“Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.” -Michael Caine
Back in early 1939, the British government was having to consider the possibility of a German invasion on British soil. The government had to find a way to show the people that all efforts to protect and defend them was being done.
Propaganda posters such as the one above were being made ready. The message was simple, Keep Calm and Carry On. Two-and-a-half million copies were printed, although the poster was distributed only in limited numbers.
The history of this poster and others is fascinating to read. Something so simple that can truly have an impact on the pulse of a nation. I then position that against the quote from Michael Caine that surely you can remain calm on the surface, "...like a duck, calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath." Our outer demeanor can remain calm and observant as we go about our day. Yet inside we are working feverishly to keep moving forward.
The bigger picture for me though is that regardless of the madness of the world around you, remaining calm can allow you to focus on actually moving forward. Not the easiest thing when there are 'bombs' dropping all around you. It is exactly at those times when you need to remain calm and focused, paddling like the dickens on the inside.
Find it within yourself to remain calm when all seems to be going wrong, when the warfare of calamity strikes. Then focus on the inside and begin the process of moving forward towards more peaceful times. In other words, "keep calm and carry on" with your life.
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