How can positive quotes and motivational messages can help improve our mental health?
I’ve always loved to read and write. I’d go so far as to say that I’m a ‘romantic‘ when it comes to words. I find that they’re a better way for me to express myself than any other form of media. Positive quotes and motivational messages have always been a particular passion of mine.
But my passion for words didn’t start with me, my grandmother was exactly the same. It’s only recently that I’ve realized the extent of her own love affair with words. When going through her cabinets earlier this year we came across several books filled with quotes and short poems, some of which she’d even written herself. It’s, therefore, no surprise that I too love quotes both motivational and otherwise.
“Tulips in the garden, Tulips in the park, But the tulips we like best, Are the two lips in the dark.” – From my grandmother’s poem and quote book.
When I was growing up I kept scrapbooks filled with quotes. Some were handwritten on post-its while others were printed or cut out from magazines. You can only imagine my bedroom wall and the shelves filled with anything from small notebooks to full-sized sketch pads alongside various ‘quote’ books.
Need some help finding those inspirational quotes? Check out this post!
But why do positive quotes affect us like this? Why do we love and even collect them?
One: Quotes can help us to maintain a positive and hopeful mindset.
It’s easier to maintain a positive and hopeful mindset if we’re consuming positive material. That includes the literature we read, much like listening to music and viewing art. We use positive quotes as a type of reinforcement and support system for keeping an optimistic outlook. And depending on the outlook you want to portray, quotes can be an excellent way to reinforce that particular mindset.
Two. Quotes can provide a level of comfort in troubling times.
They can help remind us that better times are ahead and that this too shall pass. An excellent example would be the positive postcards sent to those who are unwell or the sympathy cards sent to the loved ones of the deceased. While these quotes may not help to alleviate negative emotions, they can help show a sense of solidarity. I personally turn to The Alphabet of the Human Heart by Matthew Johnstone and James Kerr when I’m feeling blue. This book is also very helpful for displaying positive emotions!
Three. They can remind us that we aren’t alone.
Someone has felt how we now feel or have gone through what we’re going through. And they’ve managed to come out the other side reasonably unscathed. While the fact that others have been where you are doesn’t make your feelings any less valid, the knowledge of this can help show us that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Even if it seems really, really far away.
Want to know how else you can train your brain to be happy? Check this post out!
How you can use quotes to inspire and motivate you every day!
Hang them in your office, workspace, and living spaces!
When I worked in an office I used to have small quotes hidden in my planner or written on post-it notes. Now that I have my home office I’ve got various books, including those above, for quick reference should I need it.
Hanging them around is a great way to encourage yourself on those days when even turning the page can be feel like the most difficult thing in the world.
Keep a scrapbook or notebook full of your favourite ones!
Like I mentioned above, my grandmother and I both had a love for keeping quote journals. I remember distinctly writing quotes of scraps of paper and cigarette packets and sticking them into cheap notebooks for easy reference. When clearing out my childhood room I’d so many books that I didn’t know what to do with them.
Why not dedicate a shelf on or space for all your quote books, bought or created!?
I’ve a space dedicated to books on my workbench, and at the moment these four quote books dominate that space. I can easily reach for these books if I ever need to add a quote to a handwritten letter, blog post or social media post!
Get creative!
I recently created a canvas inspired by recovery, and it sits proudly at my workstation. Every morning I’m reminded that recovery is the ONLY way forward. Returning to sickness is not an option.
Here are some of my favourite positive quotes!
I have hundreds to choose from, but to keep things light here are my top twenty! If you’d like your own added to the list, please do get in touch!
- “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde
- “Life is like a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein
- “It’s not the years of your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln
- “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop
- “Sometimes, when things are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place.” – Unknown
- “I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.”– F. Scott Fitzgerald
- “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot
- “Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” – George Addair
- “Life is about making an impact, not making an income.” – Kevin Kruse
- “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” – Oscar Wilde
- “Find a place inside where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.” – Joseph Campbell
- “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
- “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one”. – Dolly Parton.
- “Love yourself first and everything else falls into line.” – Lucille Ball
- “Growth begins when we start to accept our own weakness.” – Jean Vanier
- “I decided I can’t pay a person to rewind time, so I may as well get over it.” – Serena Williams
- “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” – Henry Ford
- “Either you run the day or the day runs you.” – Jim Rohn
- “I live a beautiful life with fewer things—simple, yet full.” – Laurie Buchanan, PhD
- “The best things in life aren’t things.” — Art Buchwald
How do you display motivational quotes in your life? Do you use Pinterest, notebooks or do you get creative?
Thank you for shedding light on the impact of positive quotes on mental health. In a world filled with negativity, it’s essential to find ways to uplift ourselves. Your article reminded me of the power of simple yet meaningful quotes to shift our perspective and boost our spirits. Incorporating positivity into our daily lives can indeed lead to a more resilient mindset.
So true!!! Positive quotes are good affirmations. I love sharing positive quotes with my mates.
I really believe that quote can bring us more positive, so I often share quote and sentences. Every time I feel down, this is the way to make myself more positive. I am very happy to see such a great article today.
I really believe that quotations can bring us more positive, so I often share quotations and sentences. Every time I feel down, this is the way to make myself more positive. I am very happy to see such a great article today.
I love hanging quotes around my space – I really find positive quotes in common spaces can be so helpful to our mindset! Thanks for sharing some of the other good reasons to incorporate positive quotes that I wasn’t aware of.
Thanks a lot for this inspiring and helpful reading.
I am Claudia, nice to meet you!
I love keeping my favourite quotes all together in one place. I sometimes write them in a notebook but often just screenshot them and keep them on my phone so I can access them from wherever I am.
Positive quotes can definitely improve your mental health and I really do believe that positive quotes can boost our confidence! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Love this post! I’m a big fan of positive quotes – or any quotes really – because they reaaaally help you when you’re struggling and help you feel like you’re not alone xx
Oh this was such an interesting read. I try and save them so I have them to hand or add within journals xx
I have seen it make a difference in classrooms time and time again. People do respond better to positives.
Sayings are so important! We are what we think!
Love all of these tips! Making yourself a priority is so important.
these are such great points! positive quotes almost “trick” or teach the brain to think more positive. this is why i enjoy writing in a gratitude journal. thanks for sharing this post. great read.
That’s awesome, I used to listen to quotes all the time because they inspire me a lot.
motivational quotes and social outlets alike, received in the right frame of mind and used in moderation can be good and these motivational messages often result in new feelings of inspiration, and affirmative uplift.
My passion for words started at a very young age. It’s never been an area in which I felt unwelcome.
What a wonderful post! I love reading through quotes and the tulips quote of your grandmother’s made me smile! I am most definitely a romantic too ????
Love these positive thoughts! It makes sense that good words can make a difference.
I myself is a believer that positive quotes are great reminders, and we all need reminders from time to time
Positive quotes inspire you and give you the courage to continue in this life.
Having and keeping a positive mindset and outlook in life is important, and quotes help a lot.
we all need positive quotes for our mental health. They are our comfort in times of trouble or at times where we just feel unmotivated
I love positive and motivational quotes. I keep a notebook of my favorites and reread it when I need some inspiration
Hhhhmmmm…I like getting creative about sharing positive quotes. Most times, I prefer embedding them in stories.
Words have so much power behind them. Positive quotes and affirmations keep me going.
I always believe you are a product of what you surround yourself with. So if you surround yourself with positivity, it helps you be a positive person.
It is nice to know someone feels the same as you. I keep a board on pinterest of quotes I enjoy rereading.
I love this post. There’s really nothing more powerful than words – whether written or spoken. Than can drastically change our outlook.
I love the idea of creating a scrapbook full of positive quotes! I might just do that 🙂 xx
Quotes can make a HUGE difference to our daily lives. I find great inspiration in reading the writings of others who often phrase things so much better than I can, and sometimes they are a real mood lifter as well. Love the Tulips quote, I have heard it before, but it still made me smile!
Yes this is so true. The power of words on our metal health is so remarkable particularly when we are going through challenging times. Amazing how comforting positive quotes can be.
A great exercise is to look in the mirror and say positive affirmations and do the same before going to bed. It helps me a lot!
It is! I now have them in my living room so I can read them when I start to feel down about being trapped indoors. [I have to remind my self: Safe NOT stuck].
seems to me it would be like carrying a ready made smile around in your pocket thanks for sharing
I love quotes. They are part of my everyday life. I tend to write them on my bathroom mirrors for inspiration. Dry erase markers or chalk markers work well for this. This is a great resource! Love it!
These are so lovely! I used to have a notebook that I filled with my favourite quotes back when I was a teenager and I keep meaning to start one again, especially with all the empty notebooks I have! I tend to have a Pinterest board with my favourite quotes but once we manage to get into our new house I’m going to get some printed I think! x
Mental health is so important. It is good to find different resources to stay positive.
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. The positive quotes helpsus to atleas control ourselves. Atleast up to some point.
Thank you so much for reading 🙂
Thank you so much for reading Bex!
Thank you! They are adorable and indeed pocket-sized. I’m currently carrying the Pocketbook of Hope with me everywhere!
I think those books would be great with everything going on at the moment! I just got a new book in the mail today to review (not Triggerpub) which talks about putting yourself first, so I’m going to settle down with it later and try to avoid all the COVID-19 talk. x
Thank you! That’s a good way of putting it.
During the next few weeks as I’m required to isolate, I’ll be making various canvases with prints, etc to keep myself motivated and busy! It’s a good way to spend the quarantine!
I think we could all do with some positive affirmations lately! Thank you for reading and commenting.
I love having them up around the house too, especially now!
Thank you so much for sharing. I love the Pocket Book of hope in particular. Especially at this difficult time.
I love the idea of these books. A positive quote can have such an impact on the mood and state of mind of a person. Thank you for sharing.
We have positive quotes throughout our house and we love it!
I totally agree with you a good qoute can really help with things, I’ve found myself looking for positive affirmations alot recently. Thanks for sharing these notebooks x
Kayleigh Zara ???? http://www.kayleighzaraa.com
I love these! I have quotes displayed all around my office because I feel like they help to keep me motivated, focused and positive about what I’m doing. I started when I first started building my own business and it has helped me so much that I’ve never stopped.
surround yourself with positivity and everything will turn positive for real.
I was sent some pocket books from Trigger Publishing last year, one for Balance, Compassion, Wisdom and Resilience and I think with everything going on, I’m going to dig them out and start reading them every day! I love reading positive quotes! x
Quotes are the perfect addition to help you through any situation. Quotes can really help you think about the situation you are, make you feel better etc. These books are so cute and would make the perfect gift for someone in need.
This is such a lovely collection of positive and encouraging books! I’m the same, I used to have notebooks full of quotes, song lyrics, favourite lines from books and so on. Nowadays, I like to scrapbook and always add my favourite words and quotes onto the pages 🙂 These books sound like a wonderful way to boost your mood and have a daily dose of inspiration. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and these beautiful books too! <3 xx
Bexa | http://www.hellobexa.com
I’m a big advocate of positive quotes and using them to boost my mood. These pocketbooks are fantastic little ideas!
I enjoy motivational books and finding positive quotes that lift my spirits and lead me to being more receptive to the world and able to take it on with confidence.
I’ve always loved reading and writing too. Ever since I was a kid. And a good quote can really change your mindset. I have a quote section on Pinterest. I turn to it whenever I need inspiration.
I love these. I like to keep some in my bag so I can give them out if friends or co-workers are having a hard time.
I never really thought of positive quotes improving mental health but it makes sense. I need to get some printed out to decorate my desk while I work from home.
I love quotes, they can be uplifting in a time of need. I usually tend to look on Pinterest for good quotes. The best ones I write down so I can read them. These are super cute and useful.
Positive and inspiring quotes are just the best option to practice every single day simply because we are all human and things get us down. A positive quote can help me to change my attitude in a negative situation.
I love to read as well as write. Quotes are a great way of giving myself a pep talk in the least number of words.
“Two. Quotes can provide a level of comfort in troubling times.”
With what’s going on in the world, I found myself reading positive quotes and passages. It really helps a lot.
I definitely want these books! Thanks so much for sharing!
Reading positive quotes and getting inspired from others stories keeps my mind positive in troubled times
I also love to read and write–always have And I have always put quotes on little cards and displayed them prominently.
What wonderful books! These sound like such a great source of positivity to have, and they would be great gifts too.
Oh my gosh those are so cute! I would love to have them on my coffee table. Thanks so much for sharing this with all of us!
I use pinterest to collect inspiring sayings and quotes. These little books would make great gifts.
I have four recipe books about the same size as these books, with much the same colors. 🙂
Something about a smaller book packed with inspiring messages in the way of food or quotes makes me smile.
Oh wow!! These sound amazing especially the books on hope and happiness! I have a board on Pinterest for positive quotes that I love! They’ve really inpsired me when my depression was leading my day. Great post!
Daisy xoxo | TheDeeWhoLived
Mental health refers to the state of our emotional, psychological, and social well-being.
It impacts the way we feel, think and act, making it important in all areas of our lives.
I am a therapist but I need theraphy too but I cant open up soetimes. Yes positive quotes help a lot in dealing with stuff…
These area such cute little books! I love reading positive quotes. They are so helpful when it seems like the world has turned to such a negative place.
These books would make great gifts. I so agree that saying positive things is good for people.
Reading positive quotes can always help when you are feeling low. Everyone should have these books, especially during the difficult times we are living in at the moment.
Thank you so much for reading. These quotes could be very useful in our current climate.
Stay safe. x
Positive quotes & reading material are a MUST over the next few weeks. If / When self-isolation happens I’ll be spending time creating a safe space full of inspirational quotes for my office. Stay safe and thank you so much for reading. x
I like to use pinterest to save my inspirational quotes. I hope they will help me out over the next couple of weeks.
I agree! I’ve always loved positive quotes. I’ll send some if I know a friend or family member is feeling down.