185 Inspiring Words Of Encouragement To Motivate And Lift You Up

Maybe you’ve had a recent loss or some bad news, or perhaps you’re feeling depressed about something, and you could use some words that motivate and support you. It could be that your self-esteem has taken a hit, and you just can’t pull yourself out of a self-defeating funk. Whatever the reason, you’re in need of some uplifting words today — words that throw you a lifeline and provide inspiration and comfort. Sometimes we awaken in the morning and before our feet hit the floor, we realize we need extra strength and some encouragement for the day to help us get through it. Life can pummel us with disappointments, challenges, and heartache, and our mood can easily shift from light-hearted to heavy-laden. Your first reaction may be to push through and ignore your feelings. You don’t want to feel bad, and you think if you just keep moving, you’ll shake it off. This plan works on occasion, but other times it feels like slogging through quicksand. You have no motivation or desire to do anything. This is the time when you need some uplifting words and inspiration to reframe your thinking. As you replace negative thoughts with an encouraging word of the day, you’ll find your feelings and mood often follow. This article contains a list of motivating words that will bring inspiration to you, your family, and your friends. We’ve put together a range of more than 185 encouraging words of inspiration and strength.

50 of the Best Words of Encouragement

Encouraging statements from your spouse, a friend, or a family member can change the way you feel about yourself or your situation. But there are times when a supportive person isn’t available to give you those uplifting words of encouragement. Read through the 50 motivating words and quotes below to find a few that resonate with what you are feeling today.

“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson 2. “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” ~Arthur Ashe 3. “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” ~Anne Frank 4. “When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.” ~Alexander Graham Bell
“Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.”~Helen Keller 6. “When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” ~Harriet Beecher Stowe
“You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt 9. “I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.” ~Dalai Lama 10. “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” ~Helen Keller 11. “It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you stumble, there lies your treasure.” ~Joseph Campbell 12. “In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.” ~Tony Robbins 13. “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” ~Thomas A. Edison
“You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ~C.S. Lewis
“Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward.” ~Victor Kiam
“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.” ~Wayne Dyer
“Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: now.” ~Denis Waitley
“Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.” ~Thomas Jefferson
“The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.” ~Epictetus 20. “Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.” ~Miguel Angel Ruiz
“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” ~William James 22. “Learning is the beginning of wealth. Learning is the beginning of health. Learning is the beginning of spirituality. Searching and learning is where the miracle process all begins.” ~Jim Rohn
“I’d rather attempt to do something great and fail than to attempt to do nothing and succeed.” ~Robert H. Schuller 24. “If it is bread that you seek, you will have bread. If it is the soul you seek, you will find the soul. If you understand this secret, you know you are that which you seek.” ~Rumi 25. “Always say ‘yes’ to the present moment. What could be more futile, more insane, than to create inner resistance to what already is? what could be more insane than to oppose life itself, which is now and always now? Surrender to what is. Say ‘yes’ to life — and see how life suddenly starts working for you rather than against you.” ~Eckhart Tolle
“Perhaps everything terrible is in its being something that needs our love.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke
“Hold on to what is good, even if it’s a handful of earth.” ~Hopi prayer
“Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes.” ~Walt Whitman
“If you are going through hell, keep going.” ~Winston Churchill
“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than suffering itself. And no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dream.” ~Paulo Coelho
“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future . . . but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.” ~Buddha
“In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” ~Deepak Chopra
“Good humor is a tonic for mind and body. It is the best antidote for anxiety and depression. It is a business asset. It attracts and keeps friends. It lightens human burdens. It is the direct route to serenity and contentment.” ~Greenville Kleisser 34. “What you thought before has led to every choice you have made, and this adds up to you at this moment. If you want to change who you are physically, mentally, and spiritually, you will have to change what you think.” ~Dr. Patrick Gentempo
“Fall seven times, stand up eight.” ~Japanese Proverb
“Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines.” ~Robert Schuller
“We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey.” ~Kenji Miyazawa 40. “Be patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it’s holy ground. There’s no greater investment.” ~Stephen Covey 41. “Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it, So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that’s where you will find success.” ~Thomas J. Watson 42. “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” ~Maria Robinson 44. “Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value. ~Albert Einstein
“If you don’t value your time, neither will others. Stop giving away your time and talents — start charging for it.” ~Kim Garst
“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” ~John D. Rockefeller
“Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” ~Lolly Daskal
“All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.” ~Michael John Bobak
“When I dare to be powerful – to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” ~Audre Lorde
“A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done.” ~Vince Lombardi

Words of Encouragement for Hard Times

Are you going through a particularly challenging time in your life? Sometimes uplifting words are just the lifeline you need to carry on. These encouraging phrases are meant to be spoken out loud as affirmations to strengthen you and give you hope.

I won’t be too hard on myself because I’m doing the best you can.
I have the strength and inner wisdom to get through this, and I know I will.
Even though things aren’t going as planned, I am grateful for so much in my life. I choose to focus on gratitude.
I am determined to look for the best in this situation so that I can learn and grow from it.
The pain I am feeling reminds me of my deep desire to heal, so I allow myself to feel the pain and let healing happen.
I have overcome so much in the past, and I know I can overcome this. I am strong and resilient.
This life change is scary and difficult, but I can adapt and create an even better life for myself.
I am strong. I’m intelligent. I’m capable. I’m tenacious. And I will get through this.
I choose not to focus on the problem but rather on the solution. I will turn this around.
Today is hard and tomorrow might be harder, but I know that things will get better over time because they always do.
This situation is a setback, but it doesn’t define me. I am so much more than my mistakes.
I have people who love me, a roof over my head, and food on the table. For now, these things sustain me and remind me that I’m okay.
I won’t allow the shadow of this difficulty to darken my will to keep going. The sun will come out again.
I can choose to be discouraged or to see this as an opportunity to improve. I choose the latter.
In spite of this storm in my life, I maintain a calm and confident center. I am at peace knowing that this will soon pass.
I make it a point to look for small blessings today and to feel grateful for things I usually take for granted.
I recognize that everyone experiences challenges and difficulties. What matters most is how I choose to respond to them.
This situation feels unfair and painful, but I have decided to let it go and move forward. I will not let it define who I am or how I feel.
When I sit quietly and calm my heart, I know a solution will come to me.
I will get through this moment. I will get through this day. I know I’ll survive this and be stronger for it.

Words of Encouragement from the Bible

If you are a religious or spiritual person, or if you want to encourage a friend who shares your faith, you may find the most support from the Bible. It is filled with verses that will restore you and give you the strength and encouragement you’re seeking.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. — Philippians 4:13
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. — Isaiah 41:10
Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. — Matthew 6:34
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. — Isaiah 40:31
Peace I leave with you;my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. — John 14:27
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. — 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. — 1 Corinthians 10:13
Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace—because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock. –Isaiah 26: 3-4
The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. — Exodus 15:2
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. — 1 Thessalonians 5:11
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness…” — 2 Corinthians 12:9
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. — Psalm 121:1-2
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. — Psalm 46:1
Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted. — Isaiah 49:13
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. — Matthew 11:28-29
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. — John 14:27
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. — John 16:33
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. — Joshua 1:9

Words of Encouragement For a Friend

Maybe you have a friend who needs a boost. Use this list of inspirational words of encouragement to share with a friend to uplift them. You can write these words in a card, send them in a text, or create an inspiration jar filled with these words that motivate.

“Much of the difference you make tomorrow will start with what you do today.” — Ernie J Zelinski
“Do what you can with all you have, wherever you are.” — Theodore Roosevelt
“You don’t need to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Happiness is your responsibility. If you depend or wait for other people to make you happy you will always be disappointed.” — Byron Pulsifer
“Risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.” ― Leo F. Buscaglia
“The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you find yourself.” — Mark Caine
“What we fear of doing most is usually what we most need to do.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” ― Paulo Coelho
“Do your work with your whole heart, and you will succeed – there’s so little competition.” — Elbert Hubbard
“Being motivated is more than simply doing the things we have to do. It’s also about identifying and cutting out the things we should stop.” — Andrew Alexander
“Go as far as you can see; when you get there, you’ll be able to see further.” ― Thomas Carlyle\
“Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” ― Roy T. Bennett
“When you’re at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on.” ― Theodore Roosevelt
“You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.” — Woodrow Wilson
“You can do no more than you believe you can. You can be no more than you believe you are.” — Norman Vincent Peale
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” — Dr. Seuss
“It doesn’t matter how many say it cannot be done or how many people have tried it before; it’s important to realize that whatever you’re doing, it’s your first attempt at it.” ― Wally Amos
“If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again.” ― Flavia Weedn
“Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.” ― Og Mandino
“If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down.” ― Mary Pickford
“Always remember, your focus determines your reality.” ― George Lucas
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” ― Alan Wilson Watts
“What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.” ― Ralph Marston
“Change can hurt, be uncomfortable, and be difficult in the beginning. Remember this English Proverb: Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.” ― Lisa Rusczyk
“Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.” — Will Rogers
“There is freedom waiting for you, On the breezes of the sky, And you ask “What if I fall?” Oh but my darling, What if you fly?” ― Erin Hanson
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection” ― Sharon Salzberg
“Embrace uncertainty. Some of the most beautiful chapters in our lives won’t have a title until much later.” ― Bob Goff
“Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.” ― H. Jackson Brown Jr.
“A problem is a chance for you to do your best.” — Duke Ellington
“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” ― Norman Vincent Peale
“The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, as in what direction you are moving.” ― Oliver Wendell Holmes
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” ― E.E. Cummings
“Nothing in life has happened to you. It’s happened for you. Every disappointment. Every wrong. Even every closed door has helped make you into who you are.” ― Joel Osteen
“You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality in the mind next to honor.” ― Aristotle
“Life, with its rules, its obligations, and its freedoms, is like a sonnet: You’re given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself.” ― Madeleine L’Engle
“If you want something you never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.” — Thomas Jefferson
“Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.” ― Bo Jackson
“Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.” — Theodore Roosevelt
“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” ― Nelson Mandela
“Don’t let the expectations and opinions of other people affect your decisions. It’s your life, not theirs. Do what matters most to you; do what makes you feel alive and happy. Don’t let the expectations and ideas of others limit who you are. If you let others tell you who you are, you are living their reality – not yours. There is more to life than pleasing people. There is much more to life than following others’ prescribed path. There is so much more to life than what you experience right now. You need to decide who you are for yourself. Become a whole being. Adventure.” ― Roy T. Bennett

Words of Encouragement for Work

Your job can be the source of a lot of fulfillment, but there are times when it’s just a drag. You don’t feel appreciated or respected, or maybe you feel completely burnt out. Maybe you’re seeking encouraging words for coworkers at your job. Whatever the reason you aren’t feeling it at work or you know someone who isn’t, we’re here to support you with some “attaboys” (or girls). Check out these 25 short words of encouragement for work:

“Greatness is sifted through the grind, therefore don’t despise the hard work now for surely it will be worth it in the end.” — Sanjo Jendayi
“My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition.” – Indira Gandhi
The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me? —Ayn Rand
“Hard work keeps the wrinkles out of the mind and spirit.” – Helena Rubinstein
There will be little rubs and disappointments everywhere, and we are all apt to expect too much; but then, if one scheme of happiness fails, human nature turns to another; if the first calculation is wrong, we make a second better: we find comfort somewhere. — Jane Austen, Mansfield Park
“Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same.” — Carlos Castaneda
Hey there, Mr. Grumpy Gills. When life gets you down do you wanna know what you’ve gotta do? Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim. —Dory, Finding Nemo
“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” — Charles Darwin
“Talent means nothing, while experience, acquired in humility and with hard work, means everything.” — Patrick Suskind
“If something is wrong, fix it now. But train yourself not to worry, worry fixes nothing.” — Ernest Hemingway
“Life’s like a movie, write your own ending. Keep believing, keep pretending.” —Jim Hensen
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” — Thomas Jefferson
“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.”– Jimmy Johnson
“When writing the story of your life, don’t let anyone else hold the pen.”— Harley Davidson
“A professional is someone who can do his best work when he doesn’t feel like it.” — Alistair Cook
“So many things are possible just as long as you don’t know they’re impossible.” — Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth
“Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.“ — George Addai
“The world you desire can be won. It exists.. it is real.. it is possible.. it’s yours.” — Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” — John Quincy Adams
“Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goals: my strength lies solely in my tenacity.” — Louis Pasteur
“Sometimes it takes a lowly, title-less man to humble the world. Kings, rulers, CEOs, judges, doctors, pastors, they are already expected to be greater and wiser.” — Criss Jami
“Work hard and be patient. The rest will follow.” — Unknown
Very often, a change of self is needed more than a change of scene. — A.C. Benson

25 Words of Encouragement for Kids

Do you have a child or a student who is feeling lost, insecure, or down about themselves? Maybe you can surprise your child with encouraging messages left in a backpack or lunchbox. More than anyone, kids need motivation and words of support to build tenacity and resilience. Help a young person you care about become more confident and happy by sharing these 25 encouraging words for children.

“Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine.” — Roy T. Bennett
“I don’t love studying. I hate studying. I like learning. Learning is beautiful.” – Natalie Portman
“If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.” – Roald Dahl
“Never give up, for that is the place and time that the tide will turn.” — Harriet Beecher Stowe
“Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts. ” – Albert Einstein
“Winning doesn’t always mean being first. Winning means you’re doing better than you’ve done before. ” – Bonnie Blair
“Don’t let what you can’t do stop you from doing what you can do.” – John Wooden
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” – Epictetus
“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“No one is perfect … that’s why pencils have erasers.” — Wolfgang Riebe 101 Positive Affirmations To Practice Daily 35 Hand-Picked Quotes About Confidence 21 Things To Be Passionate About Right Now
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi
“You always pass failure on the way to success.” – Mickey Rooney
“If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it — then I can achieve it.” — Muhammad Ali
“Make each day your masterpiece.” – John Wooden
“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why we call it ‘the present.’” — Alice Morse Earle
“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” — Dr. Seuss
“Nothing is particularly hard if you break it down into small jobs.” — Henry Ford
“Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.” — Bethany Hamilton
“Only surround yourself with people who will lift you higher.” — Oprah Winfrey
“When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.” — George Washington Carver
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” — Dr. Seuss
“A positive attitude can really make dreams come true – it did for me.” — David Bailey

How will you use these words of encouragement and strength?

Now that you’re armed with 185 encouraging words of inspiration, which ones stood out to you the most? Which ones lifted you up? Or were you thinking of someone close to you who could benefit from some of your favorites? Think of all the ways you can use these words to inject new hope and energy into your life and the lives of people you care about. You might consider . . .

Writing down your favorites on sticky notes and posting them around the house.

Making your own encouraging words cards that you can send to friends and family.

Using these uplifting words as daily affirmations and repeating them out loud.

Printing your favorite phrases on your coffee mug to see it every morning.

Journaling about one word of encouragement every week.

You’re living proof of the power of words. And all it took to get you started was this list of encouraging words and phrases. May they bless you and everyone you come in contact with today. And may you bless others with words of your own.

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