SMART Living 365

Ideas to create a more happy, peaceful and rewarding life--365!

Quotes To Inspire Courage, Hope And Hanging In There

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Filed under: Aware, Meaningful

 

As most of you know, I’m a big fan of quotes.  In the beginning I planned to do just one quote on an inspiring photo.  That was until I started researching and came up with so many that I couldn’t possibly only choose one. If you’re anything like me, just reading through these made me feel that life goes on no matter what.  I’m not saying it is easy. But let’s never forget that people throughout history have managed to endure, stay hopeful and eventually thrive once it becomes the past.  Let’s be those kinds of people.

With that in mind, here are some quotes that inspired me.

 

  1. “When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.”     ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

  1. “The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning.”  ~Ivy Baker Priest

 

  1. “It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”  ~Edmund Hillary

 

  1. “I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.”  ~Agatha Christie

 

  1. “Perhaps everything terrible is in its deepest being something helpless that wants help from us.”  ~Rainer Maria Rilke

 

  1. “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.” ~Mary Anne Radmacher

 

  1. “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
    ~Mahatma Gandhi

 

  1. “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”
    ~Albert Camus

 

  1. “Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.”
    ~Wayne Dyer

 

  1. “Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it.” ~Ann Landers

 

  1. “Where there is no struggle, there is no strength” ~Oprah

 

  1. “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” ~Friedrich Nietzsche

 

  1. “Make up your mind that no matter what comes your way, no matter how difficult, no matter how unfair, you will do more than simply survive. You will thrive in spite of it.” ~Joel Osteen

 

  1. “Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope” ~ Hal Lindsey

 

  1. “Inside of a ring or out, ain’t nothing wrong with going down. It’s staying down that’s wrong.” ~Muhammad Ali

 

  1. “In times of great stress or adversity, it’s always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive.” ~Lee Iacocca

 

  1. “You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” ~Marcus Aurelius

 

  1. “At any given moment you have the power to say: This is not how the story is going to end.” ~Christine Mason Miller

 

  1. “With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt

 

  1. “Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are.” ~ Arthur Golden

 

  1. “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.’” ~Eleanor Roosevelt

 

  1. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”  ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

  1. “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.”   ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

 

  1. “Anyone can give up, it’s the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that’s true strength.” ~Evangeline Love

 

  1. “I am not a product of circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” ~Stephen Covey

 

  1. “Life is not about how fast you run or how high you climb but how well you bounce.” ~Vivian Komori

 

  1. “Dealing with it is the operative word. I found myself at seven years not battling it. Not struggling with it. Not suffering from it. Not breaking under the burden of it,
    but dealing with it.” ~Michael J Fox

 

  1. “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. “ ~Desmond Tutu

 

  1. “I don’t think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains.” ~Anne Frank

 

  1. “I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward.” ~Nelson Mandela

 

  1. “To live without hope is to cease to live.” ~Fyodor Dostoyevsky

 

  1. “You don’t drown by falling in the water, you drown by staying there.” ~Robert Jordan

 

  1. “Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” ~Christopher Robin to Pooh, A.A. Milne

 

  1. “Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

 

  1. “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.” ~Francis of Assisi

 

  1. “Scared and sacred are spelled with the same letters. Awful proceeds from the same root word as awesome. Terrify and terrific. Every negative experience holds the seed of transformation.” ~Alan Cohen

 

  1. “And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.” ~Haruki Murakami

 

  1. “There are far, far better things ahead than anything we leave behind.” ~C. S. Lewis

 

  1. “What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.” ~Richard Bach

 

  1. “The sun always comes up. Spring always comes after winter. The river always reach the ocean. Always.” ~Maxime Lagacé

 

  1. “The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same.”  ~Carlos Castaneda

 

  1. “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”  ~Epictetus

 

  1. “It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.” ~Charles Darwin

 

  1. Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.  ~Marilyn Monroe

 

  1. “I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition. “ ~Martha Washington

 

  1. “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”  ~Victor Frankl

 

  1. COMES THE DAWN

After a while you learn the subtle difference
Between holding a hand and chaining a soul,

And you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning
And company doesn’t mean security,

And you begin to understand that kisses aren’t contracts
And presents aren’t promises.

And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head held high and your eyes open,

With the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child.
You learn to build your roads

On today because tomorrow’s ground
Is too uncertain for plans, and futures have
A way of falling down in midflight.

After a while you learn that even sunshine
Burns if you get too much.

So you plant your own garden and decorate
Your own soul, instead of waiting

For someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you can really endure,

That you really are strong
And you really do have worth

And you learn and learn … and you learn
With every goodbye you learn.

~Veronica A. Shoftstall

 

  1. “No one knows enough to be a pessimist.” ~Wayne Dyer

 

  1. “Always say “yes” to the present moment. What could be more futile, more insane, than to create inner resistance to what already is? What could be more insane than to oppose life itself, which is now and always now? Surrender to what is. Say “yes” to life — and see how life suddenly starts working for you rather than against you.” ~Eckhart Tolle

 

  1. “When you come to the edge of all that you know, you must believe one of two things: there will be ground to stand on… or you will grow wings to fly.” ~ O.R. Melling

 

 

I’m sure there are more.  Thousands more.  Did I miss one?  Please share your favorites in the comments below.

 

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Comments

  1. Dr Sock says

    Kathy, there are a lot of truisms in these quotes. I especially like the ones about courage and inner strength, like Edmund Hillary’s “ It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.” And this one: “ Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.”
    And also Martin Luther King Jr’s quote: “ The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

    Thanks for collecting these quotes.

    Jude

    Reply

  2. Erica/Erika says

    One of the many things you and I have in common, Kathy, is I am also a big fan of quotes. I also strongly feel how that life goes on no matter what. I bookmarked your amazing list. Number 2 is totally new to me. A flashback on how much I used to appreciate Ann Landers. Number 21 is possibly what you and I were discussing, Kathy. ‘How we have been preparing for this moment our entire life.’ Number 28 is a favourite along the lines of gratitude. Number 47 brought tears to my eyes. Number 50 gave me goosebumps. Thank you for being you, Kathy. xx

    Reply

    • Kathy Gottberg says

      Hi Erica! I think you and I share a lot of things Erica so I’m not surprised you love quotes too. And nice to hear which ones you liked. Again, not a surprise. Stay healthy and sane! ~Kathy

      Reply

  3. Bob Lowry says

    I copied and printed all 50 comments (3 pieces of paper, double-sided!) so i can read a handful a few times a day to keep me focused. Thanks for the inspiration .

    Reply

  6. Leslie Susan Clingan says

    Kathy, I found these quotes to be especially hopeful and uplifting. Please link up this post on my page for 10 on the 10th, where we are sharing 10 favorite quotes, Bible verses or songs. This is such a comfort.

    You provided quotes from so many deep, thoughtful folks but some of the quotes that spoke most to me were from people who are not necessarily considered renowned philosophers. Thank you for seeing the value in their words, too.

    Reply

    • Kathy Gottberg says

      Hi Leslie! Thanks for letting me know about linking to your 10 on the 10th (although I went a little overboard with 50 here!) And I’m very happy i was able to introduce you to a few new folks! I hope you are staying healthy AND sane during these times! ~Kathy

      Reply

  7. Terri Webster Schrandt says

    A beautiful and meaningful set of quotes, Kathy, perfect for the times in which we find ourselves. I’ve always been fond of #23, so practical and realistic! Years ago, maybe high school (?), I saw a poster with that quote and a kitten dangling by one claw meowing its head off! I’ve been there! Hope you are hanging in there as well and taking good care of yourselves!

    Reply

    • Kathy Gottberg says

      Hi Terri! Yes Thom and I are hanging in there too but I sure need to keep reminding myself! I hope you and Hans are doing well, staying healthy and STAYING sane! ~Kathy

      Reply

  8. Donna Connolly says

    Hi, Kathy – I agree that our attitude right now is everything. As you always say, we can’t control so many things, but we can control how we respond to them.
    Warm hugs to you and Thom.

    Reply

    • Kathy Gottberg says

      Hey Donna! I know that’s a pretty repetitive message here on SMART Living but I certainly need to be reminded of it over and over. Thanks for understanding. And (warm) hugs back to you and Richard! ~Kathy

      Reply

  10. Janis @ retirementallychallenged says

    Lots of great quotes here. I’m a great believer in how much ones attitude matters and this current situation certainly has been a test. I think Haruki Murakami’s quote (#37), “And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.” is especially apt for what’s going on and a good reminder that the storm will pass, but who we are when we come out of it is up to us.

    Reply

    • Kathy Gottberg says

      Hi Janis! Yes, isn’t that a good one. I’d never heard of Haruki Haruki before I saw this quote. I googled him and was amazed at all the books and articles he’s written. Interesting man for sure and how relevant to point out that who we are when we find ourselves on the other end of this will be interesting. ~Kathy

      Reply

  14. Frances Acquarulo says

    “If you can be content right now, then you will always be content,because it’s always right now.” Willie Nelson

    Reply

  15. Mona McGinnis says

    Comes the Dawn – I knew it as After Awhile. Love, love, love those words. Two quotes, origins unknown, have always inspired me:
    All things are difficult before they are easy. Difficulties are mean to arouse, not discourage.
    Not unlike Wayne Dyer in #9.

    Reply

    • Kathy Gottberg says

      Hi Mona! I just googled it and here is what I found:

      “…a woman by the name of Veronica A. Shoffstall wrote to “Ask Ann Landers” column claiming she was the author and that she wrote it when she was 19, in 1971. In 2004, another woman, Judith B. Evans claimed to be the “authentic author” of this poem. And in 2015, yet another woman, Veronica Rodriguez claimed to be the authentic author of “Comes The Dawn.”

      Judith B. Evans retracted her claim when it was revealed to her that the poem already existed in Spanish many years before her claim.

      In fact, the poem, “Comes The Dawn”, also known under the titles of “You Learn” and “After A While”, is one half of a longer poem “Aprendiendo”, which was written in Spanish and which has been attributed to Jorge Luis Borges (24 August 1899 – 14 June 1986), Argentinian poet, writer and essayist.”

      Here is a link to a website that I got the above from and it includes the LONGER version of the poem. Interesting. Thanks for letting us know. ~Kathy

      Reply

  16. Nancy Coiner says

    That poem by Veronica Shoftstal was new to me, & I LOVED it.

    Quotations by themselves don’t move me. It’s so easy to say things. But quotations by people like Nelson Mandela, who’ve been through the fire — those impress me.

    So thanks!

    Reply

    • Kathy Gottberg says

      Hi Nancy! I can’t remember the first time I read that poem but was so happy when it popped up for me while searching these out. I agree that the quotes by people like Mandela, Anne Frank and Viktor Frankl are particularly powerful. Thanks for stopping by! Stay healthy and stay sane! `Kathy

      Reply

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