Although life can be full of challenges, a positive message and a few words of encouragement have the power to lift your spirits. An encouraging word about pulling through a difficult situation or overcoming an obstacle can make all the difference. Whether you’re looking for personal motivation, comforting a friend, or just reflecting on life—words of encouragement can offer a new perspective or simply make you feel better.
You can also use an encouraging quote or message to make those around you feel better, whether in the form of a handwritten note or an Instagram post. We’ve selected over 40 encouraging quotes below from influential figures, entrepreneurs, philosophers, and authors who have all struggled at some point in their journey.
Words of Encouragement
From Oprah and Eleanor Roosevelt to the Dalai Lama and Albert Einstein, the individuals behind these words have shared some powerful words of encouragement over the years. Many of these figures have paved their own path and risen to the occasion when challenged. When it comes to perseverance, learn from some of the best below.
“The most effective way to do it, is to do it.” — Amelia Earhart
“Sometimes the best thing you can do is not think, not wonder, not imagine, not obsess. Just breathe and have faith that everything will work out for the best.” — Unknown
“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” — Aristotle Onassis
“Everyone has inside them a piece of good news. The good news is you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is.” — Anne Frank
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
“Be gentle with yourself. You’re doing the best you can!” — Unknown
“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” — Albert Einstein
“When there is no struggle, there is no strength.” — Oprah
“Sometimes when you are in a dark place you think you have been buried, but actually you have been planted.” — Christine Caine
“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” —
“When you’re feeling your worst, that’s when you get to know yourself the best.” — Leslie Grossman
“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.” — Rosa Parks
“Fall seven times, stand up eight.” — Japanese Proverb
“It always seems impossible, until it’s done.” — Nelson Mandela
“Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.” — Dale Carnegie
“Life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it.” — Charles Swindoll
“Defeat is simply a signal to press onward.” — Helen Keller
“I’m stronger than I thought I was. My favorite phrase has been ‘This too shall pass.’ I now understand it really well.” — Robin Roberts
“It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always.” — Oprah
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” — Henry Thoreau
“Whenever you find yourself doubting how far you can go, just remember how far you have come. Remember everything you have faced, all the battles you have won, and all the fears you have overcome.”
“You are stronger than you know. More capable than you ever dreamed. And you are loved more than you could possibly imagine.” — Unknown
“Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” — Carl Bard
“What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.” — Oscar Wilde
“Soon, when all is well, you’re going to look back on this period of your life and be so glad that you never gave up.” Brittany Burgunder
“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” — Winston Churchill
“Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes.” — Walt Whitman
“I decided, very early on, just to accept life unconditionally; I never expected it to do anything special for me, yet I seemed to accomplish far more than I had ever hoped. Most of the time it just happened to me without my ever seeking it.” — Audrey Hepburn
“When I dare to be powerful – to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” — Audre Lorde
“I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.” — Dalai Lama
“Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.” — Dr. Robert Anthony
“When you let your light shine, you unconsciously give others permission to do the same.” — Nelson Mandela
“You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
“I’d rather attempt to do something great and fail than to attempt to do nothing and succeed.” — Robert H. Schuller
“Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.” — H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
“Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you.” — Aldous Huxley
“If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down.” — Mary Pickford
Words of encouragement can keep you grounded and provide everyday inspiration. Try surrounding yourself with inspirational thoughts by displaying words of encouragement throughout your home, office space, or even sharing on social media. Whether you’re into personalized wall decor or custom stationery, keeping encouraging quotes front and center can add a little boost to life’s ups and downs.
