Womanly Words of Wisdom: 25 Empowering Quotations for Your Life

It’s amazing the comfort that comes from a good quote.  They reassure us that others have been in the same place; physically, emotional, and mentally.  And when only a good quote can help us through a trying time, the right one appears, as if by magic, to inspire and cheer us on.

We are the product of years and years of wisdom from other women.  I can’t think of a better place to find advice, inspiration, support, or motivation than from their wise words.  Below are 25 quotes that offer general thoughts on life.  May the one that you need at this very moment find you…


1. “If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we are not really living. Growth demands a temporary surrender of security.” ~ Gail Sheehy

2. “Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory.” ~ Betty Smith

3. “Often people attempt to live their lives backwards: they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then, do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.” ~ Margaret Young

4. “There are two ways of spreading light ... To be the candle, or the mirror that reflects it.” ~ Edith Wharton

5. “Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.”  ~ Janet Lane

6. “The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others.” ~ Sonya Friedman

7. “The opinion which other people have of you is their problem, not yours.” ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

8. “You can look at a person's attitude and know what kind of thinking is prevalent in his life... It's better to be positive and wrong than negative and right!” ~ Joyce Meyer

9. “What a wonderful life I've had!  I only wish I'd realized it sooner.” ~ Sidonie Gabrielle Colette

10. “You take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame.” ~ Erica Jong

11. “We never know how high we are till we are called to rise; And then, if we are true to plan, our statures touch the skies.” ~ Emily Dickinson

12. “Happiness is a conscious choice, not an automatic response.” ~ Mildred Barthel

13. “Remove those 'I want you to like me' stickers from your forehead and, instead, place them where they truly will do the most good -- on your mirror!” ~ Susan Jeffers

14. “You never find yourself until you face the truth.” ~ Pearl Bailey

15. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” ~ Sally Berger

16. “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.” ~ Anais Nin

17. “Accept that all of us can be hurt, that all of us can - and surely will at times - fail. Other vulnerabilities, like being embarrassed or risking love, can be terrifying too. I think we should follow a simple rule: if we can take the worst, take the risk.” ~ Dr. Joyce Brothers

18. “You can't punish yourself into change. You can't whip yourself into shape. But you can love yourself into well-being.” ~ Susan Skye

19. “It doesn't matter how long we may have been stuck in a sense of our limitations. If we go into a darkened room and turn on the light, it doesn't matter if the room has been dark for a day, a week, or ten thousand years -- we turn on the light and it is illuminated. Once we control our capacity for love and happiness, the light has been turned on.” ~ Sharon Salzberg

20. “No one is in control of your happiness but you; therefore, you have the power to change anything about yourself or your life that you want to change.” ~ Barbara de Angelis

21. “When nothing is sure, everything is possible.” ~ Margaret Drabble

22. “The only difference between a rut and a grave is their dimensions.” ~ Ellen Glasgow

23. “If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.” ~ Mary Engelbreit

24. “Don't be afraid to fail. Don't waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. It's OK to fail. If you're not failing, you're not growing.” ~ Anne Sullivan

25. “I have discovered that patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.” ~ Joyce Meyer

The Soul Sisters

Soulpiration of the Week:
“The wisdom of the wise, and the experience of ages, may be preserved by quotation.” ~Isaac D'Israeli