When life is buzzing, there’s one thing we often forget to do — take a moment for ourselves. That’s where self-care quotes come to our rescue. Words have the power to change our perspective, and when it comes to nurturing our well-being, a few impactful self-care quotes can go a long way.
So, sit back, breathe deep, and dive into our compilation of 107 best self-care quotes that will remind you what really matters in life.
The Importance of Self-Care
“Self-care is not selfish; it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself and the people who love you.”
Before we get to our inspiring self-care quotes, let’s talk about why self-care is crucial. It’s easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of life, and many of us often forget to hit the pause button. That’s why articles like How To Reset your mind, body, and soul are so essential. They guide you through the intricate process of taking a step back to reassess and rejuvenate.
Self-Care Quotes vs. Comparison Culture
We live in an age where everyone’s life seems picture-perfect on social media. But as our article Comparison is the Thief of Joy outlines, comparing yourself to others can be incredibly damaging to your mental health. It’s crucial to remember that self-care quotes aren’t about creating an ideal life but embracing the life you have, with all its ups and downs.
What Do The Experts Say?
Maya Angelou, a paragon of wisdom, once said:
“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.”
You can find more soul-stirring words like these in our collection of 117 of the Best Maya Angelou Quotes. These are more than just self-care quotes; they’re life philosophies that encourage us to be our best selves.
Categories of Self-Care Quotes
- Positive Quotes for Self-Care: Our collection of 87 of the Best Positive Quotes will fill you with optimism and energy, an essential part of self-care.
- Affirmation Self-Care Quotes: To inspire and encourage you, we’ve got 47 Affirmation Quotes that act like a gentle pat on the back, urging you to go ahead and seize the day.
- Kindness and Self-Care Quotes: Did you know that being kind to others is also a form of self-care? For a boost of kindness, refer to our list of 94 Quotes About Kindness.
- Mental Health Self-Care Quotes: Mental health is a significant aspect of self-care, and our list of 87 Mental Health Quotes can be the support you need when times are tough.
- Mottos for Life and Self-Care: Some of the most potent self-care quotes come in the form of life mottos. Check out our article featuring 40 Mottos To Live By to find the one that resonates with you.
- Authenticity and Self-Care: Last but not least, being true to yourself is the cornerstone of self-care. Our article on 11 Signs You’re an Authentic Person can help you delve deeper into your own authenticity.
A Teaser of Self-Care Quotes
Remember:
“The most important relationship is the one you have with yourself.”
Here are the following 107 quotes:
- “Self-care is not selfish. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” – Eleanor Brown
- “You owe yourself the love that you so freely give others.” – Unknown
- “Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean me first; it means me too.” – L.R. Knost
- “The most important relationship is the one you have with yourself.” – Diane Von Furstenberg
- “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” – Audre Lorde
- “Don’t forget to be your own best friend first.” – Unknown
- “Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” – Eleanor Brown
- “Beautiful girl, you can do hard things.” – Unknown
- “It’s okay to be a glow stick; sometimes we have to break before we shine.” – Unknown
- “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha
- “Love yourself first and everything else falls into line.” – Lucille Ball
- “Self-care is how you take your power back.” – Lalah Delia
- “It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.” – Mandy Hale
- “Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.” – Etty Hillesum
- “Be you, love you. All ways, always.” – Alexandra Elle
- “Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.” – Katie Reed
- “Your time is way too valuable to be wasting on people that can’t accept who you are.” – Turcois Ominek
- “Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” – Brené Brown
- “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde
- “You are enough just as you are. Each emotion you feel, everything in your life, everything you do or do not do… it’s all okay. You are an incredible human being.” – Unknown
- “You carry so much love in your heart. Give some to yourself.” – R.Z.
- “Do something every day that is loving toward your body and gives you the opportunity to enjoy the sensations of your body.” – Golda Poretsky
- “Be kinder to yourself. And then let your kindness flood the world.” – Pema Chödrön
- “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Lamott
- “The relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship you have.” – Unknown
- “Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort.” – Deborah Day
- “You have been criticising yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” – Louise L. Hay
- “Make yourself a priority once in a while. It’s not selfish. It’s necessary.” – Unknown
- “An empty lantern provides no light. Self-care is the fuel that allows your light to shine brightly.” – Unknown
- “Not everyone will understand your journey. That’s fine. It’s not their journey to make sense of. It’s yours.” – Zero Dean
- “By taking care of myself, I have so much more to offer the world than I do when I am running on empty.” – Ali Washington
- “True self-care is not salt baths and chocolate cake, it is making the choice to build a life you don’t need to regularly escape from.” – Brianna Wiest
- “You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.” – Unknown
- “Mind. Body. Soul. These are the three things self-care is all about.” – Unknown
- “To take care of others, you have to take care of yourself first.” – Unknown
- “Don’t sacrifice yourself too much, because if you sacrifice too much there’s nothing else you can give, and nobody will care for you.” – Karl Lagerfeld
- “The only person who can pull me down is myself, and I’m not going to let myself pull me down anymore.” – C. JoyBell C.
- “Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.” – Christopher Germer
- “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” – Maya Angelou
- “You can’t take good care of something you hate.” – Unknown
- “You can’t give to your family or the world if your cup is empty.” – Unknown
- “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” – Alan Watts
- “Lighten up on yourself. No one is perfect. Gently accept your humanness.” – Deborah Day
- “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Be perfectly okay with being who you are. Fully embrace yourself, flaws and all.” – Unknown
- “Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.” – Harvey Fierstein
- “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” – William James
- “You can’t be strong all the time. Sometimes you just need to be alone and let your tears out.” – Unknown
- “The love and attention you always thought you wanted from someone else is the love and attention you first need to give to yourself.” – Bryant McGill
- “When I loved myself enough, I began leaving whatever wasn’t healthy. This meant people, jobs, my own beliefs and habits – anything that kept me small. My judgment called it disloyal. Now I see it as self-loving.” – Kim McMillen
- “If you’re searching for that one person that will change your life, take a look in the mirror.” – Unknown
- “The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours – it is an amazing journey – and you alone are responsible for the quality of it.” – Bob Moawad
- “Put yourself at the top of your to-do list every single day and the rest will fall into place.” – Unknown
- “Take time to do what makes your soul happy.” – Unknown
- “The best way to take care of the future is to take care of the present moment.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “When you say ‘yes’ to others, make sure you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself.” – Paulo Coelho
- “Revitalise your soul, for it is the wellspring of your strength.” – Unknown
- “The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.” – Unknown
- “You are a VIP, a very important person so take care with self-care. If not you, who? If not now, when?” – Toni Hawkins
- “Be your own reason to smile.” – Unknown
- “Loving yourself isn’t vanity. It is sanity.” – Katrina Mayer
- “A diamond doesn’t start out polished and shining. It once was nothing special, but with enough pressure and time, becomes spectacular. Be that diamond.” – Solange Nicole
- “Do not bring people in your life who weigh you down. And trust your instincts to the end, that’s where true wisdom manifests itself.” – Oprah Winfrey
- “Embrace the glorious mess that you are.” – Elizabeth Gilbert
- “You can’t control everything. Sometimes you just need to relax and have faith that things will work out. Let go a little and let life happen.” – Unknown
- “Your value doesn’t decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth.” – Unknown
- “Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer.” – William S. Burroughs
- “Sometimes you just need to step outside, get some air, and remind yourself of who you are and what you want to be.” – Unknown
- “Self-worth comes from one thing: thinking that you are worthy.” – Wayne Dyer
- “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” – William James
- “The more you are motivated by love, the more fearless and free your actions will be.” – Unknown
- “Celebrate your existence, you are your own muse, the subject of your dreams.” – Unknown
- “Self-care is not a waste of time; self-care makes your use of time more sustainable.” – Jackie Viramontez
- “When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.” – Jean Shinoda Bolen
- “Remember, you have been criticising yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” – Louise L. Hay
- “Be yourself, because an original is worth more than a copy.” – Unknown
- “You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you.” – Brian Tracy
- “If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.” – Toni Morrison
- “There are days I drop words of comfort on myself like falling leaves and remember that it is enough to be taken care of by myself.” – Brian Andreas
- “Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be.” – Wayne W. Dyer
- “Stop letting other people define you. Be yourself and be proud of it.” – Unknown
- “The best gift you are ever going to give someone— the permission to feel safe in their own skin. To feel worthy. To feel like they are enough.” – Hannah Brencher
- “Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” – Coco Chanel
- “It’s okay to outgrow people who don’t grow with you.” – Unknown
- “Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving. When we can be alone, we can be with others without using them as a means of escape.” – Bell Hooks
- “Life is too short to spend it at war with yourself.” – Unknown
- “Don’t let your happiness depend on something you may lose.” – C.S. Lewis
- “You are your best thing.” – Toni Morrison
- “The real difficulty is to overcome how you think about yourself.” – Maya Angelou
- “The ultimate act of self-care is loving yourself enough to say ‘no’ to things and people that don’t serve you.” – Unknown
- “To accept ourselves as we are means to value our imperfections as much as our perfections.” – Sandra Bierig
- “Take care to get what you like or you will be forced to like what you get.” – George Bernard Shaw
- “You can’t hate yourself happy. You can’t criticise yourself thin. You can’t shame yourself worthy. Real change begins with self-love and self-care.” – Jessica Ortner
- “Happiness means loving yourself and being less concerned with the approval of others.” – Owen Campbell Jr.
- “You cannot heal a lifetime of pain overnight, be patient with yourself, it takes as long as it takes to rebuild yourself.” – Unknown
- “It’s not your job to like me; it’s mine.” – Byron Katie
- “Rest when you’re weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work.” – Ralph Marston
- “You deserve the love you keep trying to give to everyone else.” – Unknown
- “Self-care means giving yourself permission to pause.” – Cecilia Tran
- “When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.” – Jean Shinoda Bolen
- “My mission, should I choose to accept it, is to find peace with exactly who and what I am. To take pride in my thoughts, my appearance, my talents, my flaws and to stop this incessant worrying that I can’t be loved as I am.” – Anaïs Nin
- “Don’t let your dreams be dreams. You have the power to make your dreams a reality. To do that, you have to take care of yourself first.” – Unknown
- “Don’t wait for everything to be perfect before you decide to enjoy your life.” – Joyce Meyer
- “True self-care is creating a life you don’t feel the need to escape from.” – Unknown
- “It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.” – Mandy Hale
- “Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves even when we risk disappointing others.” – Brené Brown
- “Your relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship you have.” – Robert Holden
- “Invent your world. Surround yourself with people, colour, sounds, and work that nourish you.” – Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy
There’s no shortage of self-care quotes to inspire and invigorate you. The key is to let these words resonate with you. Allow them to be your anchors or your wings — whatever you need them to be at the moment. Words can heal, words can empower, and in the end, it’s all about finding the self-care quotes that remind you to take care of you.
Whether you’re new to self-care or a seasoned pro, we hope you found a few self-care quotes here that sparked something within you. Don’t forget to explore our rich array of articles for more wisdom, advice, and support. After all, taking care of yourself is a lifelong journey, and we’re here to walk it with you.
Happy self-caring!
