During Tough Times & Good Times​

Sometimes this inner critic (or our negative self-talk) just goes on and on about how everything we do is wrong, not good enough or embarrassing even if that is not true. I imagine my inner voice as a podcast host, providing critical commentary on my life as a continuous negative feedback loop. This background noise can be loud, distracting, and hard to tune out. Instead of “changing the channel” (or having a more positive outlook) I find myself stuck, losing sight of what is important to me. This can lead to me make choices that are not always in line with my values.

This inner critic lives inside of us all and getting stuck listening to it can happen to anyone. So how can we break this loop, grow a positive outlook and make choices that are in line with what we care about? Surrounding yourself with positivity, encouragement, and support by discovering staying positive quotes is one small step in helping you transform your inner voice into something more positive and inspiring.

This article is going to help you learn about the benefits of staying positive and give you a wide variety of staying positive quotes to help shift your perspective in any situation.

Growing our positive self-talk is a process, and learning how to “change the channel” from something less doom and gloom into something more uplifting requires practice. Having access to staying positive quotes can be just the right dose of inspiration we need to keep us going even in tough times and can help us learn how to craft our own words of affirmation.

Research has shown that integrating positive quotes into people’s lives has boosted their confidence, motivation, empowerment, and satisfaction, specifically for those who have mental health concerns or stress (Bedrov & Bulaj, 2018; Littlechild et al., 2013; Marchinko & Clarke, 2011; Poon, 2016).​

Our brain has the power to impact our health. The way we think about ourselves, others and the world around us can affect our body’s inflammatory and stress systems. Stress has been shown to increase inflammation in the body which can weaken our immune system, produce stress-related hormones (e.g., cortisol), and lead to an increased risk of developing an illness or disease (American Psychological Association [APA], 2022). Researchers have shown that a positive mindset can be one way to buffer the effects of stress by fostering hope and helping people choose healthier actions (Tugade & Fredrickson, 2004; Tugade et al., 2004). Thinking positively has been linked to reduced anxiety, increased satisfaction, and better stress management (Lyubomirsky et al., 2005; Naseem & Khalid, 2010).

For example, researchers have found that people who had a greater sense of optimism and hope were more likely to engage in healthier behaviors even with the challenges caused by their chronic illness (Schiavon et al., 2017). This finding helps illustrate that staying positive can improve our well-being by motivating us to make healthy choices even in hard times.​

• “I have learned not to allow rejection to move me.” – Cicely Tyson
  
• “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – A.A. Milne
  
• “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” – Robert H. Schuller
  

• “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” – Stephen Covey
• “What we fear of doing most is usually what we most need to do.” –  Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “You are not your resume, you are your work.” –  Seth Godin
• “Be humble. Be hungry. And always be the hardest worker in the room.” –  Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
• “Work hard and be kind and amazing things will happen.” –   Conan O’Brien
• “I dwell in possibility.” – Emily Dickinson
• “No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.” – Robin Williams

• “I don’t need anyone to take care of all my needs and desires. I can take care of them myself now.” – Mindy Kaling
• “I’m not alone! I’m with myself. And myself is fabulous.” – Eva Longoria
• “I think it’s very healthy to spend time alone. You need to know how to be alone and not defined by another person.” – Oscar Wilde
• “Single is no longer a lack of options – but a choice. A choice to refuse to let your life be defined by your relationship status but to live every day Happily and let your Ever After work itself out.” – Mandy Hale
• “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” –  Oscar Wilde
• “Being single is about celebrating and appreciating your own space that you’re in.” – Kelly Rowland
• “Being with no one is better than being with the wrong one. Sometimes those who fly solo have the strongest wings.” – Nitya Prakash
• “The most profound relationship we will ever have is the one with ourselves.” – Shirley Mclaine
• “You’re single not because you are not good enough for one, it’s that you’re too good for the wrong one.” – Chris Burkmenn
• “The single woman is a free woman, and being single does not mean being alone – it means being free to have a relationship or not. This can be scary, but it’s also very interesting.” –  Monica Bellucci
• “Every woman in her late 20s goes through a period where she just doesn’t believe love is out there anymore, but it is. And I think the minute you stop looking for it is when it comes for you.” – Kristen Bell

• “Attitude is the ‘little’ thing that makes a big difference.” – Winston Churchill
  
• “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” – Maya Angelou
  
• “What I’ve realized is that confidence is a daily journey. We always think that confidence is a destination we must get to, but it’s a choice we make. I don’t think it’s something we ever really get to and stay at. And I think once you know that, it takes the pressure off.” –  Jonathan Van Ness
  
• “Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.” – Stephen Hawking
  

• “Be sure when you step, step with care and great tact. And remember that life is a great balancing act.” – Dr. Seuss
  
• “Only in the darkness can you see the stars.” – Martin Luther King Jr
  
• “It’s not the years of your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln
  
• “Choose to be optimistic, it feels better.” – Dalai Lama
  

• “People who wonder if the glass is half empty or half full miss the point. The glass is refillable.” – Unknown
  
• “A river cuts through a rock not because of its power but its persistence.” – Jim Watkins
  
• “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” – Dolly Parton
  
• “You do not find the happy life. You make it.” – Thomas S. Monson
  
• “A winner is a dreamer who never gave up.” – Nelson Mandela
  
• “Memories of our lives, of our works, and our deeds will continue in others.” – Rosa Parks
  
• “Lay plans for something big by starting with it when small.” – Lao Tzu
  
• “Don’t try to lessen yourself for the world; let the world catch up to you.” – Beyonce Knowles
  
• “It’s your outlook on life that counts. If you take yourself lightly and don’t take yourself too seriously, pretty soon you can find the humor in our everyday lives. And sometimes it can be a lifesaver.” – Betty White
  
• “What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.”–  Ralph Waldo Emerson
  

• “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
  
• “Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.” – John F Kennedy
  
• “Whoever is happy will make others happy too.” – Ann Frank
  
• “You are enough just as you are.” – Megan Markle
  
• “Say something positive, and you’ll see something positive.” – Jim Thompson
  
• “Happiness is not by chance but by choice.” – Jim Rohn
  

• “I don’t harp on the negative because if you do, then there’s no progression. There’s no forward movement. You got to always look on the bright side of things, and we are in control. Like, you have control over the choices you make.” – Taraji P. Henson
  
• “All dreams are within reach. All you have to do is keep moving towards them.” – Viola Davis
  
• “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” – Henry David Thoreau
  
• “Try walking forward while looking over your shoulder and see how far you get. The same goes for life. Look forward!” – Martin Henderson
  
• “The key to life when things get tough is to just keep moving. Just keep moving.” – Tyler Perry
  
• “Life is like a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein
  

• American Psychological Association. (2022, October 31).  How stress affects your health. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/health.
• Bedrov, A., & Bulaj, G. (2018). Improving Self-Esteem With Motivational Quotes: Opportunities for Digital Health Technologies for People With Chronic Disorders. Frontiers in psychology, 9, 2126.
• Littlechild, B., Smith, A. H., Meredith-Windle, G., Gale, T., Lloyd, M., and Hawley, C. (2013). Recovery approaches in mental health: a qualitative evaluation of the whole life therapy programme for persons with schizophrenia. Health 5, 582–587. doi: 10.4236/health.2013.53A077
• Lyubomirsky, S., King, L., & Diener, E. (2005). The Benefits of Frequent Positive Affect: Does Happiness Lead to Success? Psychological Bulletin, 131(6), 803–855.
• Marchinko, S., and Clarke, D. (2011). The wellness planner: empowerment, quality of life, and continuity of care in mental illness. Arch. Psychiatry Nursing 25, 284–293.
• Naseem, Z., & Khalid, R. (2010). Positive thinking in coping with stress and health outcomes: A literature review. Journal of Research & Reflections in Education (JRRE), 4(1).
• Poon, S. K. (2016). Pacifica: stressed or worried? An app to help yourself (Mobile App User Guide). Br. J, Sports Med. 50, 191–192.
• Schiavon, C. C., Marchetti, E., Gurgel, L. G., Busnello, F. M., & Reppold, C. T. (2017). Optimism and Hope in Chronic Disease: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in psychology, 7, 2022.
• Tugade, M. M., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2004). Resilient Individuals Use Positive Emotions to Bounce Back From Negative Emotional Experiences. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 86(2), 320–333.
• Tugade, M. M., Fredrickson, B. L., & Barrett, L. F. (2004). Psychological resilience and positive emotional granularity: examining the benefits of positive emotions on coping and health. Journal of personality, 72(6), 1161–1190.