The poet, author, and civil rights activist Maya Angelou is well-known for her ability to inspire readers with her words. With themes of courage, resilience, self-love, and faithfulness, her quotes can encourage and motivate us to confront adversity with courage and self-assurance. Angelou was most influential when she wrote about rising strong from life’s events, no matter how difficult they may be. This article will explore a selection of Angelou’s quotes about rising strong – encouraging us to stay strong and remember our inner resources.
Maya Angelou was an African American poet, author, singer, actor, and civil rights activist. She is best known for her autobiographies, including I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, which tells of her life growing up in segregated rural Arkansas. Often sorrowful and poignant, her written works encouraged her readers to examine difficult truths and confront racism and sexism. Throughout her life, Maya Angelou was committed to the service of others and her tireless work towards equality and justice.
Quotes That Celebrate the Strength to Rise Above Adversity
Angelou’s works often celebrate the power of self and the strength to rise above adversity. These are some of her most inspiring words about staying strong and resilient, no matter the difficulty:
• “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”
• “If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities.”
• “A woman’s heart should be so hidden in God that a man has to seek Him just to find her.”
• “Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time.”
• “You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.”
• “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
• “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.”
• “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”
• “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”
• “My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return.”
Foundation for Rising Strong: Belief in Yourself
At the core of Maya Angelou’s therapeutic words is the foundation of belief in self and the power to be brave. We can draw strength from her quotes that remind us that power comes when we learn to trust our inner strength and determination. Here are a few of her quotes to remember our own power:
• “The desire to reach for the stars is ambitious. The desire to reach hearts is wise.”
• “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.”
• “Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”
• “Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency.”
• “Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.”
• “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”
• “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
• “Life rivers through us, issuing from our depths, pressing up and out into the world.”
• “You are the only person on earth who can use your ability.”
• “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.”
• “All great achievements require time.”
Resilience and Growth Through Acceptance and Self-Awareness
Maya Angelou is also known for her quotes and words that remind us of the need to accept our present and foster resilience and growth. These reminding us humble ourselves and stay brave, levels of acceptance and recognition of life’s changes:
• “There is no greater burden than great potential.”
• “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”
• “I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.”
• “Peace is always beautiful.”
• “You are the life package, you bring the magic and you decide the outcome.”
• “No one is tracking your every decision, weighing options – is this the wiser path? You’re the only one who understands and must embrace that wisdom.”
• “Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.”
• “You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.”
• “It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody.”
• “The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them.”
Maya Angelou’s life was marked by courage, dedication, and service to others. The words she left behind continue to resonate with readers around the world, and her timeless message of rising above our tribulations can empower and inspire us. Through Maya Angelou’s quotes, we can find the strength within ourselves to accept the difficulties of life and tap into our own capacity to achieve. Remembering these quotes is a bundle of light to share with others and yourself in your moments of growth, when rising strong is essential.
