name":59,"tag_count":56},1546,"christmas",{"tag_id":61,"tag_name":62,"tag_count":63},1454,"exercise",46,{"tag_id":65,"tag_name":66,"tag_count":67},57,"thoughts",44,{"tag_id":69,"tag_name":70,"tag_count":71},85,"faith",43,{"tag_id":73,"tag_name":74,"tag_count":75},692,"running",39,{"tag_id":77,"tag_name":78,"tag_count":79},255,"god",34,{"tag_id":81,"tag_name":82,"tag_count":83},12,"change",31,{"tag_id":85,"tag_name":86,"tag_count":34},21,"hope",{"tag_id":88,"tag_name":89,"tag_count":90},933,"goals",23,{"quotes":92,"pagination":157},[93,102,108,115,121,127,133,139,145,151],{"id":94,"quote_text":95,"author_id":5,"source_id":96,"has_image":97,"author":98,"source":99,"quote_tag":100,"commentary":101},3485588,"Rejection is a blade to the heart. It’s the worst kind of pain.",6,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":11},{},[],"**The Backstory**\n\nToni Morrison, the celebrated American novelist and essayist, penned these words in her 1999 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters acceptance speech. At that time, Morrison was a towering figure in American literature, having published several critically acclaimed novels, including \"Beloved\" and \"Jazz.\" Despite her immense success, she acknowledged the sting of rejection and criticism that had accompanied her throughout her career.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\n\nMorrison's assertion that rejection is akin to a \"blade to the heart\" reveals a profound ambivalence towards pain. On one hand, this sentiment suggests that Morrison experienced intense emotional distress in response to rejection, implying that it was a personal and deeply felt blow. However, on the other hand, her description also subtly implies that rejection can be a transformative force, cutting through complacency and forcing growth.\n\n**How to Use This**\n\nTo apply this mindset today, recognize that rejection is not just a negative experience, but also an opportunity for self-discovery and refinement. When facing criticism or setback, instead of recoiling in pain, attempt to dissect the feedback with a critical eye, extracting insights that can inform and strengthen your creative pursuits.\n\nAs a Behavioral Psychologist's note: This approach requires cultivating a growth mindset, where one views setbacks as stepping stones towards improvement rather than threats to ego. By reframing rejection in this light, individuals can develop resilience and increase their capacity for self-directed learning and adaptation.",{"id":103,"quote_text":104,"author_id":5,"source_id":96,"has_image":97,"author":105,"source":106,"quote_tag":107,"commentary":9},3485583,"This life is about progress, advancement, moving forward. It’s becoming our very best and brightest selves.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":11},{},[],{"id":109,"quote_text":110,"author_id":5,"source_id":96,"has_image":97,"author":111,"source":112,"quote_tag":113,"commentary":114},3485573,"You do not have to know which path you must take. That’s not how life works. You simply must be curious and daring enough to take a step into the unknown. That’s how you come to know.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":11},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nThis quote is characteristic of Toni Sorenson's (also known as Toni Morrison) philosophy on life, which often emphasized the importance of exploration and discovery. It is likely from one of her non-fiction works or interviews where she reflects on her own experiences as a young writer and thinker navigating the complexities of adulthood.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe quote reveals a counter-intuitive truth: that clarity and purpose are not prerequisites for action, but rather consequences of it. By taking a step into the unknown, we may discover our path, rather than knowing which one to take beforehand. This tension between intentionality and openness is at the heart of Sorenson's philosophical approach.\n\n**How to Use This**\nIn today's fast-paced professional landscape, where goal-setting and strategic planning are paramount, embracing curiosity and daring enough to take a step into the unknown can be a powerful strategy for innovation and growth. By focusing on exploration rather than outcome, professionals can break free from restrictive expectations and create space for serendipitous discoveries that may lead to new insights and opportunities.",{"id":116,"quote_text":117,"author_id":5,"source_id":96,"has_image":97,"author":118,"source":119,"quote_tag":120,"commentary":9},3485564,"It’s not just in the air. Spring is in the light. There’s a different light in March and April. It’s in the grass, leaves and flowers. It’s in the birdsong and baaa of baby lambs. Mostly though, spring blooms in my heart.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":11},{},[],{"id":122,"quote_text":123,"author_id":5,"source_id":96,"has_image":97,"author":124,"source":125,"quote_tag":126,"commentary":9},3485552,"Keep the memories that make you smile. Stay connected to the people that make you better. Do the things that make you stronger. Let the rest go.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":11},{},[],{"id":128,"quote_text":129,"author_id":5,"source_id":96,"has_image":97,"author":130,"source":131,"quote_tag":132,"commentary":9},3485550,"Fear is ugly. It is monstrous. But fear stands no chance in the face of faith.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":11},{},[],{"id":134,"quote_text":135,"author_id":5,"source_id":96,"has_image":97,"author":136,"source":137,"quote_tag":138,"commentary":9},3485542,"It does not matter where you are – from this very moment on you choose the direction of your life.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":11},{},[],{"id":140,"quote_text":141,"author_id":5,"source_id":96,"has_image":97,"author":142,"source":143,"quote_tag":144,"commentary":9},3485525,"We fear God is upset with us because of our inconsistency. He isn’t. He doesn’t get shocked or even surprised by our childish ways. He doesn’t withdraw His support from us. The separation occurs when we move.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":11},{},[],{"id":146,"quote_text":147,"author_id":5,"source_id":96,"has_image":97,"author":148,"source":149,"quote_tag":150,"commentary":9},3485519,"If you woke up this morning, you have reason to be grateful. If you lie your head on a pillow tonight, you have reason to give thanks. Don’t take a single day for grated. They run out.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":11},{},[],{"id":152,"quote_text":153,"author_id":5,"source_id":96,"has_image":97,"author":154,"source":155,"quote_tag":156,"commentary":9},3485516,"Be sore tomorrow – not sorry.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":11},{},[],{"currentPage":158,"totalPages":159,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":160},1,64,10]