Your mind is a powerful thing. It can take you to places you’ve never been through the power of imagination. It helps you solve problems and creates memories. But it can also be your biggest enemy. When it causes you to get stuck in negative thought patterns or ruminating over the past, things can get pretty hard. We’ve all been there.
Self-care used to be seen as something shallow, and being depressed or anxious put people under this huge stigma of being perceived as selfish and weak. Luckily, the approach to self-care has changed a lot over the past few years. Now, in an era when we are surrounded by constant stress and anxiety, and it’s harder than ever to get away from it all, self-care is finally getting recognized. Whether that means going out with friends or staying in and watching your favorite show, it’s about taking some you-time out of each day. Every little thing that makes you feel better is crucial to your overall health — and it can even benefit your relationships and career growth.
We’ve searched the internet for the best self-care quotes to serve as a daily reminder that it’s more than ok to stop and just enjoy some time off to pamper yourself every day. These positive affirmations can be your little support whenever you need a push through life’s challenges to move forward in a positive direction!
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“Keep good company, read good books, love good things and cultivate soul and body as faithfully as you can.” — Louisa May Alcott
“Be who you are and say how you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” — Dr. Seuss
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” — Rumi
“Honoring your own boundaries is the clearest message to others to honor them, too.” ― Gina Greenlee
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” — Albert Einstein
“Every small positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future.” — Alice Walker
“Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving. When we can be alone, we can be with others without using them as a means of escape.” — Bell Hooks
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” — Maya Angelou
“Every one of us needs to show how much we care for each other and, in the process, care for ourselves.” — Princess Diana
“If you aren’t good at loving yourself, you will have a difficult time loving anyone, since you’ll resent the time and energy you give another person that you aren’t even giving to yourself.” — Barbara De Angelis
“When you say ‘yes’ to others make sure you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself.” — Paulo Coelho
“Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.”– Edward Stanley
“Learning to love yourself is like learning to walk—essential, life-changing, and the only way to stand tall.” — Vironika Tugaleva
“Of all the judgments we pass in life, none is more important than the judgment we pass on ourselves.” — Nathaniel Branden
“Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.” — Buddha
“Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.” — Malcolm S. Forbes
“You have to believe in yourself when no one else does—that makes you a winner right there.” — Venus Williams
“Be patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it’s holy ground. There’s no greater investment.” — Stephen Covey
“People who love themselves come across as very loving, generous and kind; they express their self-confidence through humility, forgiveness and inclusiveness.” — Sanaya Roman
“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” — Leo Tolstoy
“Each life is made up of mistakes and learning, waiting and growing, practicing patience and being persistent.” — Billy Graham
“Self-love has very little to do with how you feel about your outer self. It’s about accepting all of yourself.” — Tyra Banks
“My mother always says people should be able to take care of themselves, even if they’re rich and important.” — Frances Hodgson Burnett
“Self-care is your fuel… Whatever the road ahead or the path you’ve taken, self-care is what keeps your motor running and your wheels turning.” — Melissa Steginus
“When I am constantly running there is no time for being. When there is no time for being there is no time for listening.” — Madeleine L’Engle
“Carve out and claim the time to care for yourself and kindle your own fire.” — Amy Ippoliti
“Happiness doesn’t depend on outward conditions. It depends on inner conditions.” — Dale Carnegie
“I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece. I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk.” — Tony Robbins
“How we care for ourselves gives our brain messages that shape our self-worth so we must care for ourselves in every way, every day.” — Sam Owen
“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.” — Etty Hillesum
“There’s only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.” — Aldous Huxley
“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” — Oprah Winfrey
“Love yourself first, and everything else falls in line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” — Lucille Ball
“Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort.” — Deborah Day
“Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious. You get to choose how you use it. You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.” — Anna Taylor
“Don't sacrifice yourself too much, because if you sacrifice too much there's nothing else you can give, and nobody will care for you.” — Karl Lagerfeld
“It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.” — Mandy Hale
“People who love themselves, don’t hurt other people. The more we hate ourselves, the more we want others to suffer.” — Dan Pearce
“It’s all about falling in love with yourself and sharing that love with someone who appreciates you, rather than looking for love to compensate for a self-love deficit.” — Eartha Kitt
“To accept ourselves as we are means to value our imperfections as much as our perfections.” — Sandra Bierig
“Don’t waste your energy trying to change opinions… Do your thing, and don’t care if they like it.” — Tina Fey
“You find peace not by rearranging the circumstances of your life, but by realizing who you are at the deepest level.” — Eckhart Tolle
“You are magnificent beyond measure, perfect in your imperfections, and wonderfully made.” — Abiola Abrams
“When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.” — Jean Shinoda Bolen
“There is a part of Wonder Woman inside me and inside every woman, kind of that secret self that women share. We are all caretakers, giving birth, caring for our children and companions and loved ones.” — Lynda Carter
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
“Self-care equals success. You’re going to be more successful if you take care of yourself and you’re healthy.” — Beth Behrs
“The most important thing in life is to stop saying ‘I wish’ and start saying ‘I will.’ Consider nothing impossible, then treat possibilities as probabilities.” — Charles Dickens
“One person’s self-care isn’t necessarily another’s—there is going to be a lot of individuality.” — Gail Saltz, M.D.
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” — C.S. Lewis
“Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.” – Christopher Germer
“When you are compassionate with yourself, you trust in your soul, which you let guide your life. Your soul knows the geography of your destiny better than you do.” – John O’Donohue
“There are days I drop words of comfort on myself like falling leaves and remember that it is enough to be taken care of by myself.” – Brian Andreas
“Self-care is not a waste of time. Self-care makes your use of time more sustainable.” – Jackie Viramontez
“Caring for your body, mind, and spirit is your greatest and grandest responsibility. It’s about listening to the needs of your soul and then honoring them.” — Kristi Ling
“Self-care has become a new priority – the revelation that it’s perfectly permissible to listen to your body and do what it needs.” ― Frances Ryan
“For me, recovery and self-care are inextricably connected. My recovery from abuse, addiction, and a suicide attempt required dump truck loads of self-care.” ― Steve Austin
“To be a good parent, you need to take care of yourself so that you can have the physical and emotional energy to take care of your family.” — Michelle Obama
“It is so important to take time for yourself and find clarity. The most important relationship is the one you have with yourself.” — Diane Von Furstenberg
“An empty lantern provides no light. Self-care is the fuel that allows your light to shine brightly.”
“Until you value yourself, you won’t value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.” — M. Scott Peck
“The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.” — Anna Quindlen
“Women need solitude in order to find again the true essence of themselves.” ― Anne Morrow Lindbergh
“If you don’t love yourself, nobody will. Not only that, you won’t be good at loving anyone else. Loving starts with the self.” — Wayne Dyer
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret to getting started is breaking your overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” — Mark Twain
“Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the face.” — Helen Keller
“You wash your hands when you shake a bunch of hands. You have to wash your energy when you’re around people. It’s hard for me to say self-care is washing, although I think it is. So I made music for self-care. That’s what it’s for.” — India Arie
“Forgiveness isn’t just the absence of anger. I think it’s also the presence of self-love, when you actually begin to value yourself.” — Tara Westover
“The most creative act you will ever undertake is the act of creating yourself.” — Deepak Chopra
“If you want to live an authentic, meaningful life, you need to master the art of disappointing and upsetting others, hurting feelings, and living with the reality that some people just won’t like you. It may not be easy, but it’s essential if you want your life to reflect your deepest desires, values, and needs.” — Cheryl Richardson
“Do something nice for yourself today. Find some quiet, sit in stillness, breathe. Put your problems on pause. You deserve a break.” — Akiroq Brost
“Self-care should include the cold shower as well as the scented tub.” — Mary Catherine Bateson
“Dedicating some time to meditation is a meaningful expression of caring for yourself that can help you move through the mire of feeling unworthy of recovery. As your mind grows quieter and more spacious, you can begin to see self-defeating thought patterns for what they are, and open up to other, more positive options.” — Sharon Salzberg
“This revolutionary act of treating ourselves tenderly can begin to undo the aversive messages of a lifetime.” — Tara Brach
“Selfishness at the expense of others is bad. Self-care for the betterment of others is good.” — Richie Norton
“I think self-awareness is probably the most important thing towards being a champion.” — Billie Jean King
“You take your problems to a god, but what you really need is for the god to take you to the inside of you.” — Tina Turner
“By making time for self-care, you prepare yourself to be your best so you can share your gifts with the world. Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. Self-care isn’t selfish. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” — Eleanor Brownn
“Every morning, look in the mirror and affirm positive words into your life.” — Lailah Gifty Akita
“When we give ourselves compassion, we are opening our hearts in a way that can transform our lives.” – Kristin Neff
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” — Anne Lamott
"Life should be touched, not strangled. You've got to relax, let it happen at times, and at others move forward with it." — Ray Bradbury
“Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.” — Hermann Hesse
“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and deep, loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” — Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
“The most important investment you can make is in yourself. Very few people get anything like their potential horsepower translated into the actual horsepower of their output in life. Potential exceeds realization for many people… The best asset is your own self. You can become to an enormous degree the person you want to be.” — Warren Buffett
“Self-care is the non-negotiable. That’s the thing that you have to do. And beauty is the thing that can be the benefit of the self-care. Beauty is not the point. Beauty is just a cute side-effect from self-care.” — Jonathan Van Ness
“I just moved into a new house, so I love spending time at home. Everything for me is all about self-care… I really feel that if I’m at my best, then I’m able to come to my job and really be feeling the best. So if I’m not working out or going on a hike, then I’m at home recharging and cooking dinner and hanging out with my cat.” — Lea Michele
“Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.” — Og Mandino
“A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows the public opinion.” — Grantland Rice
“If you’re facing a problem, don’t tell yourself that you can’t do it. Convince yourself that you have the strength to deal with almost anything because of the way you were raised. And you do! Recognizing your core strengths is an important step toward having joie de vivre. You can count on better days to come because of the good days that came before. And you can find joy in the moment because you have the resiliency to overcome the problems that may be hanging over you.” — Ruth K. Westheimer
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” — Audre Lorde
“Self-care means considering yourself a worthwhile person and presenting yourself as valuable, capable, and deserving. In other words, self-care seeks to redress an imbalance that develops when you don’t take proper care of yourself, whether by inattention or by choice.” — Arin Murphy-Hiscock
“Our lives are so busy, and for many of us the demands are overwhelming. Some of us focus so much on the needs of others, we lose sight of ourselves. Stop, for one moment. Take a deep breath. Be still. Refocus. Concentrate on improving your life. One situation at a time. You can’t be much good to others if you’re no good to yourself. If they love you, they’ll understand.” — Carlos Wallace
