7 Strength Giving Quotes to Pick you up when you’re Down

Do you ever feel like the universe is conspiring against you? 

Do you find it hard to believe in a brighter future for yourself? 

Do you get overwhelmed by your circumstances and predicament?

If any of the above apply then I’ve got answers.

This time, though, they’re not my own. They come in the form of 7 of the most strength giving words of wisdom you will ever read or hear. Furthermore, these quotes, and their accompanying explanations, are designed to help you with the most common negative emotions and states we experience. 

So whether you’re;

• Unsure of what to do with your life – Henry David Thoreau
• Afraid of taking action – Napoleon Hill
• Struggling to come to terms with failure – Tyler Durden
• Confused about which path to take – Henry Ford
• Overwhelmed by societal pressure – Muhammad Ali
• Believing that life is hopeless – Gandhi
• Trapped by your circumstances – Anne Frank 

Then I’ve got the quote for you. Read them, commit them to memory and most importantly, act on them. Your life WILL change for the better.

1. Unsure of What to do with your Life 

“One should always be on the trail of one’s own deepest nature. For it is the fearless living out of your own essential nature that connects you to the divine.”

– Henry David Thoreau

As men and women, born into a system that seeks to crush our individuality and unique aspirations and desires, finding our way through life feels, at best, like a question we never address, or, at worst, a perpetual tug of war. Do we journey through life doing what everybody else does and hope there’s safety in numbers? Or do we act on our dreams but face the possibility of ruin and isolation? 

Thoreau alleviates our uncertainty with his quote. We must heed our call to greatness. 

The main reason Thoreau gives us for taking this action is that we will be happier for having done so. The connection to the divine he talks about is the joy that comes from being true to yourself.

So search your feelings. Whatever they are urging you to do, no matter how unachievable society tells you it is, is the correct path to follow. 

2. Afraid of Taking Action

“Fear, the worst of all enemies, can be effectively conquered by forced repetition of acts of courage”

– Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill is accurate in his assessment of fear when describing it as the ‘worst of all enemies’. Whether experienced approaching a member of the opposite sex, speaking in front of an audience or performing in a contest, it prevents you from giving your best. 

Fortunately, Hill also provides the only answer you need. No matter how spine tingling and boot quaking the feeling might be, you HAVE to take the action necessary to advance your life. As a fellow fear sufferer (aren’t we all) I can promise you that the feeling does go away (or at least becomes manageable) the more you do the thing it’s warning you against.

3. Struggling to come to terms with Failure 

“It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.”

– Tyler Durden

I had to slip a TD quote in somewhere. In this one, he’s telling us about the importance of detachment. People have a tendency to cling to their possessions, position in society and achievements, sometimes to the extent that they define themselves through them.  

But what happens when we fail or experience loss?

For those too attached to the external, and ego, it can be a crushing experience.

With this quote, Tyler Durden provides the perfect solution. By adopting an attitude where we’re attached to nothing, we gain the freedom to go for what we want without fear holding us back. 

4. Confused about which Path to Take 

“Whether you think you can, or think you can’t – you are right” 

– Henry Ford

Trust yourself is the powerful message hidden in this cryptic quote. Oftentimes, we can be unsure about decisions in our lives. Do we take the new job that is not ideal or hold out at our old one and wait for something better? Do we play it safe with a list blog post or go for something more risky and try to tell an inspiring story? 

Ford reminds us that none of this matters. Ultimately, through our belief in ourselves and what we’re doing, WE are the arbitrators of our success (or lack of).  Therefore, it’s not about the path or option you choose, but your belief in that decision which counts.

5. Overwhelmed by Societal Pressure 

“I know where I’m going and I know the truth, and I don’t have to be what you want me to be. I’m free to be what I want.”

– Muhammad Ali

Ali spoke these words after refusing the draft for the Vietnam War. This was hugely controversial. At that time in American, you were supposed to show your love for your country by fighting the scourge of communism. By defying this societal pressure he incurred the wrath of every small minded bigot in the country. 

You too will face societal pressure. Whether it comes from your parents, peers, the media, school, place of work or even the government, it will attempt to sway you in making choices that go against your deepest nature.

When this happens you must remember Ali’s words. You really don’t have to be what anybody else wants you to be. In fact, defying societal pressure, and standing up for what’s right, quite often eventually leads to you being loved. Ironic really.   

6. Believing that life is Hopeless

“Remember that all through history there have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they seem invincible. But in the end, they always fall. Always.”

– Gandhi

This quote is about reassurance. It may seem a little out of place in a list concerning individual empowerment, but I want you to use it as a metaphor for focusing on trends and seeing the bigger picture. 

We can all feel that our lives, and the world we live in, are without hope. It can get so bad that, occasionally, we’ll question why we do anything positive at all.

In moments like this, you must remember Gandhi’s words. View history, and your life, on a larger scale. Cultivate a sense of destiny about yourself and see your life as an unfolding evolution. Just as history shows, there is pain and great losses, but overall, we and you ARE moving towards a more positive future.

7. Trapped by your Circumstances 

“I don’t think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains.”

– Anne Frank

Anne Frank wrote this while hiding with her family from the Nazi’s in concealed rooms behind a bookcase. Her life must have been filled with fear of discovery and uncertainty about the future, not to mention highly claustrophobic. Yet she still confides in her diary that there is beauty all around.

Such a quote is a wakeup call for all of us that struggle with our environment. We may feel we’ve got it bad, and some people genuinely do, but THERE ARE ALWAYS POSITIVES TO FOCUS ON.

This is the best thing you can do when you feel that your life is going nowhere or can only see obstacle after obstacle standing between you and your dreams. By switching your focus in this way, you loosen the grip your circumstances have over your mood, giving you the breathing space to start building on those positives. 

Over to You  . . . 

Let me know your favourite quote in the comment section below. 

Also, do you know anyone who’s in need of a pick up? If so then email them a link to this list. Thank you.  

(image taken from Glen Thomas Franco Simmons photostream flickr.com)