Maya Angelou is truly inspirational and her quotes about life are always inspiring. She was a pioneer for women and especially black women, to speak their truth and love who they are. She is remembered for so many quotes, but I am sharing my favorite Maya Angelou quotes about life.
Maya lived a difficult childhood but persevered and became a bold and fearless mentor to many. She raised herself out of poverty to become one of the world’s most accomplished black women.
She was the first African American to:
- Conduct a San Francisco cable car
- Write a non-fiction bestseller (I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1969)
- Have her screenplay produced (Georgia, Georgia, 1972)
Dr Angelou worked with Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela on social injustice.
You can read more about her and her work here: Caged Bird Legacy | The Legacy of Dr. Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou also wrote beautiful poetry.
My favorite stanza from “Phenomenal Woman” is this:
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size.
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
Everyone is beautiful just the way you are.
I’ve used many of Maya Angelou’s inspirational quotes in my own life. And many of them portray what I believe it means to live marvelously.
This one is my favorite Maya Angelou quote about life. We aren’t here to only survive the day to day; we are here to thrive and do it with joy!
Inspirational Maya Angelou Quotes About Life and Love
“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
“We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.”
“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.”
“To grow up is to stop putting the blame on parents.”
“You may not control the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”
“When people show you who they are, believe them the first time.”
“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”
“If you get, give. If you learn, teach.”
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
“I believe that every person is born with talent.”
“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”
“Each of us has that right, that possibility, to invent ourselves daily. If a person does not invent herself, she will be invented. So, to be bodacious enough to invent ourselves is wise.”
“I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people.”
“If one has courage, nothing can dim the light which shines from within.”
“A woman in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing. She goes where she will without pretense and arrives at her destination prepared to be herself and only herself.”
“I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.”
“I was told many years ago by my grandmother who raised me: If somebody puts you on a road and you don’t feel comfortable on it, and you look ahead and you don’t like the destination, and you look behind, and you don’t want to return to that place, step off the road.”
“I hope that I may always desire more than I can accomplish.”
“Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realize that the quicker we will be able to treat life as art.”
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”
“I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it.”
“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.”
“Life is going to give you just what you put in it. Put your whole heart in everything you do, and pray, then you can wait.” I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (book)
“If we lose love and self-respect for each other, this is how we finally die.”
“We spend precious hours fearing the inevitable. It would be wise to use that time adoring our families, cherishing our friends, and living our lives.”
“When I forgive other people, I let them go; I free them from my ignorance. And as soon as I do, I feel lighter, brighter, and better.”
“When we find someone who is brave, fun, intelligent, and loving, we have to thank the universe.”
“If you’re for the right thing, you do it without thinking.”
“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.”
Maya Angelou is a wonderful example of someone who didn’t give up and wanted the best for everyone.
Barack Obama said about her after her death, “Maya had the ability to remind us that we are all God’s children; that we all have something to offer.”
I couldn’t agree more! I hope these quotes inspire you to be phenomenal and marvelous in whatever you do!
Other Posts You Might Like to Read:
7 Inspirational Poems About Life to Keep You Moving Forward
25 Inspirational Life Lessons from “The Gift” by Edith Eger
Self Care Quotes to Remind You to Love Yourself
Discover the Witch Inside You With These 12 Feminine Energy Quotes