35 Inspiring Maya Angelou Quotes to Empower You and Ignite Your Passion

Maya Angelou was a renowned writer and poet whose words have inspired countless individuals around the world. Her works spanned across genres and mediums, from poetry to memoirs to plays, and her insights on life, love, and the human experience have touched the hearts of millions. In this article, we've compiled 35 of her most empowering quotes to inspire your soul and uplift your spirits.

Explore these 35 inspiring quotes by Maya Angelou, a prolific writer and poet whose words have touched the hearts of millions. Discover her powerful insights on life, love, courage, and perseverance.

"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."

"Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud."

"We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated."

"I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it."

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

"I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back."

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude."

"Nothing will work unless you do."

"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."

"Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it."

"I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as making a 'life.'"

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."

"You are the sum total of everything you've ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot - it's all there. Everything influences each of us, and because of that I try to make sure that my experiences are positive."

"If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love."

"Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently."

"We can learn to see each other and see ourselves in each other and recognize that human beings are more alike than we are unalike."

"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time."

"We need much less than we think we need."

"I've learned that people will do anything for a person who inspires them."

"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it."

"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."

"We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated."

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude."

"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it."

"I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it."

"Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it."

"Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible."

"The desire to reach for the stars is ambitious. The desire to reach hearts is wise."

"Nothing will work unless you do."

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

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away."

"I'm a feminist. I've been a female for a long time now. It'd be stupid not to be on my own side."

"I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow."

"You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody."