Self-esteem is the foundation of a happy and fulfilling life. It’s the belief in our own worth and abilities, and it affects the way we think, feel, and behave. When we have high self-esteem, we’re more confident, resilient, and optimistic. We’re also more likely to pursue our goals, build healthy relationships, and take care of ourselves.
However, building and maintaining self-esteem can be a challenge, especially in a world that often undermines it. We’re bombarded with messages that tell us we’re not good enough, smart enough, or beautiful enough. We compare ourselves to others and focus on our flaws instead of our strengths. We also internalize negative experiences and beliefs from our past.
Fortunately, there are many ways to boost our self-esteem, and one of them is by reading and reflecting on inspiring quotes. Quotes can help us shift our perspective, challenge our limiting beliefs, and remind us of our inherent worth and potential. Here are 40 quotes to encourage self-love and boost your self-esteem:
- “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha
- “Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” – Christian D. Larson
- “You are enough just as you are.” – Meghan Markle
- “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde
- “You have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” – Louise L. Hay
- “You are not a mistake. You are not a problem to be solved. But you won’t discover this until you are willing to stop banging your head against the wall of shaming and caging and fearing yourself.” – Geneen Roth
- “Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.” – Will Rogers
- “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” – Rumi
- “Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future.” – Deepak Chopra
- “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
- “Why compare yourself with others? No one in the entire world can do a better job of being you than you.” – Unknown
- “Self-care is never a selfish act—it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer to others.” – Parker Palmer
- “You are the only one who can make yourself feel inferior.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
- “As I began to love myself, I found that anguish and emotional suffering are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth.” – Charlie Chaplin
- “I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.” – Carl Jung
- “You don’t have to be perfect to be amazing.” – Unknown
- “The most beautiful thing you can wear is confidence.” – Blake Lively
- “Don’t let anyone’s ignorance, hate, drama, or negativity stop you from being the best person you can be.” – Unknown
- “You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you.” – Brian Tracy
- “The moment you start acting like life is a blessing, it starts feeling like one.” – Unknown
- “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
- “You have the power to change your story.” – Unknown
- “The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” – Oprah Winfrey
- “Your value doesn’t decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth.” – Unknown
- “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Nelson Mandela
- “You are not a problem to be solved, but a person to be loved.” – John Lennon
- “Self-esteem is the reputation we acquire with ourselves.” – Nathaniel Branden
- “The only person who can pull me down is myself, and I’m not going to let myself pull me down anymore.” – C. JoyBell C.
- “Love yourself first and everything else falls into line.” – Lucille Ball
- “If you’re searching for that one person who will change your life, take a look in the mirror.” – Unknown
- “You can’t change how people treat you or what they say about you. All you can do is change how you react to it.” – Mahatma Gandhi
- “You are not a burden. You are a blessing.” – Unknown
- “The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible.” – Lewis Carroll
- “The more you know yourself, the more clarity there is. Self-knowledge has no end.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti
- “The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself.” – Steve Maraboli
- “Be proud of who you are, and not ashamed of how someone else sees you.” – Unknown
- “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke
- “Don’t let anyone rent a space in your head unless they’re a good tenant.” – Unknown
- “You are not a victim. You are a survivor.” – Unknown
- “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – C.S. Lewis
Remember, self-love is a journey, not a destination. It requires consistent effort, patience, and compassion towards yourself. But with the help of these quotes and other self-care practices, you can cultivate a healthy and empowering relationship with yourself.