by The Lovely Refinement Team | Oct 25, 2020 | Self-Confidence
Today I want to share some Strong woman quotes to uplift you when you feel down, or just to give you some motivation or inspiration. Share these with your friends who might need them more than you do. Sometimes the right quote can open up your mind and make you realize that you are not alone and that there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel.
Because You might forget the good when you’re having a rough day.
When you’re feeling down, it’s important to remember the good things in your life.
And the good things that come from you specifically.
15 Best Strong Women Quotes
Your thoughts invade your sense of wellbeing making you question things about yourself. Like your worth and how much value you hold in the world.
One main thing to remember is that “this too shall pass.” Your bad thoughts and feelings will fade. You will feel better again.
You just have to trust this and believe this.
Here are 5 strong women quotes to remember the next time you are having a hard day.
1. I’m proud of the woman I am because I went through a hell of a time becoming her
No matter what you’ve gone through, you’ve made it to this moment.
Which means you will make it through the next moment and so on. You will get through these tough times. When you’re feeling down it’s so easy to think that things will never get better.
Something about our brain convinces us that life won’t get better. And yet it does, through time and patience.
2. I forgive myself and set myself free
Go easy on yourself. Forgive yourself for the things you’ve done to make yourself feel bad. Forgive your inner critic for the way she speaks to you.
Forgive any negative thoughts you have. These thoughts don’t define who you are, they are just thoughts.
Allow yourself to feel free from the judgment you place on yourself.
Even though today sucks, I know I will get through this. Repeat this a few times a day. You will get through this.
Trust that you will. Even when you don’t truly believe it. Remember the times that you struggled but you pushed through.
Use those times as evidence that you won’t feel bad forever.
3. What I think and what I feel doesn’t define me. I am more than my negative thoughts.
You have thousands and thousands of thoughts a day. A lot of which you choose to ignore.
Some of the thoughts that you ignore are very positive ones (that are true). And yet you choose to give value to the negative thoughts.
Thoughts are only true if you allow them to be, and you can choose to not give value to the negative ones.
They do not define who you are.
As a form of self-sabotage, making yourself feel bad is just a way to protect yourself.
It’s easier to feel bad than it is to feel better. Just remember that you are more than any negative thought you may believe.
4. I do not have to apologize to anyone for who I am
If others don’t fully accept you for who you are, that’s their problem. You should not have to change just to fit in.
Because no matter how much you change to make other people like you, there will always be someone who doesn’t like that side of you.
What helps instead is to just be yourself and attract the people who like you for you.
Because you don’t have to pretend or hide and you attract people who don’t ask you to ever be anyone but yourself.
5. I don’t have to have everything figured out, I just need to trust myself more
For some reason, we always think we need to have our lives fully figured out.
As if there will be this epic moment where you don’t struggle, you’re always happy, and you don’t have any more worries.
But, life doesn’t always work that way. Yes, you will feel great and happy.
But you will also feel sad and confused. And that’s the beauty of all of this.
You just need to remember that you don’t have to have everything figured out.
Even 80-year-olds don’t have their lives figured out, they’ve just learned to not care so much.
And I believe that once you let go of trying to have it all figured out, you will feel more at peace.
6. She wore her scars as her best attire. A stunning dress made of hellfire. – Daniel Saint
Never forget that if it doesn’t kill you, it will make you stronger. Don’t hide your failures or mishaps, be proud of the fact that you were able to make it through to the other side of the tunnel. Be an inspiration for other women who might be struggling to see or realize that there actually is a light at the other end of the tunnel.
7. Be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when you need help, and brave enough to ask for it.
Strong women quotes can only help to make you think, they can only inspire or motivate you. But you need to know that sometimes it will feel as if you are standing alone with no one else to understand what you are going through. It is not easy to ask for help, but it takes bravery not weakness to ask someone for help.
8. A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water. – Eleanor Roosevelt
The only way to build character is to face challenges head-on, and not be afraid. You can’t always control your circumstances or the situation you might be in, but by using your intelligence and your willpower you will make it through. And every time you make it through you build more armor as part of your character. Don’t let past actions or failures define you, take courage and determination in yourself as you have what it takes already. Believe and trust in your powers.
9. You may not be everything you thought you’d be by now, but you can be the one who loves, serves, and gives her all, and waters and nurtures every plant in the garden that God has already given her. – Morgan Harper Nichols
It’s easy to forget everything that you already have in your life when only staring at everything that is wrong. Sometimes you need to take comfort in looking at your current situation and look for the things that you can be grateful for. There are a lot of other strong women that aren’t as lucky as you.
10. Don’t let a little stormy weather get you down, there is always sunshine on the other side.
You are a strong independent woman, have faith. When life gets a little stormy or challenging, hold on and ride it out. Sunshine is usually right around the corner. The sun will always shine brighter than her fears.
11. Never ever mistake her silence for weakness. Remember that sometimes the air stills, before the onset of a hurricane. –Nikita Hill
Don’t forget that you don’t need to brag or tell everyone about your challenges or successes. Being silent is not a sign of weakness, in fact, the most powerful women of all time see the ability to be silent, listen, and then respond as their biggest asset.
12. You have to learn to get up from the table when love is no longer being served. – Nina Simone
Love is always worth fighting for, but to know when to give up or walk out is just as important. Sometimes giving up on one love opens up the doors for new love to enter your life. Never stay with someone for the wrong reasons, have the willpower and courage to stand up for yourself, and don’t be afraid of change.
13. A strong woman builds others up because she knows what it’s like to be torn down. – Anonymous
There is no better way to help yourself, than by helping others. The more you give the more you will get. Being able to help someone else will allow you to build up your own confidence and power. It is only when you realize that someone else needs more help than you do, that you start to heal yourself.
14. In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer. – Albert Camus
You will only realize your true power and character when you face adversity and challenges. Experience is the king, and unfortunately, that is the only way to learn and grow. Experiences are required to test ourselves and it makes us realize how strong we really are (or aren’t), and that builds our character. With character comes confidence.
15. If you live off a man’s compliments, you’ll die from his criticism. – Cornelius Lindsey
You never have to validate your own worth through the eyes of any man. What other people think of you is their own business, and don’t ever let that define who you are. Don’t fall for fake compliments, and don’t take criticisms too seriously. Do not overanalyze these as they are only someone else’s perception of you. You know yourself better and your own compliments and your own criticisms are so much more valuable than those of others.
15 Strong Women Quotes – Conclusion
I hope these strong women quotes inspire you today.
Remember to be content with how your life is now and you’ll feel more grateful for what you already have. Also, have a look at our massive list of affirmations for women post.
Related: 15 Mental Health Quotes That Will Make You Feel Less Alone
by The Lovely Refinement Team | Oct 15, 2020 | Dealing With Emotions
Mindfulness is a state of mind, like “Nirvana” or “Zen.” It’s a set of beliefs you completely digest and believe in to make a better person out of yourself. Mindfulness is the capability to become fully aware and present of the moment we’re in without being detached by pressure or emotions.
Most people think mindfulness is something you “conjure,” but it’s actually something we all have but might not readily be able to gain access to due to lack of practice.
The concept of mindfulness has gained popularity over the last few decades, and so have conferences, webinars, and books about mindfulness. Even big companies like Google have adopted a mindfulness practice or two to help their employees minimize their stress and anxiety while maintaining a high productivity level.
However, not many people are aware of the beneficial impact that practicing mindfulness can have on their lives, and that’s a real bummer. Understandably, it could be a little tough to grasp the concept, let alone find ways to implement it and integrate it into your everyday life.
That’s why I highly recommend mindfulness books as a way to start practicing mindfulness. I’ve picked out the best mindfulness books on the market to help you better understand the meaning, process, and goals of the practice and have added a little summary of each. Let’s delve right into them!
My Ultimate List of Mindfulness Books in 2020
I’ve gone through countless mindfulness books to find you the most helpful ones. Some of them explain the “why” and “how” of mindfulness, while others give you a step-by-step guide on how to practice mindfulness and mindful meditation.
Some of them rely on real-life stories or examples, some rely on scientific research, and some make ties between the body and the mind. Whatever doubts or second thoughts you might have, read on to gain a better understanding and perhaps start practicing mindfulness yourself.
The raw emotions and truth inside this book are what made me list it as the first on the list of the best mindfulness books. It’s like a memoir of Dan Harris’ journey toward becoming a better person, and the fact that it’s so real makes it one of the best books for mindfulness and learning all about meditation and mindfulness practices.
To fight against a world that perpetually tries to put us under stress and anxiety to drive us to fuel its benefits, Harris tries to explain how mindfulness can help you remain compassionate and lead a fulfilling life.
If you’re like me and enjoy reading about concepts only when someone has tried them out and proven them successful, you’ll absolutely love what 10% Happier offers.
Mark Coleman knows very well how each of us has an inner voice, always telling us we’re not good enough, not doing well enough, could have been doing better, and what have you. This is why he’s incredibly compassionate and truly understands those low moments when you’re second-guessing and doubting your value.
This is one of the mindfulness books that teach you how to manage your inner thoughts, channel your emotions, and get on top of your game. Given that he’s a meditation teacher and therapist, Mark Coleman knows exactly how to help readers with mindfulness through compassion.
In each chapter, he goes through how the inner critic is created, and by understanding how it comes to be, the reader learns how to handle it with maturity and calmness. He plays on the idea of neuroplasticity, which is the ability to form new neural networks in the brain to learn new behaviors and patterns.
Not only does he suffice with his own story, but his book offers real-life stories of people whom he had helped guide toward practicing mindfulness regularly and effectively. The fact that Coleman’s narrative is informal and sounds like a close friend giving you genuine advice makes this one of the best mindfulness books discussing the topic.
Though both of them have “Harris” as a surname and have written some of the best mindfulness books, Sam and Dan Harris are not related. That’s except that their content, mindset, and helpfulness are!
However, this book is not as easy to wrap your head around as Dan’s. I’d recommend it for someone who’s had a bit of experience in the world of mindfulness and perhaps has read a couple of mindful books.
The way he sees it, a person must let go of his “self” or “ego” to actually lead a meaningful life. One must “wake up” from the state of being controlled by things like wanting to prove ourselves in certain aspects, and instead, focus on being better humans that are actively living life instead of going on autopilot.
It’s no secret that Sam Harris always questions what everyone else might perceive as “facts” to reach a better understanding of the world. This is why he addresses spirituality, which is often tied to religion, as something independent of religion.
This read is definitely one of the best books on mindfulness practices because its core concepts are actually applications of the concept.
Michael Singer believes in the power of one’s inner monologue. After all, it’s the sound that is continuously resounding in your head, all day, every day. This is why, in this mindfulness book, Singer focuses on directing this inner monologue toward a more beneficial direction that turns our “autopilot” mode into a more positive and peaceful standard.
What makes The Untethered Soul one of the best mindfulness books is that it encourages the readers to “observe” their thoughts as though they aren’t their own. This detachment can help you become ten times more mindful because the exercises it presents are calculated and clear, so it’s a good place to start getting more informed on the topic of mindfulness.
This also helps you realize that your thoughts don’t define who you are, but rather indicate that you have an active mind. What defines you is which of these thoughts you choose to feed, pursue, and live by.
A mindfulness book that is actually a step-by-step guide to reaching higher mindfulness levels, how great does that sound? What makes Declutter Your Mind an incredible read on mindfulness is that it comes with mindfulness practices, tricks, and tactics that enable you to work out your “now” muscle.
SJ Scott and Barrie Davenport believe that regrets belong in the past, and anxiety belongs to the future, so you shouldn’t dwell on either and focus on the present moment.
You can do so by realizing plenty of concepts like the paradox of choice, negativity bias, stress, and the number of issues you have to worry about that are beyond your means. Those are the pillars of the clutter in the mind, and those are the things that Scott and Davenport try to deal with in the book.
They give advice on how to declutter your social relationships, obligations, and even your home and surroundings. It’s so well-written, and integrated, and covers more or less all the questions anyone could have about mindfulness.
This is only one book of the many incredible Jon Kabat Zinn books on mindfulness meditation and mindfulness practices. It focuses on acceptance, a concept in mindfulness that is often overlooked and not given enough attention.
While each of us has our own issues relating to self-image, how people perceive us, and how to live a fulfilling life despite that, Jon Kabat Zinn finds that absolutely okay.
This book tries to tell you that it’s perfectly fine and actually normal to have these thoughts; the important thing is to envision the version of yourself you want to become and prepare the groundwork on how to get to this version, starting with the present moment.
The book offers motivation and guidance to mindful meditation exercises and explains how and why mindfulness could change your life upside down, making it one of the best books on mindfulness for both beginners and well-seasoned meditators.
You might have seen the Headspace app here or there, perhaps even used it, and enjoyed it along with many users whom it helped find ways to reduce stress and anxiety. It comes with a 10-day mindfulness challenge that you can use to learn the principles of mindfulness or jog your memory if you already know them.
The focus on “slow and steady wins the race” is incredible as the book (and the app) encourage you to engage in mindfulness practices for only 10 minutes per day, and the biggest testament to how effective mindfulness is would be the world of difference you start noticing after.
This is one of the best books on mindfulness because it was written by a former Buddhist monk. Andy Puddicombe has many years of experience when it comes to teaching mindfulness practices, which came after years of being busy and suffocating under the weight of everyday stresses.
It’s worth mentioning that Bill Gates has given this book 3 out of 5 stars with a fantastic review on goodreads.com, which speaks volumes about what this book has to offer in terms of reducing stress and improving the self.
In this book, Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us through stories and practices how to access and hone our mindfulness skills. Not only is it an interesting read, but it’s also helpful and definitely leaves an impact.
This is because the book teaches you mindfulness through the most mundane tasks. Things you do every day like washing the dishes, talking to a friend, and eating a tangerine, all become mindfulness practices with what Thich Nhat Hanh teaches.
Its main focus is introspection and making it your default. Thich Nhat even incorporates actual steps to help you reach an introspective mindfulness state, which makes it a great book for both those who are new to mindfulness practices and those who want to improve on their mindfulness.
Mark Williams and Danny Penman make it very clear in the title of this book that they understand how the nature of the modern world induces stress and that they’re on a quest to help you reach a state of peace in such a dynamic.
Mindfulness by Danny Penman and Mark Williams is one of the few mindfulness books that actually offers a step-by-step guide with details on how to get to mindfulness.
Not to mention, the duo is pioneering in the world of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), which is the primary topic that the book discusses. You’ll find plenty of simple and effective mindfulness practices that you can start implementing right here, right now, to reduce stress, anxiety, exhaustion, and depression.
I love this book because it puts science as a cornerstone of methodology, which helps the most skeptic of people rest assured that the content is meaningful, helpful, and, most importantly, actually works.
This is not the first book by Jon Kabat Zinn that I mentioned on the list, but this book is definitely a lot heftier both in terms of actual size (a 650-page book) and in terms of information.
You should start reading Full Catastrophe Living after gaining the basic and introductory information on mindfulness from “Wherever You Go, There You Are.” With its size alone, this massive book showcases its message: doing something hard to get to easy living.
Besides the number of pages you’d have to go through, Kabat Zinn invites you to tackle another hefty task: spare 45 minutes per day to engage in mindfulness and mindful meditation. It also teaches you how to utilize mediation-based mind-body approaches to minimize anxiety, form a balance between your mind and body, as well as start healing.
Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, persistent depression, or debilitating anxiety, this book will help you get to a better place through mindfulness. It incorporates the science of mindfulness with the stats about its practices to show you how effective mindfulness can be.
From the title, you can tell that Cure is one of the mindfulness books that focuses on forming a tie or a bond between the body and mind. It investigates our brain’s impact on healing our body and how a damaged brain could make one’s body more prone to illness or accelerated aging.
While everyone knows that anxiety and stress could negatively affect your health (we’ve all suffered some hair loss or burnout after a stressful week at work), we hardly try to think about the positive effects a relaxed brain with healing thoughts could have.
Jo Marchant tries to focus on how our emotions, beliefs, and mere thoughts could bring the physical damage that’s a result of mental damage to a halt, or even reverse its effects.
With studies that prove that mindfulness and mindfulness meditation could protect us against mental deterioration or diseases such as depression and dementia, how establishing strong social connections enhances our health, and how patients can recover faster from surgeries when they have reliable and solid support systems, this is among the books that completely change the way you think about mindfulness.
Though she was initially skeptical of the topic of mindfulness, Jo well explains with clear compassion and backed-up research how mindfulness works as a placebo and can transform your healing journey through life.
by The Lovely Refinement Team | Sep 29, 2020 | Happiness Tips, Self-Confidence
Looking for some ways to feel better about yourself? Great! I have 19 mood and confidence-boosting ideas for you. We all have bad mental health days at times. What makes those days worse is how hard we are on ourselves.
There’s a strong mental health stigma out there that tells us we should be doing better than we are. And if you struggle with depression or anxiety, it makes you feel like a failure of some sort. But this is NOT true. Trust me, it’s not. And the truth is many many people struggle with their own mental illness. It’s not a bad thing and you don’t have to keep making yourself feel worse. Which is why I want to talk about some awesome ways you can feel better about yourself. Because YOU are awesome! If you need a reminder of that today, then here it is.
19 Ways To Make You Feel Better About Yourself
You’re doing the best you can. You’re trying and that’s all that matters. To make yourself feel better you need to be calm and realize the progress you want to see in your life will come. You will have days where you fall backward, and that’s ok. Because you will also have days where you feel on top of the world. To feel better about ourselves is a struggle we all face. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s possible to always feel better or happy no matter how perfect your life may be.
Striving for endless happiness is like striving for perfection… it doesn’t exist.
What does exist is learning how to accept who you are. That’s the easiest way to make you feel better about yourself. Whether you’re in a bad mood or a good mood. Trusting yourself and knowing you’ll push through the tough moments will turn you into a resilient badass. Sometimes that is what is required to make you feel better about yourself.
1. To feel better, pay attention to what your thoughts are saying
Instead of ignoring your thoughts, spend some time listening to them. What are they saying to you? If you aren’t feeling your greatest right now, why? Is it because of something not going how you expected in your life?
To make you feel better you need to identify your struggles and respect them. This can help you learn to listen to yourself more. From every experience and those small wins, remember what you did to make you feel better. Check out this book on Amazon which was a great read to help me feel better.
When you ignore yourself it’s easy to feel down because you haven’t fully accepted what your thoughts are trying to tell you.
2. Listen to yourself and make sure to take it easy
If you don’t want to see anyone today, clean your house, or get groceries then don’t! Basically to feel better, don’t force yourself to do something you hate. You might think “But I’m an adult and need to take care of my responsibilities.” which, yes is true. But, your chores can wait until you’re better. Cut your to-do list in half and just work on the things that you can. Sometimes our minds and bodies give us a sign, to tell us that we need a break.
To make you feel better, let the other things wait and listen to yourself. Today might just need to be a Netflix day. Yay!
3. Stop making yourself feel guilty for not feeling good mentally
When you’re depressed it’s really hard to act like you care about something when you really don’t. Like when your boyfriend wants to spend Saturday doing a bunch of errands and you’re over here like: I need to be in bed with no interruptions. Which can make you feel guilty for not supporting the people you love.
- Your mind has other plans for you and you have to cater to that.
Sometimes to feel better you don’t have to feel guilty for giving yourself a much-needed mental health day. If it’s an everyday thing, then it’s always good to talk to someone about it.
4. Write out all your worries in a journal
When you wake up in the morning and already feel like today is just going to suck, get your thoughts out. Only you can make you feel better. Write down all of your worries about your life, about the day, and just about anything. This is a great way to reel in your worries and take care of your mental health. Because once you get these thoughts, you’ll feel better about yourself and be ready to take on the day.
One way to make you feel better, try out the Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal to help you let go of worry and anxiety.
5. Buy yourself something nice, the best way to make you feel better
When you’re not feeling good about yourself, make yourself go out and buy something nice. Take a trip to the mall or buy something on Amazon you’ve been wanting. Treat yo’ self! This is a good form of self-care to remind yourself that you matter and realize that you can feel better with a little bit of a splurge on yourself. Now, you don’t need to buy the whole store or anything but something simple that makes you feel good will do the trick. This could also just be some ice cream to help boost your spirits. Let’s be honest ice cream will always make you feel better even when everything else fails.
6. Eat a healthy & fulfilling meal
You can treat yourself and eat a healthy meal all on the same day. It’s called balance! Fuel your body with the proper nutrients that you need to improve your mental health. A healthy meal makes your body feel better which improves your mindset!
7. Trust yourself more
To feel better, listen to your heart. If you’re unhappy a lot of the time, listen to why that is. If you always say yes when you should say no, learn how to set boundaries. For the longest time I did not trust myself and I always looked to other people to boost my confidence. Make your own confidence. Don’t sit and wait for a sign, stand up and take accountability. But, this never lasted because when nobody was around I didn’t feel good about myself. I spent a lot of time learning how to trust my instincts and listen to myself more, and now I feel better about myself and my circumstances. This takes some time, but if you make it a goal of yours then you will start to feel better quickly.
8. Spend time with supportive people
To feel better, it helps to have a strong support system because you can’t always pull yourself out of a funk, or make issues just disappear. If you aren’t your best today, call up your closest friends. Vent to them or ask them to hang out so you can be around positive people. Positive people can make you feel better instantly. Don’t be afraid to reach out to the people who care about you when you’re struggling mentally, because they need you to reach out to them.
They won’t judge you and care about your well-being.
9. Listen to upbeat music
Sometimes you just need some good music to pull you out of a bad mood. Dance around to your favorite songs for 15 minutes. Tune everything out and put your headphones on. Enjoying yourself where you get out of your head for a while can help you gain a different perspective on things.
Related: 13 Hobbies That Will Reduce Anxiety and Make You Feel Better
10. Write down all of your amazing qualities
Even when you’re not feeling your best you can counter your bad thoughts with good ones. Write down your favorite qualities about yourself. Is it the way you easily forgive people around you? Maybe you’re a really good listener, or like being so easygoing. Whatever traits you have, make yourself write them down. And if you can’t think of what you like about yourself, write down the things other people like about you.
11. Hang out with animals
If you have any animals at your house, spend some time with them. Cuddle your cat or go on a hike with your dog and make some friends. And if you don’t (but do like animals), go to a nearby animal shelter. If you find an animal you like, you can ask to hang out with it. And who knows? Maybe you’ll even end up getting a furry companion! Animals can be a great form of therapy because they are so innocent and pure. They are very forgiving, provide an endless amount of love, and have zero judgment.
12. Cry it out
Crying is a way to release all the built-up emotions you have in your mind and body. Sometimes you just need a good cry session to let everything out. I definitely feel better about myself after I cry things out for a little bit. If it’s just one of those days for you where you do feel on the verge of tears, don’t hold it in. Allow yourself to feel however it is you’re feeling so you can get back to being your best self.
13. Break/Punch something
So if you’re sad you cry, and if you’re angry you can punch something. I keep getting this urge to break some dishes when I don’t feel my best. That is usually a sign that some good old punches or kicks are required.
But if you’d prefer to punch something instead, sign up for a nearby kickboxing class. This can help you relieve a lot of tension…
14. Get some alone time
If you aren’t feeling your best sometimes being alone can be just what you need. This helps you re-center yourself. You also block out all of the outside noise. If you have a judgmental family, a difficult work environment, or just feel super stressed out then being alone can help a ton. Either go to your bedroom and shut the door for the night, go on a hike and shut off your phone, or take a 2-hour long bath for some privacy.
15. Go on an adventure to make you feel better
Sometimes we don’t feel our best because life feels boring. If you’re stuck in the same routine and feel like your life isn’t going anywhere, change it up by going on an adventure. This could mean a trip to the next town over or a road trip vacation. You don’t have to wait for a sign. Depending on how you’re feeling, set up a plan to get out on an adventure and explore something new.
16. Take a mental health day
If you wake up in the morning and just cannot get yourself to go to work, take a mental health day. We all need this from time to time. And don’t feel guilty about it either! A mental health day is amazing when you’re overwhelmed and burnt out. If you know you won’t be able to focus or work productively today, then it’s best to take a break from everything. This can help in so many ways and it can actually benefit your employer because you’ll feel refreshed and recharged after a little mini-break.
17. Get some exercise
Go on a run, take a hike, or do some yoga at home. Your body and mind work together to help you feel your best. Make sure to take care of your body and listen to what it needs. It already knows how to make you feel better, you just need to guide it.
Activities like running or HIIT get your endorphins going and your heart pumping, so you’ll feel better pretty quickly. And if you’re looking to calm down and be more in tune with your body, then yoga, pilates, or a peaceful walk can help you get there.
18. Read a good mental health book
If you enjoy reading like I do and like to focus on self-improvement, here are some of my favorite books to read to help you feel better about yourself:
19. Help someone else
Sometimes what you really need to make you feel better about yourself is to help someone else. Look around your life and see what areas you can help in.
- Are there people in your family who are going through their own struggles?
- Do you have a friend who could use a break from her kids?
Pay attention to other people around you asking for help and lend a hand.
by The Lovely Refinement Team | Sep 12, 2020 | Self-Improvement
In today’s fast-paced world where everyone is always running around in circles, it has never been easier to get caught up in our daily routine, distracting us from the actual bigger picture of life.
Because most of us are almost always tight on time, we rarely pause to put things into perspective and be “present” in life, which, believe it or not, hinders us from fully living our lives here and now!
So, what’s to be done? It’s the basic nature of life; you’re probably thinking. And I agree, but each of us owns control over a certain element that can replace distraction with mindfulness: our inner thoughts!
To drive mindfulness, I always resort to mindfulness quotes to give me the dose of inspiration and motivation that I need to achieve my inner peace and stay grounded. And since sharing is caring, I thought of compiling my favorite and most influential mindful quotations from mindful leaders and practitioners to help you, too, to live in the present moment.
Whether you’re looking for quotes by Thich Nhat Hanh, Jon Kabat Zinn, Amit Ray, and other leaders, or simple mindfulness Monday quotes, short mindfulness quotes, mindfulness meditation quotes, or even a mindfulness quote for the day, you’ll find something your mind likes!
We all know that mindfulness and meditation are life changers but if you don’t know where to begin, or how to begin head over to the Master Your Mind for beginners course as it will show you the simplest and easiest path to change your life using mindfulness.
Mindfulness Quotes for Work
Many overlook mindfulness when it comes to work and business issues, but truth be told, mindfulness can go a long way with productivity and de-stressing your workdays. You’ll notice yourself accomplishing more at work and appreciating the things that matter.
- “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
- “Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it.” – Eckhart Tolle
- “Seeking is endless. It never comes to a state of rest; it never ceases.” – Sharon Salzberg
- “To think in terms of either pessimism or optimism oversimplifies the truth. The problem is to see reality as it is.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “Life is not lost by dying; life is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the small uncaring ways.” – Stephen Vincent Benet
- “In today’s rush, we all think too much, seek too much, want too much, and forget about the joy of just being.” – Eckhart Tolle
- “Look at other people and ask yourself if you are really seeing them or just your thoughts about them.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
- “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” – Viktor Frankl
- “If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” – Amit Ray
- “Step outside for a while, calm your mind. It is better to hug a tree than to bang your head against a wall continually.” – Rasheed Ogunlaru
- “If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher.” – Pema Chödrön
- “Every experience, no matter how bad it seems, holds within it a blessing of some kind. The goal is to find it.” – Buddha
- “The basic root of happiness lies in our minds; outer circumstances are nothing more than adverse or favorable.” – Matthieu Ricard
- “The mind is just like a muscle; the more you exercise it, the stronger it gets, and the more it can expand.” – Idowu Koyenikan
- “Use every distraction as an object of meditation, and they cease to be distractions.” – Mingyur Rinpoche
Mindfulness Quotes for Teachers
Teachers can be the greatest source of inspiration for students, especially those in the early stages of their lives. However, teachers are humans, after all, with their unique set of emotions and feelings. When self-doubt and pessimism kick in due to the abundance of standards that need to be met, the below quotes on mindfulness can make a huge difference.
- “The hallmark of resiliency is the ability to harness positive emotions when we need to counter the effects of hardship.” – Patricia A Jennings
- “Concentration is a cornerstone of mindfulness practice. Your mindfulness will only be as robust as the capacity of your mind to be calm and stable. Without calmness, the mirror of mindfulness will have an agitated and choppy surface and will not be able to reflect things with any accuracy.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
- “Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child – our own two eyes. All is a miracle.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “This is the real secret of life; to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.”- Alan Watts
- “Mindful and creative, a child who has neither a past nor examples to follow, nor value judgments, simply lives, speaks, and plays in freedom.”- Arnaud Desjardins
- “You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.” – Kahlil Gibran
- “I never teach my pupils. I can only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.” – Albert Einstein
- “Mindfulness is paying attention, in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
- “Essentially, meditation allows us to live in ways that are less automatic. This necessarily means less time spent worrying, ruminating, and trying to control things we can’t control. It means we become less vulnerable to the throes of the fear-driven, older parts of our brains, and freer to use our newer and more sophisticated mental abilities: patience, compassion, acceptance, and reason.” – David Cain
- “If you clean the floor with love, you have given the world an invisible painting.” – Osho
- “Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free: Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.”- Chuang
- “Wanting to reform the world without discovering one’s true self is like trying to cover the world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes.” – Ramana Maharshi
- “Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” -Deepak Chopra
- “You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.” – Pema Chödrön
Mindfulness Quotes for Kids
If we were aware of mindfulness since our youth, we would’ve all been in a different state of mind; one that’s accepting of the current moment and its reality. That’s why it’s best to instill mindfulness in students early on to improve their concentration, memory, and happiness while keeping them calm and focused. Make it a habit to introduce a “mindful quote of the day” for your kids.
- “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” – Dalai Lama
- “Wherever you go, there you are.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
- “Mindfulness isn’t difficult; we just need to remember to do it.” – Sharon Salzberg
- “The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “Looking at beauty in the world is the first step of purifying the mind.” – Amit Ray
- “Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.” -Thich Nhat Hanh
- “The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from his angle as well as your own.” – Henry Ford
- “Creativity is as boundless, spacious, and limitless as the sky. We are born with it. It cannot be lost, and it cannot be destroyed. It can only be forgotten.” – Andy Puddicombe
- “So much time and effort are spent on wanting to change, trying to change, to be somebody different, better, or new. Why not use this time to get comfortable with yourself as you are instead?” – Andy Puddicombe
- “You cannot control the results, only your actions.” – Allan Lokos
- “Don’t believe everything you think. Thoughts are just that; thoughts.” – Allan Lokos
- “There is something wonderfully bold and liberating about saying yes to our entire imperfect and messy life.” – Tara Brach
- “In the end, just three things matter: How well we have lived. How well we have loved. How well we have learned to let go” – Jack Kornfield
- “Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won’t).” – James Baraz
Mindfulness Quotes About Being Present
When it really comes down to it, mindfulness is all about living in the present moment. The overarching goal is to allow your mind to live now and enjoy life as it is, without dwelling on the past or worrying about tomorrow. The below positive mindfulness quotes are here to serve that exact purpose!
- “I always live in the present. The future I can’t know. The past I no longer have.” – Fernando Pessoa
- “To live in the present moment is a miracle. The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “The past has no power over the present moment.” – Eckhart Tolle
- “Life is a dance. Mindfulness is witnessing that dance.” – Amit Ray
- “If you want to conquer overthinking, bring your mind to the present moment and reconnect it with the immediate world.”- Amit Ray
- “When we are lost in delusion, it’s hard to see even the most obvious truths.” – Jack Kornfield
- “Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts. Each time we drop our complaints and allow everyday good fortune to inspire us, we enter the warrior’s world.” – Pema Chödrön
- “Each moment is just what it is. It might be the only moment of our life; it might be the only strawberry we’ll ever eat. We could get depressed about it, or we could finally appreciate it and delight in the preciousness of every single moment of our life.” – Pema Chödrön
- “Perhaps the biggest tragedy of our lives is that freedom is possible, yet we can pass our years trapped in the same old patterns. We may want to love other people without holding back, to feel authentic, to breathe in the beauty around us, to dance and sing. Yet each day, we listen to inner voices that keep our life small.” – Tara Brach
- “Consider how the sky is unharmed by the clouds that pass through it, whether they are light and fluffy-looking or dark and formidable. A mountain is not moved by the winds blowing over it, whether gentle or fierce. The ocean is not destroyed by the waves moving on its surface, whether high or low. In just that way, no matter what we experience, some aspect of ourselves remains unharmed. This is the innate happiness of awareness.” – Sharon Salzberg
- “What would it be like if I could accept life–accept this moment–exactly as it is?” – Tara Brach
- “When we can’t let the moment in front of us be what it is (because we’re afraid that if it’s good, it’ll end too soon; if it’s bad, it’ll go on forever; and if it’s neutral, it’ll bore us to tears), we’re out of balance. Mindfulness restores that balance; we catch our habitual reactions of clinging, condemning, and zoning out, and let them go.” – Sharon Salzberg
- The experience of pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral is the consequence of perception.” – Allan Lokos
- “When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present moment. This is the beginning and the end of spiritual practice. Only in this moment can we discover that which is timeless. Only here can we find the love that we seek. Love in the past is simply memory, and love in the future is fantasy. Only in the reality of the present can we love, can we awaken, can we find peace and understanding and connection with ourselves and the world.” – Jack Kornfield
- “The only way to live is by accepting each minute as an unrepeatable miracle.” – Tara Brach
Mindfulness Quotes About Being Present for Others
A big chunk of leading a mindfulness life includes not only being present for ourselves but also for others. Indirectly, helping and supporting others is a mindfulness practice that contributes to our own self-improvement as well; and that’s something we need to remember. Here are some of my treasured and inspiring mindfulness quotes to drive you to the next good deed.
- “Practice sharing the fullness of your being, your best self, your enthusiasm, your vitality, your spirit, your trust, your openness, and above all, your presence. Share it with yourself, with your family, with the world.” – Jon Kabat Zinn
- “You hold in your hand an invitation: to remember the transforming power of forgiveness and loving kindness. To remember that no matter where you are and what you face, within your heart, peace is possible.”- Jack Kornfield
- “Genetically speaking, we are one people. The two most seemingly different people in the world are virtually identical from the point of their genes. At most, about one in a thousand nucleotides in our DNA are different between the blackest and the whitest, the tallest and the shortest of us. We are 99.9 percent the same. We are one tribe, one family, but have yet to recognize it. We, humans, are all intimately interconnected. How we treat each other matters to the health and well-being, perhaps even the survival, of us all as a species, not in some vague future, but in this very moment.” – Jon Kabat Zinn
- “Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day.” – Sally Koch
- “There is no use whatsoever trying to help people who do not help themselves. You cannot push anyone up a ladder unless he is willing to climb himself.” – Andrew Carnegie
- “Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work.” – William Arthur Ward
- “When you become detached mentally from yourself and concentrate on helping other people with their difficulties, you will be able to cope with your own more effectively. Somehow, the act of self-giving is a personal power-releasing factor.” – Norman Vincent Peale
- “At the end, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.” – Denzel Washington
- “Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more.” – Robin Sharma
- “There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others.”- Mandy Hale
- “When you do nothing, you feel overwhelmed and powerless. But when you get involved, you feel the sense of hope and accomplishment that comes from knowing you are working to make things better.” – Pauline R. Kezer
- “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “One of the most important things you can do on this earth is to let people know they are not alone.” – Shannon L. Alder
- “The next time you want to withhold your help, or your love, or your support for another for whatever the reason, ask yourself a simple question: do the reasons you want to withhold it reflect more on them or on you? And which reasons do you want defining you forevermore?”- Dan Pearce
- “If you haven’t done much giving in your life – try it and see how you feel afterwards.” – Michelle Moore
Here are some of our other related posts regarding mindfulness:
6 Easy Mindfulness Exercises For Anxiety
Mindful Eating Tips and Tricks for Long-Term Weight Loss
Final Thoughts
At one point or another, we struggle to live in the present moment. When you feel that happening, remember that you need mindfulness practice. Mindfulness practice can even be as simple as reading mindful quotes like the ones in this post.
With time, if you practice mindfulness every day and make a note to read some “mindfulness quotes of the day,” for example, you’ll reap the benefits and witness the power of mindfulness in your life.
And remember, it’s not difficult; we just need to make it a habit. Just like anything else, practice makes perfect, and the first-rate mindfulness quotes I’ve provided you with here can serve as an ideal starting point.
Stay focused, inspired, and motivated!
by The Lovely Refinement Team | Aug 31, 2020 | Finding Motivation, Self-Confidence, Self-Improvement
Gandhi once said: “Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.” And he wasn’t wrong; our every thought does have the power to influence our entire lifestyle.
If you’re an overthinking woman like myself, your thoughts can be detrimental to your personal development, hindering you from becoming the best version of yourself. I know you probably feel that you don’t have control over your mind because that’s how I felt for the longest time. Yet, the matter of the fact is, you do have the power to control your mind’s inner dialogue.
How so? One word: self–affirmations. Self-affirmations are sentences targeted at affecting your conscious and subconscious mind in positive ways to influence your behavior, thinking patterns, and habits.
Because I know that you might bounce off this article this very minute, let me first tell you whether affirmations work, and how they do. Then, I’ll showcase some of my favorite positive affirmations for women that I’ve tried myself at different stages of my life. Read on!
Do Affirmations Work?
You probably think that this is just some wishful, unrealistic thinking. I thought so too before trying affirmations myself. But believe me, they do work!
You can use affirmations in almost any scenario where you’d like to see a positive change. For instance, you could want to improve your self-esteem and self-confidence levels, overcome a specific bad habit, control negative feelings and thoughts, overcome self-sabotaging, and more.
When you use and repeat affirmations regularly, preferably daily, you actually start believing in them and make positive changes.
In a way, daily affirmations reprogram your thinking patterns and exercise your mind. Therefore, the key to make an affirmation work is to keep reciting it, especially as soon as you start encountering the negative thought or experience you want to overcome.
Just a tip: Before you start your affirmations, be clear with yourself about what you’re working on changing and what exactly you want out of the affirmations.
From one woman to another, below is a set of common yet diverse daily affirmations for women, including affirmations for black women, affirmations for single women, self-affirmations for women, and affirmations for positivity for women. To the power of positive thoughts!
Affirmations for Single Women
Lady, if you think you’re incomplete just because you don’t have a partner, think again! You’re fully whole on your own, literally. Being single will only feel horrible if you look at your life from such a pessimistic perspective. Shift your perception, take away the ‘being single sucks’ attitude, and be happy with the support of these positive affirmations. You go, girl!
- A relationship will never, ever define me.
- It’s not their job to like me; it’s mine.
- I’m 100% responsible for my own happiness.
- Every day, I will practice the art of self-love.
- I’m worthwhile and deserving of real love.
- My life is already fulfilling, and I hold the keys to my own happiness.
- My single status is a blessing, not a burden.
- I’m enough. If I can’t be myself, then I can’t be with them.
- I enjoy having time to do whatever I want.
- There are so many opportunities for love in the future.
- Starting today, I’m letting go of anyone or anything that’s no longer serving me and my best interests.
- I forgive myself for accepting less than I deserved in the past.
- True love is out there for me; I just need to be patient and accept that my timeline is different than those around me.
- I deserve to be happy in my life, no matter who is in it.
- I’m capable of living each day to its fullest without someone else in it.
- Being single doesn’t make me better or worse than anyone else.
Self-Esteem Affirmations for Women
It’s quite easy to get weighed down and lose sight of the bigger picture sometimes. However, it’s tough to restore our self-confidence and positive energy. Self-affirmation sure does take practice, so take yourself one step closer to loving the woman you are inside. Live by these boosters and watch how you’ll feel empowered with daily positive thoughts flowing through you.
- I’m in control of my life.
- I’m creating a beautiful life.
- I believe in myself.
- I value and honor my boundaries.
- Believing in myself comes naturally to me.
- I’m worthy of love and attention.
- I’m respected by the people around me.
- I value my worth.
- I will continue to learn and grow.
- I believe in my skills and abilities.
- I will stand by my decisions. They are sound and reasoned.
- I’m doing my best, and it is enough.
- It isn’t selfish to be kind to myself.
- I am my best source of motivation.
- I’m becoming a better version of myself one day at a time.
Positive Affirmations for Women
Positive affirmations for women are among the unique ones. Why so? Because positive affirmations can change your thought process, forever. Once your thoughts are positive ones, there’s no going back. Your life just propels from there, day after day. It’s worth the work, but if you want to take it slow, choose one positive affirmation to work with and watch the magic.
- I embrace myself and all women in the world.
- I attract energies and situations that fill me with joy every day.
- I’m grateful for this wonderful day and the endless possibilities it has to offer. I know something great is in store for me.
- I’m patient with myself and accept that positive change takes time. My best self is emerging every day.
- Rather than being discouraged by how far I have left to go, I’m grateful for how far I’ve already come.
- I’m ready to create more success in my life and release any excuses. I’m productive and focused on attaining results.
- I don’t have to wait until I feel ready to act on my goals. The timing will never be right; I’m ready now.
- I believe that life brings me only the best, and I rejoice in what is and what is coming.
- I recognize my role in attracting everything that comes my way.
- My journey of self-love means giving my mind some time to rest.
- My peace is mine; I won’t give anyone the power to take it away from me.
- I act with confidence and have a plan, and I accept that plans are open to change.
- I practice self-care and recognize when I need to take a break. I feel good about taking care of myself.
- I move at the perfect pace. I don’t need to speed up or slow down.
- I refuse to overcommit myself. I’m able to say no when I need to. I protect my time because I deserve it, and it’s invaluable.
Affirmations for Black Women
In these troubling and difficult times, we live in, we stand in full solidarity with our African-American sisters. Remember to love yourself and don’t lose perspective. Even one daily affirmation can go a long way, and these are some of the most positive affirmations for black women that I wholeheartedly believe in. I know that sometimes you believe you don’t have it in you to achieve your purposes, but in fact, all you need is this push below. You can, and you will!
- I have the power to create change.
- I will not let society dictate who I am.
- I feel comfortable in my own skin.
- “I know it can get tough out there. It can get downright ugly. Know you are designed for greatness. Black girl, you rock, because you have so much potential. I’m so grateful to be a black woman. I would be so jealous if I was anything else.”- Danai Gurira
- I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.
- I possess the qualities needed to be extremely successful.
- “The things that make me different are the things that make me ME.”- A.A. Milne
- I can. I will. End of story!
- I now choose to release all hurt and resentment.
- I’m superior to negative thoughts and low actions.
- Mistakes are not the end of me. Challenges are not the end of me.
- My hair is the perfect halo for my head.
- “The black woman is art; a perfect expression of pain, struggle, strength, and beauty.” – Dr. X
- The comeback is always stronger than the setback.
Final Thoughts
This is just a glimpse of the many ways you can use affirmations for women in your day-to-day life, and I truly hope that by just going through every affirmation, you feel some sort of motivation and positive affirmation that your life is nowhere as bad as it feels like.
As I said, use these affirmations to reinforce positive thoughts in your mind and make them your new norm. If you need to, take it one positive affirmation at a time; it also helps to keep an affirmation journal where you can record your reciting every day to maintain progress. Have a look at some of our other blogs like this one “How to Overcome Self-Doubt and Increase Your Confidence” which can also help in finding your confidence. I really love this video from Oprah as well which explains why it’s so important for us to value ourselves and what we do. When You UNDERVALUE What You DO, the WORLD Will UNDERVALUE Who You Are
Every single day is worth living; so, unleash the life of your dreams by bombarding your subconscious with confidence and certainty to replace the extra baggage of negative thoughts and beliefs. You’ll thank yourself later.
Be happy!
