The world is currently undergoing an unprecedented stressful event. It’s a tailspin to say the least. Despite our best efforts, stress somehow does manage to find its way into our lives. Burnout is at an all-time high. The caring voice team constantly researches new ways in which we can counter or even negate the effects of chronic stress on our bodies and helps us cope with the pressure.
Often, the stress we feel is compounded by isolation. We feel helpless because we have to face tough, complex situations by ourselves. Everyone probably is dealing with their own problems and there may be times when your best buddies or your family aren’t around to help you deal with a situation. This is not because they don’t care for you mind you. Not because there’s a lack of affection either. Instead, it’s because their lives are just full of their own problems.
That’s when we decided to look into motivational quotes for a change. An inspirational quote is a great way to spur us on the way when times get a little too tough for comfort. We spent a few hours trying to find the best ones and boy, was it tough. In the end, we found 10 for you.
Most of these pithy quotes are now a celebrated part of common vocabulary. You will discover that people around you mouth one of these from time to time, as part of a motivational pep-talk, or even some bragging rights.
Now, you too can use one of these when you feel that the burden of the world is on your shoulders.
Quote 1
You gain strength, courage, and confidence from every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, “I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt, You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life
Life Lesson
This quote by the inimitable Eleanor Roosevelt tells you how Fear limits you from achieving your true potential. Why was Fear created? It possibly helped our ancestors survive at one point in time. But in the current lifestyle, Fear might be a synthetic feeling that we create ourselves. It is a belief that we are not up to the mark or the way people perceive us. This stops us from living life fully or reaching out to our goals. Eleanor gives you the courage to face your worst fears and the ones that may be on the way. This is a great quote in the current time when we are dealing with a pandemic that never seems to end.
Quote 2
Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. … There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter. ― Rachel Carson, Silent Spring
Life Lesson
Who better than the great Rachel Carson for the second motivational quote? Rachel was a woman of many strengths. One of the most significant ones was her work highlighting the plight of the environment when industrialization was ravaging pristine habitats all around the world. This quote is probably a part of her bestselling book ‘Silent Spring’. It tells you the importance of breaking away from the technological labyrinths that we entrap ourselves in. It speaks about the amazing healing power of nature. Sometimes, just staring at a brook gushing away is all the therapy you need.
Quote 3
I also know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong but to feel strong. – Christopher Johnson McCandless
Life Lesson
Perhaps the most inspiring, but heartbreaking modern tale of pursuing one’s passion is that of Christopher Johnson McCandless. The immensely skilled American adventurer wanted to lead a nomadic life in the lap of nature. But met an untimely death, chasing his ultimate dream. Christopher left a treasure trove of life lessons for us. The most important one is that you must get out of your current comfort zones to get the magic bus. Remember the magic bus in the movie? That’s what you need to find to get ahead in life. In the end, he shared one of the best lessons for us. Happiness is only worth it when it’s shared with someone else.
Quote 4
Those who do not know how to weep with their whole heart don’t know how to laugh either.
— Golda Meir, Interview with Oriana Fallaci published in Ms. Magazine
Life Lesson
This one’s one of our personal favorites. How many life lessons can you learn from Golda Meir? In case you were unaware, this American born Israeli statesperson became the first woman prime minister of Israel. She’s considered to be one of the key political figures who helped set up the state of Israel. She was born in America and led an incredibly inspiring life. In this interview, she was asked a question on the accusation that was often levied against her. That she ruled the country with her heart rather than her brain. This quote was her response.
Quote 5
Don’t be afraid of your fears. They’re not there to scare you. They’re there to let you know that something is worth it. — C. JoyBell C., “Don’t Be Afraid Of Your Fears”
Life Lesson
Fear is not natural to us humans. It is something that’s instilled in our minds by society. We are taught to doubt our abilities. We are constantly judged, ridiculed, and even compared against people who may be more skilled than us. This creates a very negative state of mind where people are even afraid of pursuing things that they are very good at. All because they have repeatedly been told that they are not good. Your biggest gift turns into your worst enemy. That’s when this quote comes in handy. It shows you that there’s no need to be afraid of your fears. Face them. If there is something that makes you anxious, try to understand why it makes you anxious. Embrace it and you will realize that changing your thought and the way you looked at them, changes everything. If you are dealing with anxiety, helplessness or depression, we do recommend that you check out the list of 8 mobile apps that may help you deal with these conditions better.
Quote 6
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. — Frederick Douglass, The Frederick Douglass Papers. (And Oprah Winfrey’s version: Where there is no struggle, there is no strength.)
Life Lesson
Sometimes, we have to struggle a lot to reach our goals while others might find it relatively easy to achieve theirs. This can trigger an avalanche of negative thoughts in your mind. Am I Good enough? Maybe the fault is in me. But that’s where you are mistaken. People have different aptitudes. We all are unique. We all have our own strengths and an equal number of flaws. What is a struggle or challenge for you at this point in time, might in fact prepare you to face much bigger challenges that might arise in the future. Each thing that you consider a struggle might in fact progress. Do this exercise. Take a notebook and write down your life journey in the past two years. You might notice that you have focused so much on the struggles, that you overlooked the progress completely. Remember this great quote by Frederick Douglas whenever you feel that the struggles are overwhelming.
Quote 7
It takes strength to face our sadness and to grieve and to let our grief and our anger flow in tears when they need to. It takes strength to talk about our feelings and to reach out for help and comfort when we need it. – Fred Rogers, The World According to Mister Rogers
Life Lesson
Often crying, or reaching out for help is considered a sign of weakness. But Fred Rogers reminds us that it takes great courage to express our worst feelings and seek help from someone in our most difficult times. There can be many situations in life that make you feel like you’ve just hit rock bottom. During the pandemic, millions of people lost their lives. Millions lost their jobs. Times are tough. There are people who care for someone with chronic illness and feel overwhelmed at all the responsibilities because they did not sign up for it. We have a great guide for them called ‘Caring for the caregiver’. The takeaway from this quote is that don’t consider yourself to be weak. Seek help if you feel the need for it. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with doing that. In fact, you might do yourself a favor and prevent a mental breakdown by seeking help.
Quote 8
I think this is what we all want to hear: that we are not alone in hitting the bottom and that it is possible to come out of that place courageous, beautiful, and strong. – Anna White, Mended: Thoughts on Life, Love, and Leaps of Faith
Life Lesson
Here’s another great quote for those who are going through a low currently. We live in a world where we are burdened to put up appearances, aren’t we? The perfect body. The perfect life. The best holiday. The most expensive car. More follows on Instagram. More likes on Facebook. But did you ever pause to think that behind all this pretense, people might also be going through difficult phases, like you are at the moment? What if it’s all make-believe? People rarely come out about their tough times. Nor do they communicate with others about it. So, if you are feeling low today, read that quote. You are definitely not alone. Reach out to a loved one, a close friend maybe. Someone who can share some of your burden. Speak to them and communicate what you feel.
Quote 9
There is no shame in strategic retreat if it lets you remain strong enough to go after the enemy later. ― Jane Lindskold, The Buried Pyramid
Life Lesson
Jane Lindskold, the Bestselling Author has this very underrated quote, according to us. How many times do you come across situations in life where you know, you might not win, but you keep going anyway? That’s because there’s something in the back of your mind that tells you that you cannot take a step back. Retreating has always been attributed to cowardice in history. This may force you to make decisions that are not in your own best interest. Jane reminds us that it might be a great strategic move to take a pause and retreat. Remember that life is not a 100 meter sprint. It’s a marathon. All that you need to ensure is that you have enough gas to go up against the enemy (which might be a situation, a person, or a business venture), at a later point. Gather yourself, reevaluate your strategy and then go again when you are in a better position.
Quote 10
Life is stronger than you are, even when you deny it, even when you neglect it, even when you refuse to admit it. ― Anna Gavalda, Someone I Loved
Life Lesson
The final quote for the day is by Anna Gavalda and it talks about resilience. As we face this unprecedented event called Covid-19, we might feel that this is the end of the world. That there is no respite. The tough times are going to last forever. But with this quote, Anna reminds us that even after all of this, we will survive. Life will emerge stronger than anything we have dealt with. There have been insurmountable challenges that humanity faced in the past. But in the end, we all overcame it. Life moved on. Civilizations thrived. War ended. Similarly, when you feel that this is a dead end, remind yourself to pick yourself up, pat the dust off and keep moving.