6 Inspiring Quotes That Can Change Your Life

When I am having a rough day—when I feel tired, sad, doubtful, or stressed—I spend time looking up inspirational quotes.

I’ve memorized several, pulling them out when need be. These quotes are simple but they can help me turn a bad day around.

Short and sweet, here they are…

“When you have a bad day, a really bad day, try and treat the world better than it treated you.” ~Patrick Stump

When I’m traveling around with my own personal dark cloud, I sometimes forget to be kind to others.

I get so wrapped up in my own problems that I forget that I’m only a small part of a much greater world, a world filled with beauty, love, and light. There is so much to be grateful for.

The best way to get over a bad day is to go out of your way to make others happy. This quote inspires me to smile at those I pass, hug those I love, and do all that I can to make sure that others never feel alone.

“It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.” ~John Steinbeck

I’m guilty of staying up at night and worrying. I lose track of time, allowing my mind to get away from me.

Whenever this happens, I remember this quote and tell myself, “Everything is going to be okay. It will all work out. Good things take time. If I go to sleep now, I will dream of sweet things and I can deal with it all in the morning.” That always does the trick.

When you give yourself the freedom to rest your body and mind, it not only makes your problems seem less urgent, it gives you the time and space you need to calmly approach the situation.

“Whenever one person stands up and says, ‘Wait a minute, this is wrong,’ it helps other people do the same.” ~Gloria Steinem

I’m known for being quiet, for not jumping at the chance to speak my mind. I’ve always had trouble standing up for myself and for what I believe in.

When these moments of self-doubt rear their ugly heads, I remember that standing up for something can inspire others to raise their voices as well. In other words, my bravery can cause a chain reaction.

We often feel as if we are alone in our thoughts, feelings, and opinions. We’re afraid that our situations are unique and unimportant.

Having the courage to raise your voice can dissipate such fears because it allows you to connect with other people. It gives others the opportunity to exclaim, “Me too! I thought I was the only one!” and eliminate any and all feelings of being alone.

“My mother said to me, ‘If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope.’ Instead, I was a painter and became Picasso.” ~Pablo Picasso

I’m the type of person that worries way too much about what others think. In fact, I have to resist the urge to rise to others’ expectations instead of my own.

Knowing that Picasso (one of my favorite artists) dared to be different is not only inspiring, it reminds me that all that matters is that I believe in myself. If I have faith in doing what I love, then good things will come in time.

If you take a chance on doing what you love instead of simply following the status quo and always questioning, “What if?” your life will hold more meaning, more happiness, and more love.

“I saw that worrying had come to nothing and gave it up. And took my old body and went out into the morning, and sang.” ~Mary Oliver

Letting go is something that we need to do more often. We need to let go of the people that weigh us down and the worries that keep our minds in a state of constant unease.

I love the idea of simply letting go, feeling free, going out into the morning light, and singing. Just thinking about this lovely combination instantly makes me feel calm.

It’s common to forget that we have the power to create change. We have the power to open our front door and take on the world. The amount of things that we can do is infinite, but first we need to let go of what weighs us down and simply be.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ~Winston Churchill

And last but not least is my all-time favorite quote. This has gotten me through countless presentations, public speaking engagements, rejections, and downright horrible days.

When I graduated from high school, I was scheduled to speak as the salutatorian of my class. I was terrified of messing up and of what my peers would think of me. For a while I thought about not going at all.

Then I started repeating this quote in my head. It became my mantra for the entire week before graduation. It helped me realize that giving up on myself would be a lot worse than giving in to my fear of failure. I realized that as long as I made my speech, I would not fail.

As long as we give ourselves a fair chance, we will triumph. We will learn from our mistakes, we will gain confidence in the face of self-doubt, and we will be able to smile and state, “I did it!”

A favorite quote can tell a lot about a person. It can also spread inspiration, positivity, and just plain joy.

What’s your favorite quote, and how has it changed your life?

Sunset image via Shutterstock

About Anna Gragert

When Anna isn't trying to create a groundbreaking bio for herself, she's writing, taking photographs, blogging, catering to her little black cat, or putting the finishing touches on her Audrey Hepburn shrine. Follow Anna on Twitter to keep up with her adventures in all things human/creative.

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