Inspirational Quotes About Life

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Self-Care and Self-Worth

SOUTHERN LIVING

• "I believe we are here on the planet Earth to live, grow up and do what we can to make this world a better place for all people to enjoy freedom." — Rosa Parks
• "To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance." — Oscar Wilde
• "Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths."— Etty Hillesum
• “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you." — Anne Lamott
• "Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving. When we can be alone, we can be with others without using them as a means of escape." — Bell Hooks
• "Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time." — Unknown
• "Self-care is how you take your power back." — Lalah Delia
• "Being happy never goes out of style." — Lilly Pulitzer
  

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Positive Thinking

SOUTHERN LIVING

• "You are the sum total of everything you've ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot—it's all there. Everything influences each of us, and because of that I try to make sure that my experiences are positive." — Maya Angelou
• "Sometimes, when things are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place." — Unknown
• “A dead end is just a good place to turn around.” — Naomi Judd
• “Even miracles take a little time.” — The Fairy Godmother, Cinderella
• "You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." — A.A. Milne
• "Find out who you are and do it on purpose." — Dolly Parton
• “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain!” — Dolly Parton

03of 06

Success

Southern Living.

• "To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone, and a funny bone." — Reba McEntire
• “I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” — Estée Lauder
• "All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure." — Mark Twain
• "Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yard stick to your success is how you treat other people." — Barbara Bush
• “Success is falling nine times and getting up ten.” — Jon Bon Jovi
• “Success is only meaningful and enjoyable if it feels like your own.” — Michelle Obama
• "Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again." — Nelson Mandela
• "Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor." — Truman Capote
• "The secret to getting ahead is getting started." — Mark Twain
• "Being a successful person is not necessarily defined by what you have achieved, but by what you have overcome." — Fannie Flagg, The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion

04of 06

Encouraging Quotes

SOUTHERN LIVING

• "I have very strong feelings about how you lead your life. You always look ahead, you never look back." — Ann Richards
  
• "All your life, you will be faced with a choice. You can choose love or hate…I choose love." — Johnny Cash
• "I don't go by the rule book…I lead from the heart, not the head." — Princess Diana
• "The events in our lives happen in a sequence in time, but in their significance to ourselves they find their own order the continuous thread of revelation." — Eudora Welty
• "The time is always right to do what is right." — Martin Luther King Jr.
• "The best thing to hold onto in life is each other." — Audrey Hepburn
• "Life is not a spectator sport. If you're going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you're wasting your life." — Jackie Robinson
• "If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one." — Dolly Parton
• "Despite the forecast, live like it's spring." — Lilly Pulitzer
• "If I'd have done all the things I was supposed to have done, I'd be really tired." — Willie Nelson
• "If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way." — Napoleon Hill
• "You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it." — Margaret Thatcher
• "Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start." — Nido Qubein
• "You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." — Zig Ziglar
• "Life has no limitations, except the ones you make." — Les Brown
• "The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." — Mark Twain
• "Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." — William Faulkner
• "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose." — Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You'll Go
• "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." — Jackie Robinson
• "The older you get, the more fragile you understand life to be. I think that's good motivation for getting out of bed joyfully each day." — Julia Roberts
• "Now it's the little moments that stop me in my tracks, because that's what life is all about." — Joanna Gaines

05of 06

Courage and Strength

Southern Living.

• "Life is short, but it is wide. This too shall pass." — Rebecca Wells, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
• "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow." ― Mary Anne Radmacher
• "It is not the strength of the body that counts, but the strength of the spirit." ― J.R.R. Tolkien
• "Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway." ― John Wayne
• "Real courage is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. Doing the unpopular thing because it's what you believe, and the heck with everybody." ― Justin Cronin
• "It's your life; you don't need someone's permission to live the life you want. Be brave to live from your heart." ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
• "It's kind of fun to do the impossible." — Walt Disney
• "When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable." — Walt Disney
• "Everything you want is on the other side of fear." — Jack Canfield
• "The difference between winning and losing is most often not quitting." — Walt Disney
• "Do you give as much energy to your dreams as you do to your fears?" — Unknown
• "You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength." — Marcus Aurelius
• "The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams." — Oprah Winfrey
• "All serious daring starts from within." — Eudora Welty
• "You'll never do a whole lot unless you're brave enough to try." — Dolly Parton
• "It takes a deep commitment to change and an even deeper commitment to grow." — Ralph Ellison
• "Stand for something or you will fall for anything. Today's mighty oak is yesterday's nut that held its ground." — Rosa Parks
• "You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore." — William Faulkner

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Quotes About Living

SOUTHERN LIVING

• "Each person must live their life as a model for others." — Rosa Parks
• "So long as the memory of certain beloved friends lives in my heart, I shall say that life is good." — Helen Keller
• "My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style." — Maya Angelou
• "Life just doesn't hand you things. You have to get out there and make things happen. That's the exciting part." — Emeril Lagasse
• "I've been around a long time, and life still has a whole lot of surprises for me." — Loretta Lynn
• "Be a bush if you can't be a tree. If you can't be a highway, just be a trail. If you can't be a sun, be a star. For it isn't by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are." — Martin Luther King Jr.
• "You're going to go through tough times—that's life. But I say, 'Nothing happens to you, it happens for you.' See the positive in negative events." — Joel Osteen
• "If everything was perfect, you would never learn and you would never grow." — Beyoncé Knowles
• "You have two choices in life; you can either like what you do or dislike what you do. I have chosen to like what I do." — Barbara Bush
• "The greatest legacy one can pass on to one's children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one's life, but rather a legacy of character and faith." — Billy Graham
• "You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space." — Johnny Cash
• "You'll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut." — Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut
• "The excursion is the same when you go looking for your sorrow as when you go looking for your joy." — Eudora Welty
• "Life is to be lived, not controlled; and humanity is won by continuing to play in face of certain defeat." — Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man
• "I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back." — Maya Angelou
• "Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." — William Faulkner
• "We should live our lives as though Christ was coming this afternoon." — Jimmy Carter
• "Be so happy that, when other people look at you, they become happy too." — Anonymous 
• "Life is either a great adventure or nothing." — Helen Keller

Positive Thinking

 

PHOTO: 

LIBERTAD LEAL PHOTOGRAPHY / GETTY IMAGES

Sometimes, positive thinking quotes are just what the doctor ordered. When times are hard and your heart grows heavy, hearing some words of encouragement or just a little something to make you smile can make a world of difference. 

Positive thinking has the power to turn a hard day into a manageable one and a good day into an even better one. While a delicious treat is always a good idea, there is something about these inspiring words that feeds the soul in a way that even the best slice of Hummingbird Cake can’t do. So here are some positive thinking quotes that come from the heart that are sure to make a positive impact on your life.

SOUTHERN LIVING

Positive Thinking Quotes That Are Sure To Make Someone Else’s Day A Bit Better 

• “Friends are the family we choose.” — Jennifer Aniston
• "My purpose: to lift your spirit and to motivate you." — Mavis Staples
• “Kindness is one thing you can’t give away. It always comes back.” — George Skolsky
• "Great things happen to those who don't stop believing, trying, learning, and being grateful." ― Roy T. Bennett
• “Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.” — Maya Angelou
  
• "Sometimes, when things are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place." — Unknown
• “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” —Ruth Bader Ginsburg
  
• "Happiness is not by chance but by choice." — Jim Rohn

SOUTHERN LIVING

Positive Thinking Quotes That Will Improve Your Mindset

• “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible.’” — Audrey Hepburn 
• "The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do." – Kobe Bryant
• "It's your outlook on life that counts. If you take yourself lightly and don't take yourself too seriously, pretty soon you can find the humor in our everyday lives. And sometimes it can be a lifesaver." – Betty White
• "Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results." – Willie Nelson
• "Positive anything is better than negative nothing." – Elbert Hubbard
• “Each day comes bearing its gifts. Untie the ribbon.” — Ann Ruth Schabacker
• “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” — Dolly Parton
• “A dead end is just a good place to turn around.” — Naomi Judd
• “In every day, there are 1,440 minutes. That means we have 1,440 daily opportunities to make a positive impact.” — Les Brown
  

SOUTHERN LIVING

Positive Thinking Quotes For Kids 

• “Even miracles take a little time” — The Fairy Godmother, Cinderella
• “Just keep swimming” — Dory, Finding Nemo
• "It’s a whole lot more satisfying to reach for the stars, even if you end up landing only on the moon.” — Kermit the Frog, The Muppets 
• “Always let your conscience be your guide.” — Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio
• “If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great.” —Tom Hanks

SOUTHERN LIVING

Positive Thinking Quotes That Will Turn You Into An Optimist

• "Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier." — Colin Powell
• "Pessimism leads to weakness, optimism to power." — William James
• “One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.”– Lucille Ball
• "Say something positive, and you’ll see something positive." – Jim Thompson
• "Choose to be optimistic, it feels better." – Dali Lama
• “Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive good things and good people will be drawn to you.” – Mary Lou Retton

SOUTHERN LIVING

Self-Esteem Boosting, Positive Thinking Quotes

• "Be yourself, everyone else is already taken." — Oscar Wilde
• “When I’m not feeling my best I ask myself, "What are you gonna do about it?” I use the negativity to fuel the transformation into a better me.” ― Beyonce
• “Believing you are unworthy of love and belonging—that who you are authentically is a sin or is wrong—is deadly. Who you are is beautiful and amazing.” ― Laverne Cox
• "You can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will." ― Stephen King
• “Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes.” — Maggie Kuhn
• "You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." — A.A. Mine

SOUTHERN LIVING

Positive, Motivational Quotes

• "Find out who you are and do it on purpose." — Dolly Parton
• “Live life to the fullest, and focus on the positive.” — Matt Cameron
• “You’ll never do a whole lot unless you’re brave enough to try.” — Dolly Parton
• “Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.” – Michael Jordan
  
• "Every strike brings me closer to a home run." — Babe Ruth
• "Life is like a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." — Albert Einstein
• "Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible." — Tony Robbins
• “Know what sparks the light in you. Then use that light to illuminate the world.” — Oprah Winfrey
• "You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." — Mae West
  

SOUTHERN LIVING

Positive Thinking Quotes That Will Help You Overcome Anything 

• “The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.” — Nelson Mandela
• “Your attitude is critical to success. If you expect things to be difficult, it will always be easier to solve problems, overcome adversity, and have an enthusiastic energy about how you go about and enjoy your work.” – Nick Saban
  
• “You're going to go through tough times - that's life. But I say, 'Nothing happens to you, it happens for you.' See the positive in negative events.” — Joel Osteen
• “Success is falling nine times and getting up ten.” — Jon Bon Jovi
• “Don’t waste a minute not being happy. If one window closes, run to the next window—or break down a door.” — Brooke Shields
• "The key to life when things get tough is to just keep moving. Just keep moving." — Tyler Perry
• “Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.” – Vince Lombardi
• “Success is only meaningful and enjoyable if it feels like your own.” — Michelle Obama

SOUTHERN LIVING

Positive Thinking Quotes To Brighten Your Day

• “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain!” — Dolly Parton
• “We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.” — Dolly Parton
• "Be so happy that, when other people look at you, they become happy too." — Anonymous 
• “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi

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