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Writer's picturePut It Down Team

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES

Updated: Nov 13

In a world often filled with chaos and uncertainty, we all seek moments of clarity and motivation to propel us forward. Welcome to our sanctuary of inspiration, where words have the power to ignite flames of hope, courage, and perseverance—and occasionally, they make us chuckle. Here you'll find a delightful blend of timeless wisdom and quirky humor, distilled into poignant quotes from thinkers, leaders, and visionaries across the ages. Whether you're seeking solace in times of difficulty, a dose of laughter, or a spark to fuel your ambitions, join us on this journey as we explore the transformative power of words and the boundless potential they hold to uplift and inspire. We’ve categorized the quotes into ten categories so you can easily find what you need.


Quotes that encourage self-reflection, forgiveness, and letting go of past mistakes or regrets.


Quotes that inspire courage, resilience, and facing challenges head-on.


Quotes that focus on pursuing dreams, setting goals, and believing in oneself.


Quotes that emphasize the importance of mindfulness, being present, and appreciating the current moment.


Quotes that promote personal growth, authenticity, and embracing one's true self.


Quotes that provide motivation, encouragement, and inspiration to overcome obstacles and achieve success.


Quotes that highlight the importance of gratitude, abundance, and appreciating what one already has.


8.     Philosophy of Life:

Quotes that offer philosophical insights about life, happiness, and the human experience.


Quotes that encourage and inspire you on your sober journey.


Quotes that add a touch of humor or light-heartedness to your life.



SELF-REFLECTION AND FORGIVENESS


A woman hiking in the mountains with text overlay: “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”  – CS Lewis

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”  – CS Lewis


“When you come to the end of your days, you will not measure your life based on successes and failures.  What will give you solace is a life with nothing left undone.  One that’s been lived with relentless ambition, a heart on fire and with no regrets.” – Erwin Raphael McManus


“Forgive yourself for the desires you judged harshly.  Forgive yourself for indulging in things that took up your time but didn’t fulfill you.  Forgive yourself for declaring yourself as someone you’re not.  Forgive yourself for y our chosen avenues of negative expression.  Forgive yourself for all the times you didn’t add value to others.  Forgive yourself for what you discovered about yourself that you didn’t like.  Forgive yourself for whatever ugliness you saw in yourself.  Forgive yourself for the parts you couldn’t respect.  Forgive yourself for all these judgments.  Forgive yourself for not being able to forgive yourself before.”  – Emily Maroutian, The Minds Journal


“Forgive yourself first. Release the need to replay a negative situation over and over again in your mind.  Don’t become a hostage to your page by always reviewing and reliving your mistakes.  Don’t remind yourself of what should have, could have, or would have been.  Release it and let is go.  Move on.” – Les Brown


"Oh yes, the past can hurt. But you can either run from it, or learn from it." – The Lion King, Rafiki



COURAGE AND RESILIENCE


A woman ready to work out looking through a fence with text overlay: “Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.” – Brene Brown

“Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.” – Brene Brown


"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do." – Eleanor Roosevelt


 "I want to be in the arena. I want to be brave with my life. And when we make the choice to dare greatly, we sign up to get our asses kicked. We can choose courage or we can choose comfort, but we can't have both. Not at the same time."— Brené Brown


"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity." – Jen Hatmaker, Fierce Free and Full of Fire


"Don't make assumptions. Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want." – Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements


"The willingness to show up changes us. It makes us a little braver each time." – Brené Brown, Daring Greatly



A woman rock climbing with text overlay: “The truth is that falling hurts. The dare is to keep being brave and feel your way back up.”  – Brené Brown

“The truth is that falling hurts. The dare is to keep being brave and feel your way back up.”  – Brené Brown


"Fear is boring." — Tara Mohr, Playing Big

 

“Named must be your fear before banish it you can.” – Yoda


"I want to be in the arena. I want to be brave with my life. And when we make the choice to dare greatly, we sign up to get our asses kicked. We can choose courage or we can choose comfort, but we can't have both. Not at the same time."— Brené Brown


“There is always light. If only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it.” – Amanda Gorman


A woman kickboxing with text overlay: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." – Winston Churchill

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." – Winston Churchill


"Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it's having the courage to show up and be seen." – Brené Brown, Daring Greatly

 

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” – E.E. Cummings


"What if I tried?" – Marie Forleo, Everything is Figureoutable



DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS


The quote: “It always seems impossible… until it is done.” – Nelson Mandela on a black background

“It always seems impossible… until it is done.” – Nelson Mandela


“Don't downgrade your dream just to fit your reality. Upgrade your conviction to match your destiny.” – Stuart Scott


"Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle." – Christian D. Larson


"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today." – Franklin D. Roosevelt


"Nothing is impossible. The word itself says 'I'm possible!'" — Audrey Hepburn


"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." – Eleanor Roosevelt


“All our dreams can come true — if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney


“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." – Ralph Waldo Emerson


The quote: “Those who think they can and those who think they can’t are both usually right.” – Confusius with a background of a notebook, pen, and paperclips

“Those who think they can and those who think they can’t are both usually right.” – Confusius


“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” – Henry David Thoreau


"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." – C.S. Lewis


"The best way to predict the future is to create it." – Abraham Lincoln & Peter Drucker


"There is nothing impossible to they who will try." — Alexander the Great


"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals." – Henry David Thoreau


"Believe you can and you're halfway there." – Theodore Roosevelt


"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals." – Zig Ziglar



MINDFULNESS AND LIVING IN THE PRESENT


The quote: “Of the moment, be. In the moment, live. The art of remaining in the present, learn. Neither the past nor the future exists.” – Yoda with a fence background

“Of the moment, be. In the moment, live. The art of remaining in the present, learn. Neither the past nor the future exists.” – Yoda


"The past has no power over the present moment." – Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now


“Be present. Make tea. Avoid small talk. Embrace conversation. Buy a plant. Water it. Make your bed. Have a smart mouth and quick wit. Run. Make art. Create. Swim in the ocean. Swim in the rain. Take chances. Ask questions. Make mistakes. Learn. Know your worth. Love fiercely. Forgive quickly. Let go of what doesn’t make you happy. Grow.” – Paulo Coelho



A woman with hands on head with text overlay: “Make sure your own worst enemy doesn’t live between your two ears.” – Laird Hamilton

“Make sure your own worst enemy doesn’t live between your two ears.” – Laird Hamilton


“There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done.  One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow.  So today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live!” – Dalai Lama


"Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have." – Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now


"We will never be perfect, but we can be present." – Jen Hatmaker, Fierce Free and Full of Fire



PERSONAL GROWTH AND AUTHENTICITY


A woman dancing in a meadow with text overlay: “Don’t let someone else’s opinion of you become your reality.” – Les Brown

“Don’t let someone else’s opinion of you become your reality.” – Les Brown


"You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them." – Maya Angelou


"You define your own life. Don't let other people write your script." – Oprah Winfrey


"Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go, they merely determine where you start." – Nido Qubein



Two hands touching with text overlay: “Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously.” – Prentis Hemphil

“Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously.” – Prentis Hemphil


"Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It's about the choice to be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen." – Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection


"Your time is limited, don't waste it living someone else's life." – Steve Jobs


"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." – Maya Angelou



The quote: “If you don’t sacrifice for what you want, what you want becomes the sacrifice.” – Anonymous with a mountainous background

“If you don’t sacrifice for what you want, what you want becomes the sacrifice.” – Anonymous


"The only failure is quitting. Everything else is just gathering information." – Jen Sincero, You Are a Badass


"Owning our story can be hard, but not as difficult as spending our lives running from it." – Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection


"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." – Ralph Waldo Emerson



The quote: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn with a background of 5 smiling women

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn


"Perfectionism is self-destructive simply because there is no such thing as perfect." – Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection


"For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn't end." — Michelle Obama


“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” – Carl Jung


"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." – Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning



The back of a woman dancing with the text: “Worthiness doesn’t have prerequisites.” Brené Brown

“Worthiness doesn’t have prerequisites.” Brené Brown


"Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become." – James Clear, Atomic Habits


"You are responsible for what you say and do. You are not responsible for whether or not people agree with you." – Jen Sincero, You Are a Badass



INSPIRATION AND MOTIVATION


“The devil whispered in my ear, ‘You’re not strong enough to withstand the storm.’  Today I whispered in the devil’s ear, ‘I am the storm.’”

“The devil whispered in my ear, ‘You’re not strong enough to withstand the storm.’  Today I whispered in the devil’s ear, ‘I am the storm.’” – Adharanand Finn


"It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped." – Tony Robbins, Awaken the Giant Within


“I tried to throw in the towel. God threw it back and said, ‘Wipe your face. You’re almost there!’” – Unknown


"The starting point of all achievement is desire." – Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich


"You are a badass. You were one when you came screaming onto this planet, and you are one now." – Jen Sincero, You Are A Badass



“Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.” – Dalai Lama with a background smiley face

“Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.” – Dalai Lama


"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." – Nelson Mandela


"The best way out is always through." – Robert Frost


"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." – Eleanor Roosevelt


"The only limit to your impact is your imagination and commitment." – Tony Robbins, Awaken the Giant Within



“And the moon said to me – my darling, you do not have to be whole to shine.” – Nichole McElhaney with a woman holding the moon

“And the moon said to me – my darling, you do not have to be whole to shine.” – Nichole McElhaney


"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." – C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain


"You are imperfect, you are wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging." – Brené Brown, Daring Greatly 


"You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." – Martin Luther King Jr.


"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." – Charles R. Swindoll



“The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs, one step at a time.” – Joe Girard with a background of someone climbing steps

“The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs, one step at a time.” – Joe Girard


"Don't take anything personally. Nothing others do is because of you." – Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements


"Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you." – Walt Whitman


"In a gentle way, you can shake the world." — Mahatma Gandhi


"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve." – Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich


“True belonging never asks us to change who we are. True belonging requires us to BE who we are.” – Brené Brown with a giraffe background

“True belonging never asks us to change who we are. True belonging requires us to BE who we are.” – Brené Brown


"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." – Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ferris Bueller


"Where focus goes, energy flows." – Tony Robbins, Awaken the Giant Within



GRATITUDE AND ABUNDANCE


"Gratitude turns what we have into enough." – Mary Beth Sammons, Living Life as a Thank You on a vibrant background

"Gratitude turns what we have into enough." – Mary Beth Sammons, Living Life as a Thank You


"We should certainly count our blessings, but we should also make our blessings count." – Neal A. Maxwell"Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance."– Eckhart Tolle


"Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out." – John Wooden

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.” – John F. Kennedy


"Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds." – Theodore Roosevelt


"God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say 'thank you?'" – William A. Ward


“Be grateful in your own hearts. That suffices. Thanksgiving has wings, and flies to its right destination.”—Victor Hugo


"The miracle of gratitude is that it shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see." – Dr. Robert Holden with an ocean background

"The miracle of gratitude is that it shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see." – Dr. Robert Holden


"What separates privilege from entitlement is gratitude." – Brené Brown


“When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.” —Tecumseh


"Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance." – Sarah Ban Breathnach, Living Life as a Thank You


"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity." – Melody Beattie


“I may not be where I want to be, but I'm thankful for not being where I used to be.” ― Habeeb Akande


"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough." – Oprah Winfrey



PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE


A woman yelling into a megaphone: “If it’s not a HELL YES, it’s a NO!”

“If it’s not a HELL YES, it’s a NO!”


“To live is to dance, to dance is to live.” – Charles M. Schultz, Peanuts (Snoopy)


“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” – Carl Sagan


“Be the woman you needed as a girl.”  – Jayne Moore


“When you stop chasing the wrong things, you give the right things a chance to catch you.” – Lolly Daskal



“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” – Oprah Winfrey


"Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen—that stillness becomes a radiance."— Morgan Freeman


"The true joy of life is found in positive, constructive, selfless actions." – Allen Carr, Allen Carr's Easy Way to Control Alcohol


"Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions." – Dalai Lama


“If you’re going through hell, keep going. Why would you stop in hell?” – Winston Churchill (with an add-on by Steve Harvey)


"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." – Albert Einstein


"Change your thoughts, and you change your world." – Norman Vincent Peale



“Advice from a Tree. Stand tall and proud. Go out on a limb. Remember your roots. Drink plenty of water. Be content with your natural beauty. Enjoy the view.” – Ilan Shamir

“Advice from a Tree. Stand tall and proud. Go out on a limb. Remember your roots. Drink plenty of water. Be content with your natural beauty. Enjoy the view.” – Ilan Shamir


"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


"You are the Universe expressing itself as a human for a little while." – Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now


"Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud." — Maya Angelou


"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." – Lao Tzu


"The greatest teacher, failure is." Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi, Yoda



“Don’t look at your feet to see if you’re doing it right. Just dance.” – Anne Lamott with 4 women dancing

“Don’t look at your feet to see if you’re doing it right. Just dance.” – Anne Lamott


"Those who have a 'why' to live can bear with almost any 'how'." – Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning


"You are already complete. Life is not something you achieve, but something you experience." – Mark Manson, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck 


"Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” – Vivian Greene


"Sometimes you have to travel a long way to find what is near." – Richard Wagamese, Embers: One Ojibway's Meditations


“If in anger you answer, then in shame you dwell.” – Yoda



ENCOURAGEMENT WHEN PURSUING AN ALCOHOL-FREE LIFESTYLE


A billboard that reads: "Sobriety delivers everything alcohol promised." – Amanda Eyre Ward, The Sober Lush

"Sobriety delivers everything alcohol promised." – Amanda Eyre Ward, The Sober Lush


"Being sober is not about saying no to drinking, it's about saying yes to life." – Clare Pooley, The Sober Diaries


"Alcohol promises comfort, courage, and confidence, but delivers emptiness." – Annie Grace, The Alcohol Experiment


“You don’t have to be an alcoholic to stop drinking.” – A Friend of Put It Down


"Changing my drinking started by changing my thinking." – Annie Grace, The Alcohol Experiment


A woman head down on table with liquor bottle in hand. Text overlay: “First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

“First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald


"Sober curiosity is not about giving up alcohol; it's about discovering yourself." – Ruby Warrington, Sober Curious


"When we stop using alcohol as a crutch, we force ourselves to look at our feet." – Ruby Warrington, Sober Curious


"I thought I had escaped; I had only concealed." – Caroline Knapp, Drinking: A Love Story



HUMOR AND LIGHT-HEARTEDNESS


“All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt!” – Charles M. Schultz. Peanuts (Lucy)

“All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt!” – Charles M. Schultz. Peanuts (Lucy)


"The road to success is always under construction." – Lily Tomlin


"If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito." – Dalai Lama


"I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific." – Lily Tomlin


"The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese." – Willie Nelson


"I don't go crazy. I am crazy. I just go normal from time to time." – Unknown


"Life is short. Smile while you still have teeth." – Mallory Hopkins


"I walk around like everything is fine, but deep down, inside my shoe, my sock is sliding off." – Unknown


“Big sisters are the crab grass in the lawn of life.” – Charles M. Schultz, Peanuts (Linus)


“I never made a mistake in my life. I thought I did once, but I was wrong.” – Charles M. Schultz. Peanuts (Lucy)


“In the book of life, the answers aren’t in the back.” – Charles M. Schultz, Peanuts (Charlie Brown)



Final Thoughts

Let these quotes serve as reminders to embrace life fully, with all its ups and downs, and to find joy in the journey. Keep these words close to your heart, and may they continue to inspire you to live your best life, one day at a time.


Do you have a favorite quote you'd like to share? Leave it in the comments!

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