20 Maya Angelou Quotes to Uplift and Inspire You (2024)

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20 Maya Angelou Quotes to Uplift and Inspire You (1)Reader's Digest EditorsUpdated: Dec. 06, 2021

    Let these words from the beloved poet and civil rights activist embolden you.

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    She knows why the caged bird sings

    We all know that Maya Angelou was an American national treasure. Her creative and activist work has been deeply important for Black Americans, as well as hugely impactful on American culture as a whole. She was a true Renaissance woman, with a career spanning over 50 years that included amazing achievements in nearly every art form. Maya Angelou always forged her own path with wisdom and grace, and this list of her most moving quotes will inspire you to do the same. And for moments when you need a little pre-caffeine motivation, these 50 morning quotes will help you wake up inspired.

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    Shine a little light

    “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” —Maya Angelou

    To spread positivity everywhere you go, you need these happiness quotes.

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    Finding your own path

    “Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told, ‘I’m with you, kid. Let’s go.’” —Maya Angelou

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    Realizing your dreams

    “Nothing will work unless you do.” —Maya Angelou

    These quotes from amazing women who changed history will get you feeling fired up.

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    First impressions

    “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.” —Maya Angelou

    They say wisdom comes with age, but you can get a jump on it with these wise quotes.

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    Being resourceful

    “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” —Maya Angelou

    Check out more of the best quotes from famous people you certainly won’t forget.

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    Protecting yourself

    “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” —Maya Angelou

    Sometimes, people just aren’t who you want them to be. These relationship quotes will help you after any breakup.

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    Cultivating kindness

    “If we lose love and self respect for each other, this is how we finally die.” —Maya Angelou

    Get your good feelings flowing with these beautiful gratitude quotes.

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    Staying determined

    “We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.” —Maya Angelou

    These Walt Disney quotes will help you find your inner strength.

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    Living with meaning

    “I’ve learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life.” —Maya Angelou

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    Choosing courage

    “One isn’t necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.” —Maya Angelou

    These life-changing quotes are there for you when you need some extra wisdom.

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    Embracing possibility

    “Lift up your hearts. Each new hour holds new chances for new beginnings.” —Maya Angelou

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    Inner strength

    “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” —Maya Angelou

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    Respecting the process

    “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” —Maya Angelou

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    Knowing your worth

    “Never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option.” —Maya Angelou

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    Staying grounded

    “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.” —Maya Angelou

    Laughter really is the best medicine. Get your daily dose with these hilarious quotes.

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    Practicing self care

    “If I am not good to myself, how can I expect anyone else to be good to me?” —Maya Angelou

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    Keeping balanced

    “Seek patience and passion in equal amounts. Patience alone will not build the temple. Passion alone will destroy its walls.” —Maya Angelou

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    Speaking your truth

    “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” —Maya Angelou

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    The power of love

    “Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” —Maya Angelou

    Love comes in all forms. These best friend quotes will make you feel all warm and fuzzy.

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    Never stop learning

    “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” —Maya Angelou

    Love to read? Bookworms will enjoy these reading quotes—they’re real page-turners.

    Originally Published: January 06, 2021

    Originally Published in Reader's Digest

    20 Maya Angelou Quotes to Uplift and Inspire You (2024)

    FAQs

    20 Maya Angelou Quotes to Uplift and Inspire You? ›

    A poet, singer, autobiographer, and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou inspires us with both the beauty and the call to action of her words. Her most famous work is I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, an autobiography about her childhood. The book is a testament to the need for resilience in the face of discrimination.

    What was Maya Angelou's uplifting quote? ›

    Maya Angelou Quotes
    • When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. ...
    • If you don't like something, change it. ...
    • Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud. ...
    • The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free. ...
    • I have great respect for the past. ...
    • Love is like a virus.

    What are 5 positive quotes? ›

    Positive Quotes on Life and its Various Aspects to Keep in Mind
    • "Success is the sum of small efforts - repeated day in and day out." - ...
    • "Success is not the key to happiness. ...
    • "Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value." - ...
    • "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." -
    Aug 7, 2023

    How Maya Angelou inspires us? ›

    A poet, singer, autobiographer, and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou inspires us with both the beauty and the call to action of her words. Her most famous work is I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, an autobiography about her childhood. The book is a testament to the need for resilience in the face of discrimination.

    What are five famous quotes? ›

    Famous Short Quotes
    • Everything has BEAUTY, but not everyone sees it. ...
    • Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn. - ...
    • The grass is greener where you water it. - ...
    • When you focus on problems, you'll have more problems. ...
    • Fear does not stop death, it stops life. ...
    • They tried to bury us, they didn't know we were seeds.

    What is an inspirational quote about perseverance Maya Angelou? ›

    On persistence: “We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.” On working: “I've learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life.” On our influences: “You are the sum total of everything you've ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot — it's all there.

    What are 20 positive quotes? ›

    Short Motivational Quotes For New Year
    • “There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” - ...
    • “Celebrate endings - for they precede new beginnings.” - ...
    • “I think the more unexpected something is, the more there is to learn from it.” - ...
    • “Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on.” -
    Jan 2, 2024

    What is one of Maya Angelou's famous quotes? ›

    The Power Within: Maya Angelou's 10 Most Inspirational Quotes
    • “Do the best you can until you know better. ...
    • “Don't bring the negative to my door.”
    • “Whining not only makes you ugly, it lets a brute know that a victim is in the neighborhood.”
    • “Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time.”
    Jun 28, 2023

    What inspired Maya Angelou to write Still I Rise? ›

    These experiences with racism and resistance influenced Angelou's writing during the 1970s and shaped the themes in many of her poems, including “Still I Rise.” On top of these influences, Angelou also had a traumatizing childhood, which included her own personal experience with racial discrimination and sexual abuse.

    Why was Maya Angelou mute for 5 years? ›

    Returning to her mother's care briefly at the age of seven, Angelou was raped by her mother's boyfriend. He was later jailed and then killed when released from jail. Believing that her confession of the trauma had a hand in the man's death, Angelou became mute for six years.

    What are 10 motivational quotes? ›

    Fox Tucker
    • "Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." – ...
    • "Opportunities don't happen. ...
    • "Don't watch the clock; do what it does. ...
    • "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." – ...
    • "I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have." –
    Sep 26, 2023

    What are 10 good quotes? ›

    Famous quotes in English
    QuoteWho
    If you are going through hell, keep going.Winston Churchill
    If you build it, they will come.Joe Jackson (character)
    If you want something done right, do it yourself.Charles-Guillaume Étienne
    If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.Margaret Thatcher
    54 more rows

    What is a beautiful life quote? ›

    Life is not always perfect. Like a road, it has many bends, ups and down, but that's its beauty. I marveled at the beauty of all life and savored the power and possibilities of my imagination.

    What is an important quote from Still I Rise? ›

    I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

    What are some short famous quotes by Maya Angelou? ›

    Short Maya Angelou Quotes
    • “When you learn, teach. ...
    • “We are only as blind as we want to be.”
    • “All great achievements require time.”
    • “We need much less than we think we need.”
    • “Love is like a virus. ...
    • “Still, I rise.”
    • “Nothing will work unless you do.”
    • “There's no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

    What are four positive quotes? ›

    Positive, Motivational Quotes
    • "Find out who you are and do it on purpose." — Dolly Parton.
    • “Live life to the fullest, and focus on the positive.” — ...
    • “You'll never do a whole lot unless you're brave enough to try.” — ...
    • “Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.” –

    What is a famous quote by Maya Angelou on education? ›

    When you learn, teach. When you get, give,” is a lesson Maya Angelou imparted to Oprah, and the rest of us too.

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