On believing in the power of one person – yourself: Instead pursue the things you love doing and do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.” 7. “You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. On pursuing what you love, rather than what makes a living: “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.” 6. On passion and purpose, and finding your direction: “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” 5. On finding true and lasting satisfaction in life:
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” 4. On bravery and confidence in our own hearts: “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” 3. On transforming ourselves to become something far more beautiful: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” 2. On reaching through and making a difference in another person’s life: “I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.Here are ten heart-lifting quotes about self-belief, perseverance, and creativity by Maya Angelou, inspirational poet and memoirist. “Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet.”Ģ1. “I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t laugh.”Ģ0. “We need much less than we think we need.”ġ9. It would be wise to use that time adoring our families, cherishing our friends and living our lives.”ġ8. “We spend precious hours fearing the inevitable. “I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.”ġ7. But any of it is better than never having been in love.”ġ6.
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It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.”ġ5. They find parking spaces, honor their credit cards, get married, have children, and call that maturity. “No matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.”ġ3. “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”ġ2. “If I am not good to myself, how can I expect anyone else to be good to me?”ġ1. “Never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option.”ġ0. “I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as ‘making a life’.”Ĩ. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”ħ. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. If I were a young person today, trying to gain a sense of myself in the world, I would do that again by reading, just as I did when I was young.”ĥ.
“When I look back, I am so impressed again with the life-giving power of literature. “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”Ĥ. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”ģ. “Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”Ģ. In honor of Angelou’s death, celebrate her life and remember her words, which can often inspire as much as they enlighten.ġ. See photos: Hollywood’s Notable Deaths of 2014 Throughout her 86 years on this planet, during which she rose above sexual abuse, poverty and prostitution to become a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, she shared her wisdom through almost every medium available, including seven autobiographies, three Grammy-winning spoken word albums, countless speeches and poems.Īlso read: Maya Angelou, Famed Poet and Author, Dead at 86 Maya Angelou - a renowned poet, author, playwright, teacher, civil rights activist, speaker, actress and filmmaker - died in 2014, but left behind a lifetime of advice for the living.