15 Powerful Life Quotes To Help You Put Things Into Perspective
Despite our best intentions and planning, things don’t always go our way.
In other words, life happens. To move past the hardships, unplanned events, and disappointments and pay attention to and celebrate all the wins, you have to put things into perspective.
That’s where some life quotes can help. This collection of powerful life quotes can help change, enhance, or improve your point of view. After all, life isn’t only about what we want it to be; it’s also about what we get and how we handle it.
So, let’s get a handle on life and see what people have to say.
Powerful Life Quotes
1 – “Everyone has a plan ’till they get punched in the mouth.” – Mike Tyson
Jason from My Money My Chronicles says this is his favorite life quote. In other words, as mentioned above, life happens. You can plan as much as you like, but there will always be curveballs and unanticipated events. This is true no matter how well off in life you are, or not. Remembering this can help you navigate the unknowns and take them in stride.
After all, life-changing events sometimes are the ones that help us for the better. We find out who our true friends are, our strengths and weaknesses, and the importance of the things that matter most.
2 – “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” – John Lennon
Melanie from Partners in FIRE loves this quote by John Lennon from his song “beautiful boy,” a tribute to his son Sean.
This quote is so lovely because it helps us pause and remember that life is happening now, in the present. We sometimes spend so much time planning for the future and looking to what’s ahead that we forget to appreciate the current moment. Enjoying the here and now is key to living a life of fulfillment, and this quote serves as a reminder to savor the small moments.
3 – “I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as ‘making a life'” – Maya Angelou
For Amanda Kay of My Life, I Guess, this quote made all the difference in her career. She states, “this quote resonated with me so much that I formed my website’s purpose around it. My first “dream job” after graduating was very toxic. I gave so much of myself towards this job that it destroyed my health, relationships, and ability to find joy in anything. I hated my job, but couldn’t quit or find another job, despite years of applying. Ultimately, I was put on stress leave and didn’t return. That’s when I created my website so people can find support and advice for managing their money and careers.”
If you’re not happy with your current situation, don’t be afraid to make a change. Life is too short to be unhappy.”
4 – “Be okay with okay.”
For Caitriona Maria (TPR Teaching), this is her favorite teacher quote. This quote reminds teachers, and all perfectionists, that it is okay to make mistakes and not get things right 100% of the time. We don’t have to strive for perfection in all that we do. Learning and growing from our experiences is more important than expecting everything we do to be perfect the first time.
According to Caitriona, “this quote has helped me when I’m experiencing self-doubt. Life is a journey, and we are all in different stages. It’s important to accept ourselves as we are and be okay with just being okay!”
5 – “Everything happens for a reason.”
The phrase may sound cliché, but it’s true. According to Chaavi of Mrs. Daaku Studio, life has a purpose, and our paths are crafted with intention. When things don’t go as planned, look for the lesson and use it to grow in your daily life.
Chaavi says, “I quit my job, and a few months later, my husband lost his job. At that time, I didn’t believe this quote. Still, eventually, we built successful online businesses, including a blog and a YouTube channel. Now, when I look back, I know everything does happen for a reason, and it is on us to make the best out of it.”
With the right mindset, difficult circumstances can become stepping stones toward a brighter future.
Read more, a personal story: Everything Happens for a Reason
6 – “Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.” ― Frank Lloyd Wright
Davin, from Nature of Home, loves this quote and reminds himself daily to appreciate the world around him.
After all, we are a part of the ecosystem, and it deserves our care, attention, and respect. If you take care of your surroundings, they’ll take care of you. It’s a no-fail approach to ensuring our world is protected and nurtured!
7 – “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” ― Mary OliverKristen Wood, creator
This question has a way of reminding you of the insignificance of many of our problems. Mary reminds us of how precious our lives are and how important it is how we choose to spend our time.
In other words, don’t waste time worrying about the little things, and don’t let the big things you can’t control take over your day, year, or life. Instead, let go of what you can, accept what’s possible, and appreciate all you have.
8 – “People overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in 10 years.” – Bill Gates
Wise words and a favorite quote for Krystal DeVille from STEM Education Guide. She states, “this quote has motivated me to put more effort into my projects and not give up. Every little bit of progress is progress. Even if you spend a day working on something, you may not move forward, but you may learn something you didn’t know before. All that time spent will still pay off in the future!
Krystal keeps this quote taped on my mirror as a daily reminder that the effort put in today will pay off in the long run.
9 – “Do not impose on others what you would not choose for yourself.“
10 – “It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.“
Both of these amazing life quotes are from Charmaine at Luv Me Kitchen. If most people followed these quotes, life would be much simpler. All you have to do is treat people how you would like to be treated! Plus, it is a great philosophy to adopt when dealing with customers or people in your personal life.
As for the second quote, most successes in life occur because of perseverance. Most people give up when they are on the brink of victory. According to Charmaine, “I have tried to adopt this attitude in business, I lay the foundation of my business one brick at a time, and I won’t stop.”
11 – “If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” – Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Marjolein from Spark Nomad confirms that this quote pushes you outside your comfort zone.
“For me, outside my comfort zone is where the magic happens. Earlier this year, I started a travel website, wrote dozens of articles about my favorite cities in Colombia, and branched out to places in South America I visited. I never thought I’d enjoy it as much as I do, and I’m working towards my goals, even if I think they may be too big.”
Only by pushing yourself can you discover what you can accomplish. Doing this has a domino effect. It entices you to push yourself a little bit more in different areas of your life. Next thing you know, you’re doing things you otherwise never thought you would or could! So push yourself and see where you end up!
12 – “Never give up and always keep fighting, because though times may be tough, the sacrifices do pay off, so just keep pushing towards your dream and just love it at the same time and enjoy it.” – Gabby Douglas
This quote is provided by Lisa MarcAurele, who once had big goals of being a successful entrepreneur. After several failed business attempts, she found success in blogging.
She says, “Although I had planned to retire after selling my primary blog, I decided to start Little Bit Recipes because I enjoy food blogging. It’s the perfect site for me because I’m always cooking easy meals for one person.”
That’s just another way of saying follow your passions, and success will follow you! Plus, you never know what your efforts will bring you. You never know what will work for you and your lifestyle or how your life might change for the better, all because you kept trying and never gave up.
13 – “We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again- to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more.” – Pico Iyer
For Alexandrea Sumuel, this is the life quote to live by. As the owner of the successful travel blog Wander With Alex, she can tell you a thing or two about life and the importance of seeing the world.
Much of what we learn about other cultures and countries in the media is just a snapshot of the bigger picture. Only by taking ourselves out of our comfort zones, getting out there, and experiencing things for ourselves can we develop a real sense and appreciation for others.
14 – “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Take the path less traveled and create your own story! So often, there is fear and apprehension to try something new or do something that no one has done before. In life, it’s important to take chances (think them through, of course) and see what you can do.
You only know what you can accomplish if you try. Go off the beaten path, let things flow naturally and see what happens! Consider this also: if the path is new, the competition is slim! You can be the first mover and shaker to lead the way for others.
15 – “The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” – Henry David Thoreau
This life quote is significant. We often lose sight of the value of our time and what in life we are giving up to gain something. Always consider the trade-off. Some exchanges are just not worth it. Some deals result in temporary setbacks but have huge benefits down the road.
You must decide for yourself what is worth your time, morals, values, and life.
Final Thoughts
These are some of the best life quotes to put things into perspective, create happiness and contentment for yourself, and accomplish your goals. Consider each in the context of your own life because, remember, you can’t be living someone else’s life. You have to live it for yourself.
