The other day I was captivated by four little words I’d painted on my wall. Just a simple quote:
Live loved Live free
I just stood there staring at them appreciating the beauty of their artistic form and meaning.
But then, I started to question why.
Why was I captivated by them?
Why would I paint those words on my wall?
Why would anyone paint words on their wall?
What is it about quotes that people love so much?
We can buy just about anything, from mugs to pillows, with our favorite quote on it.
Why do we love those particular words?
Live loved Live free Share on X
Our favorite quotes encourage us
Life can be very trying and tiring. Things don’t go as planned and we get discouraged.
But we don’t want to be discouraged. So we find words by others to help—quotes.
We choose just the right words to re-encourage ourselves where we know we need it. They cheer us on, telling us we can, we are able, get up again, you can do it.
Words like:
Tough times never last, but tough people do. ~ Robert H. Schuller
Life is tough, my darling, but so are you. ~ Stephanie Bennett-Henry
Our favorite quotes speak to us
We find the words of others to validate us and our humanity. We need them to silence the lying voice of shame that tries to keep us down.
We let them tell us we aren’t alone. There are others who’ve been through whatever we’re dealing with and it feeds hope in us.
Words like:
Everyone falls down. Getting back up is how you learn how to walk. ~ Walt Disney
Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. ~ Arthur Ashe
Our favorite quotes remind us
There are things we want to do, or a way we want to be, and to make those things a reality—we need to be reminded.
Everyday life can be extremely distracting and we forget important things we want in our lives. We need to be reminded of what we are aiming for with words that make us go—yes!
Words like:
Live well, Laugh often, Love much. ~ Bessie Anderson Stanley
Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. ~ Ian MacLaren
Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. ~ Ian MacLaren Share on X
Our favorite quotes empower us
The world we live in can be quite draining and negative. Things happen and are said that drag us down.
We beat on ourselves when we fail our own expectations or others say mean things. Those negative words tear away at our value and hinder our abilities. Wounds in our soul that have yet to be healed are broken open by a situation and we find ourselves emotionally bleeding again.
We need words that declare our inherent value and power.
Words like:
Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are. ~ Marilyn Monroe
Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve. ~ J.K. Rowling
Anything's possible if you've got enough nerve. ~ J.K. Rowling Share on X
Our favorite quotes comfort us
We all deal with pain. It doesn’t matter if the pain is physical or emotional we need comfort. Emotional pain requires words that hug.
Words like:
We are all broken. That’s how the light gets in. ~ unknown
A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words. ~ Shania Twain
Words are powerful. They carry life or they carry death.
Our favorite quotes bring life to us.
They encourage us, speak to us, remind us, empower us and comfort us.
So what do YOU think?
- Which of the five do you relate to the most?
- Did I mention one of your favorite quotes? If not, what IS one of yours? Let me know in the comments.
- Share this to encourage, speak, remind, empower and comfort someone else.
- If you haven’t already please join our encouraging community here
This quote is so elequent and so true! “Wounds in our soul that have yet to be healed are broken open by a situation and we find ourselves emotionally bleeding again.”
Thank you.
Hi Danielle, I’m a quotes collector, too! Answering to your question: quotes used to empower and encourage me. “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” ( Isaac Newton)
Cool Grazyna! Thanks for sharing, that’s a great quote!
One of my favorite quotes is This too shall Pass! I don’t know who said it first but I say it a lot ! Don’t sweat the small stuff , Also Quit trying to pick the speck out of someone’s eye when I’ve got a beam in mine ! We do preach our self happy with quotes don’t we.Like you said Danielle words are powerful they either produce life or death!
Yes, we do. Thank you for sharing some of your favorites.
I’m one of those annoying people who post quotes with my pictures on Instagram so I tend to gravitate towards nature quotes. But I feel like there is a broad range of meanings behind nature quotes and often correlate with each of your five reasons.
I tend to pull out a quote because I feel my “whoa, this is amazing” “or life is hard, just keep moving” aren’t quite as eloquent.
“Nature is always lovely, invincible, glad, whatever is done and suffered by her creatures. All scars she heals, whether in rocks or water or sky or hearts” John Muir
Nature is indeed always lovely. I love nature. Especially trees. Thank you for sharing a favorite of yours!
One of the quotes above is similar, but not exact to one of my favorite quotes from Leonard Cohen…”there is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” It is from a song “Anthem” from the album “The Future”.
Thank you for sharing Marilyn!
That quote is commonly attributed to Ernest Hemmingway but apparently, the words are Cohen and Hemmingway merged together. That’s why I have it attributed to unknown with this link from quote investigator: here
Absolutely – there are different reasons different quotes resonate with us.
lately, one that’s encouraging me in my work is a quote from Bryan Harris, “Hustle cures all” — when I’m tempted to feel overwhelmed by the internet sea and doubt my ability to survive in it, remembering those words spurs me forward. Right. He did it… I can too. Hustle, Kim, Hustle!! Go, go, go, you can do it! 🙂
One that’s encouraging me in my faith lately is “Progress, not perfection” — I’m not sure who coined it. Maybe me. lol! But the thought that I don’t have to “get it right” and that this is about growing and learning gives me permission not to be so hard on myself when I fail. Which is a lot. And that’s okay. Because it’s about progress, not perfection.
Progress, not perfection – I need that one just like you do, Kimberly. I like how short it is too. Thanks for sharing!!
“Our favorite quotes remind us.” Often there are voices (sometimes our own) that buffet us and remind of us of our failings. There is such great power in offsetting that by being reminded of our upside, our accomplishments, and our worth as a human being. Well done.
That is so true, Jathan. We need the reminders of the upside.
Thanks.
Wonderful piece. I love “Whatever you’re facing now, there’s always a way out.” It’s important to remember that no matter how hopeless a situation might seem, we always have options.
Thank you, Kate.
Yes, that’s so true – we always have options.