

20 Inspirational Quotes That'll Motivate TF Out Of You
I don't know about you, but self-sabotage and self-loathing can pack one helluva punch on the journey to success. What many underestimate is how pivotal one's bounce-back game is to their ability to do what they set out to do. And if you find yourself feeling unmotivated due to hearing one too many 'no's or that mountaintop feeling a little too hard to climb, you could very well find yourself without direction or a desire to move forward.
As a lover of words, there isn't much better to me as a source of inspiration than a perfectly timed quote. There is power in the tongue and the language involved in the words we choose to shape. And who better to speak them than some of our favorite celebrities? If ever you find yourself in a predicament that has you left feeling low and unmotivated, look to the inspirational celebrity quotes below to help aid you with a little pep in your step on the journey to living out your best life.
"The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you're very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble." - Serena Williams
"I found that every time I asked for permission the answer tended to be no, so I had to make my own yeses." - Issa Rae
"You can waste your lives drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them." - Shonda Rhimes
"Don't try to lessen yourself for the world; let the world catch up to you." - Beyoncé
DFree / Shutterstock.com
"You should never discount anything. I think so many of us tend to be comfortable with what we're not and complacent with what we're not. You really don't have to be. I didn't solve world peace or anything — it's not like that. But something that felt so small and intangible ended up being tangible. And that's just the coolest thing in the world." - Issa Rae
"The reality is: sometimes you lose. And you're never too good to lose. You're never too big to lose. You're never too smart to lose. It happens." – Beyoncé
"There are secret opportunities hidden inside every failure." - Sophia Amoruso
"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." - Thomas Edison
"I am learning every day to allow the space between where I am and where I want to be to inspire me and not terrify me." - Tracee Ellis Ross
Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com
"The Brave You gives you the courage to hold your own agency, your own choice, your own desire, your own longings, your own fear, your own grief, your own future. She's just one aspect of your soul that helps you become your fully embodied and completely integrated real, true self.
"She's in you right now, in your journal, in the back of your mind, in your Netflix queue, waiting for your invitation." - Tracee Ellis Ross
"The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won't. It's whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere." - Barack Obama
"Dreams are lovely but they are just dreams. Fleeting, ephemeral, pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It's hard work that makes things happen. It's hard work that creates change." - Shonda Rhimes
"The separation of talent and skill is one of the greatest misunderstood concepts for people who are trying to excel, who have dreams, who want to do things. Talent you have naturally. Skill is only developed by hours and hours and hours of beating on your craft." - Will Smith
"Don't worry about being successful but work toward being significant and the success will naturally follow." - Oprah Winfrey
Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com
"The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but on significance -- and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning." - Oprah Winfrey
"We need to accept that we won't always make the right decisions, that we'll screw up royally sometimes - understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it's part of success." - Arianna Huffington
"Fear is not real. The only place that fear can exist is in our thoughts of the future. It is a product of our imagination, causing us to fear things that do not at present and may not ever exist. Do not misunderstand me danger is very real, but fear is a choice." - Will Smith
"Don't ever let someone tell you that you can't do something. You got a dream, you gotta protect it. When people can't do something themselves, they are going to tell you that you can't do it. You want something, go get it. Period." - Will Smith
"You feel like everybody's surpassing you, and everybody's doing better than you are. That's just not the case. Everybody has their own journey, and your journey is yours." - Issa Rae
"Happiness comes from living as you need to, as you want to. As your inner voice tells you to. Happiness comes from being who you actually are instead of who you think you are supposed to be." - Shonda Rhimes
Featured image by DFree / Shutterstock.com
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Simone Biles Is Making A Major Comeback After A Much-Needed Mental Health Break
Simone Biles made a comeback to the world of gymnastics at the 2023 Core Hydration Classic, and it’s clear that she hasn’t missed a beat.
In a post-competition interview, Biles opened up about her focus on mental health during her time away from the sport, which in turn has allowed her to be in a better mental space overall.
“I feel really good about where I am right now, mentally and physically,” Biles shared with reporters after completing her event. While she expressed that she was “really nervous to compete” after her two-year hiatus, she notes that taking a mental break has had a positive impact on her recovery. “You kind of have to take that mental break because if not, obviously, your body will decide for you, and that’s kind of what mine did in Tokyo.”
During the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, Biles expressed mental health concerns known as the "twisties," a phenomenon where gymnasts experience a disconnect between their mind and body — or spinal awareness — while performing complex aerial maneuvers, which can result in serious injuries.
“It was the worst timing, but obviously, I’m really happy with what happened because I got to go and work on myself,” the four-time gold medallist adds. “I’m still continuing to work on myself and go to therapy and make sure that everything is all in line so at that in the gym, we can focus on gym.”
Biles' decision to prioritize her well-being and safety over competition was met with both support and criticism online. A reality that caused her to preserve her peace and take a step back from online discourse. “I think I feel a lot better because I’ve found ways to manage that — like deleting Twitter, not trying to look at it,” she told reporters. “There are really nice comments — you have your supporters, you have your fans, like your day-ones. And then you have those really nasty ones that can get to you.”
Her withdrawal from the Olympics sparked a global conversation about the importance of mental health in sports and the immense pressure that elite athletes face. Biles' openness about her struggles encouraged a number of other athletes to share their own experiences and highlighted the need for better support systems for athletes' mental well-being.
“I feel grateful that I get this opportunity to come back out here and to compete in front of a crowd because I truly didn’t believe that I’d be back here competing at all,” she adds.
During her time off, Biles has kept herself busy by getting back on the mat, “trying to get fit again,” and focusing on her newlywed status with her NFL husband, Jonathan Owens.
While Biles says she’s not aiming to look too far ahead to the 2024 Paris Olympics, her current focus is on “living in the moment” and trusting herself in the sport again. “Right now, I think I should just embrace what happened today, be happy,” she says. “I think we’re just trying to take it one step at a time.”
“Kind of taking a fresh start in everything. Still going out there and talking about mental health and talking to all of the other athletes and supporting them on their journeys as well.”
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Feature image by Stacy Revere/Getty Images