35 Positivity Quotes From Maya Angelou You Need To Read If You’re Unhappy

In today’s stressful and hectic world, it can be very easy to succumb to all of the toxic emotions swirling around us. Of course, we need only to look at the news or focus on some of the more chaotic aspects of our own lives and we find ourselves quickly spiraling downward. In fact, it leaves us wondering if we will ever again find our peace and happiness. But positivity quotes can help us re-focus!

Many of life’s difficulties remain out of your control—the weather, your genetic disposition, inevitable challenges associated with aging, and disease and death that take their toll mercilessly. And, these conditions prove once and for all that survival of the fittest continues to reign supreme.

You cannot control the actions of others and you cannot control others’ reactions to you. Moreover, it is a certainty that you will not always get what you want in life. Perhaps an adjustment in ourselves and our thinking is necessary to put life and all of its gifts in proper perspective.

• There is suffering in life. Unhappiness and misery are inevitable.
• You may be the cause of your own suffering.
• You can stop causing your own suffering!
• Once you stop causing your own suffering, you can begin to live a good life that is in harmony with your deepest values and goals.

Underlying Causes of Unhappiness

Whether it’s at home, at work, or even cast in the shadows of our imagination, dwelling on conflict is going to make us miserable as it overtakes every other aspect of life. When you do experience conflict, deal with it as best you can and let…..it……go. Move on, and embrace more positive aspects of your life.

We all do this from time to time—we make mistakes, we beat ourselves up mentally, and we indulge our harshest critic for a time until we eventually right the boat again. Studies have shown that negative thinking actually creates pathways in the brain that encourage the development of illness and disease—get that mind right and start thinking and feeling healthier.

This condition is in direct violation of one of the four fundamental Buddhist truths, and it will keep you locked in a past or future scenario that you cannot control. You can only somewhat control the circumstances that are in the present; accept what is and begin to move forward in a healthier direction.

5. Comparing yourself to other people.

Woe is me…..I don’t have what he has, I am not as pretty as she. Get over yourself, please; someone will always do more, have more, and be more than you, and the sooner you accept that the happier you will be. You be the best version of you that you can possibly create, and let life bring success and prosperity to you in honor of your ability to be real and authentic.

Perhaps now more than ever, we need little doses of positivity in our lives to keep moving forward in an upward direction. The use of positivity quotes, inspirational readings, and journaling can help us to deal with life’s stresses and help us regain a sense of composure once more.

No one is more adept at positivity quotes than the renowned American treasure, Maya Angelou. She was truly a forerunner in the realm of inspirational writing, speaking, and generating almost effortless positivity quotes that have the magical ability to turn one’s entire day around to the extent that we can focus on the profound meaning behind her heavily weighted words.

If you are down in the dumps lately, and life’s events have gotten you down, perhaps it’s time to dig deep into the treasured writings of Maya and see how she can inspire you to see all of life’s experiences as a gift.

Here are some of our most favorite positivity quotes–let them inspire and motivate you to affect change in your life beginning today!

1. “Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud”.

2. “If you have only one smile in you give it to the people you love”.

3. “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”

5. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”.

6. “Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls, and arrives at its destination full of hope”.

7. “If you find it in your heart to care for someone else, you have succeeded”.

8. “Love is like a virus. It can happen to anybody at any time”.

9. “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive, and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style”.

10. “No matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow”.

11. “Success is loving life and daring to live it”.

Maya Angelou and her influence extend into the very fabric of American culture. An influential presence in art, music, and literature, she rose to fame as a result of her unapologetic prose and poetry that stimulates the mind and stirs the soul. Perhaps best known for little snippets of work that people began to coin as positivity quotes, she remains a favored author and cultural icon today.12. “Having courage does not mean that we are unafraid. Having courage and showing courage means we face our fears”.

14. “A person is the product of their dreams. So make sure to dream great dreams. And then try to live your dream”.

15. “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it”.

16. “If you are always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you can be”.

17. “You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody”.

18. “We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated”.

19. “Each of us has that right, that possibility, to invent ourselves daily. If a person doesn’t invent herself, she will be invented. So, to be bodacious enough to invent ourselves is wise”.

20. “Determine to live life with flair and laughter“.

21. “We need much less than we think we need”.

22. “The honorary duty of a human being is to love”.

Positivity Quotes That Offer Hope

23. “Everybody is worth everything”.

24. “Someone was hurt before you, wronged before you, hungry before you, frightened before you, beaten before you, humiliated before you, raped before you, yet…..someone survived. You can do anything you choose to do”.

25. “When I forgive other people, I let them go. I free them from my ignorance. And when I do I feel lighter, brighter, better”.

26. “My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return”.

27. “My wish for you is that you continue. Continue to be who and how you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness”.

28. “I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t laugh”.

29. “When was the last time anyone told you how important you are”?

30. “Seek patience and passion in equal amounts. Patience alone will not build the temple. Passion alone will destroy its walls”.

31. “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty”.

33. “Open your eyes to the beauty around you. Open your mind to the wonders of life, open your heart to those who love you, and always be true to yourself”.

34. “We can be better, we can be wiser, we can be more kind. Yes, we have to change. We have to grow up and stop acting like 10 years old. Yes there is much to do, much to see, much to go into”.

35. “Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art”.

Everyone goes through adversity and periods of struggle in life; the training of the mind to think positive thoughts and keep moving forward is what creates resilience, strength, and adventure in life. Through the use of positivity quotes, a commitment to keep developing yourself and improving some aspect of life each day, and most importantly, embracing where you are right now and learning how to unconditionally love and accept yourself and others will have you not only pondering these positivity quotes, but learning to live them out through your actions.

Maya Angelou was not necessarily born with advantages in her life, but she created some extraordinary things by adhering to her own personal and courageous truths.

Also, you can do the same! But first, you must ask–what do you want to create in life? The sky’s the limit!