In my late teens, I started a quote collection. I would underline sentences (and sometimes entire paragraphs) in books and jot down inspiring thoughts from other print media. I would then copy these words of wisdom into a journal. When I joined Pinterest, I set aside a page—Words I Love— where I recopied these quotes.
Maintaining a personal collection of quotes has helped me immensely. Here are some of the benefits I have discovered:
- Quotes have the power to transform moods. While books and movies can accomplish the same goal, quotes do it faster. I don’t have to invest hours of my time to experience the same effects. Whenever I need a quick jolt of inspiration, I click on my Pinterest page or visit one of many twitter hashtags devoted to quotes, among them #Quoteoftheday, #Inspirationalquotes, and #quotes.
- Quotes have introduced me to new authors, poets, and other creatives. After hearing Oprah and other celebrities quote from Maya Angelou’s poems, I picked up several of Maya’s books. My favorite poems include Phenomenal Woman, Still I Rise, and Amazing Peace.
- Quotes provide excellent starting points for essays and articles. During my Toastmaster years, I would start my speeches with an appropriate quote. A seasoned toastmaster advised me to memorize quotes and weave them into the Table Topics segments of each meeting. Being able to quote from past (and present) wisdom supports and enhances all forms of communication. Or to quote W. Somerset Maugham: “The ability to quote is a serviceable substitute to wit.”
- Quote collections can help friends and future generations. If a friend is experiencing a difficult season, a tweet or text of daily encouragement in the form of a quote can uplift them. Children and grandchildren can learn more about you by reading your favorite quotes. Consider passing on your collection.
- Quotes provide different perspectives. In addition to validating my feelings, quotes gently steer me in new directions. One quote that continues to resonate with me is the following from best-selling author and speaker Brené Brown: “You can choose courage or you can choose comfort, but you cannot choose both.”
Here are five more favorite quotes:
“The question is not how to survive, but how to thrive with passion, compassion, humor, and style.” Maya Angelou
“Don’t spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door.” Coco Chanel
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” C.S. Lewis
“Sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith.” Margaret Shepard
“Every great comeback first requires a setback. What you’re going through is a season of your life, not the end of your life.” Pastor Rick Warren
Do you have a favorite quote? Please share in the comments.
Where to find Joanne Guidoccio…
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Word by Word 
I love quotes, and wish I’d been smart like you and saved them over the years. Luckily for me, others have and I follow quite a few FB pages that post daily quotes.
Two of my current favorites:
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” —Maya Angelou
“Let go of who you think you’re supposed to be; embrace who you are.” Brene Brown
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Hi Kathryn, I can’t seem to get enough of Maya Angelou or Brene Brown. Two women who inspire and motivate me. Thanks for dropping by. Stay safe and healthy. 🙂
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Hey, Joanne. Love this post. We sure need it now. My mother was big on affirmations and positive quotes. When I taught, my “sponge” activity was for my high school theatre students to copy a quote from the board every morning. Every week, I looked at their notebooks to see if they’d done it. Completion earned them a daily grade of 100. (In an action class, it’s hard to find things to take grades on. 🙂 ) Loved your quotes, too, Kathryn.
Here are a couple of mine:
The most necessary task of civilization is to teach “men” how to think. Thomas Edison
Success is getting up one more time than you fall down.
Initiative is doing the right thing without being ordered to do it.
No one can make you feel inferior unless you allow them to. Elenore Roosevelt
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Great quotes! Thanks for sharing, Marsha. My mother was also big on inspirational quotes–English and Italian. Stay safe and healthy. 🙂
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My favorite is from the movie Strictly Ballroom and I believe is a proverb: a life lived in fear is a life half-lived.
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A timely quote to keep in mind. Thanks Vicki! 🙂
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Reblogged this on Jacquie Biggar-USA Today Best-selling author and commented:
How quotes can inspire and uplift our lives by Joanne Guidoccio on the Sisterhood of Suspense #blog. Do you have a favorite quote to share?
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Thanks for sharing, Jacquie 🙂
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You bet!
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This is a wonderful post, Joanne. I have a Pinterest board for quotes, as well, and should visit it more often!
I love Winnie the Pooh quotes. Here’s a couple:
“The things that make me different are the things that make me, me.”
—Piglet
“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.”
—Christopher Robin
“If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.”
—Winnie the Pooh
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Love these quotes! Thanks for sharing, Jacquie:)
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Inspiring post, Joanne, thank you 🙂
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Some great quotes and I really love Winnie the Pooh ones. Thank you.
I too have a collection of them. A few saved: “Two things are infinite – the Universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the Universe.” Albert Einstein. and “If you told me I only had six minutes to live, I’d type a little faster.” Isaac Asimov. Keep safe and well. Hugs xx
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Good to see you here, Joy 🙂
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