100+ Famous Women Inspirational Quotes

source: J. M. Barrie, Charles Dickens, Johanna Spyri, Louisa May Alcott, L. Frank Baum (2015). “Greatest Christmas Novels in One Volume: Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, Heidi, The Romance of a Christmas Card, The Little City of Hope, The Wonderful Life, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, Little Lord Fauntleroy, Peter Pan…”, p.1082, e-artnow

topic: Inspirational, Confidence, Wisdom, Storms Of Life, Tall Ships

I learned to put my trust in God and to see Him as my strength. Long ago I set my mind to be a free person and not to give in to fear. I always felt that it was my right to defend myself if I could. I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.

- Rosa Parks

topic: Long Ago, Years, Knowing, Empowering Women, I Am Strong

Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.

- Emily Dickinson

source: " 'Hope' is the thing with feathers" l. 1 (ca. 1862) SeeWoody Allen 20

topic: Inspirational, Hope, Soul, Hope And Faith, Extremity

Women are leaders everywhere you look - from the CEO who runs a Fortune 500 company to the housewife who raises her children and heads her household. Our country was built by strong women and we will continue to break down walls and defy stereotypes.

- Nancy Pelosi

topic: Running, Country, Strong Women, Inspirational Feminist, Career Women

I'm tough, ambitious and I know exactly what I want.

- Madonna Ciccone

source: Biography/Personal Quotes, www.imdb.com.

topic: Strong Women, Memorable, Feminist Art, Powerful Women, Women Equality

You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure about you. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us.

- Marianne Williamson

topic: Confidence, Children, Insecure, Empowering Women, Inaugural Speech

I know why the caged bird sings.

- Maya Angelou

source: Title of book (1969), taken from the last line of "Sympathy" by Paul Laurence Dunbar in Lyrics of Hearthside (1899). Cf. Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (1979) 567:10

topic: Inspirational, Children, Book, Carols, Best Poem

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.

- Marianne Williamson

source: Marianne Williamson (2012). “A Course in Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever”, p.230, Hay House, Inc

topic: Confidence, Fear, Famous Motivational, Inaugural Speech, Child Of God

The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure , the process is its own reward.

- Amelia Earhart

source: "The Official Website of Amelia Earhart/ Quotes". www.ameliaearhart.com.

topic: Inspirational, Decision, Acting, Make The Right Choice, Inspiration And Life

If there is truth or merit in the criticism, try to learn from it. Otherwise, let it roll right off you.

- Hillary Clinton

source: "Living History".

topic: Inspiring, Strong Women, Empowerment, Inspirational Career, Career Women

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.

- Marianne Williamson

topic: Confidence, Children, Fear, Inaugural Speech, Discovering Yourself

Your playing small doesn't serve the world.

- Marianne Williamson

topic: World, Inaugural Speech, Discovering Yourself, Inspirational Beauty, Sensitive Person

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.

- Marianne Williamson

source: A Return to Love ch. 7 (1992). Frequently misattributed to Nelson Mandela.

topic: Inspirational, Life, Encouraging, Empowering Women, Inaugural Speech

Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.

- Marie Curie

source: "Madame Curie: A Biography". Book by Eve Curie Labouisse translated by Vincent Sheean, 1937.

topic: Inspirational, Life, Confidence, Empowering Women, Perserverance

I could not, at any age, be content to take my place by the fireside and simply look on. Life was meant to be lived. Curiosity must be kept alive. One must not, for whatever reason, turn his back on life." Another "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

- Eleanor Roosevelt

source: Quoted in Vidette-Messenger (Valparaiso, Ind.), 7 June 1941 See Channing 1

topic: Strong Women, Empowering, Curiosity, Strong Independent Women, Kept Woman

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

- Marianne Williamson

topic: Powerful, Deepest Fear, Our Deepest Fear, Empowering Women, Inaugural Speech

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.

- Marianne Williamson

topic: Inspiring, Confidence, Children, Empowering Women, Inaugural Speech

Women have served all these centuries as looking glasses possessing the power of reflecting the figure of man at twice its natural size.

- Virginia Woolf

topic: Women, Power, Eyeglasses, International Women's Day, Womans Day

Being a woman is a terribly difficult task, since it consists principally in dealing with men.

- Joseph Conrad

topic: Funny, Hilarious, Women, International Women's Day, Sexy Women

You never find yourself until you face the truth.

- Pearl Bailey

source: Pearl Bailey (1969). “The raw Pearl”, Pocket

topic: Life, Encouraging, Being Yourself, Facing The Truth, Famous Women Inspirational

Life must be lived and curiosity kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.

- Eleanor Roosevelt

source: "Personal Quotes/ Biography". www.imdb.com.

topic: Life, Motivational, Strength, Just Living Life, Inspirational History

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

- Eleanor Roosevelt

topic: Inspirational, Change, Positive, Impossible Dream, Pursue Your Dreams

We need to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. We have to step up as women and take the lead.

- Beyonce Knowles

topic: Views, Feminist, Perception, Inspirational Feminist, Kickass Women

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

- Maya Angelou

source: FaceBook post by Maya Angelou from Mar 15, 2014

topic: Inspirational, Motivational, Positive, Way In Life, Make Me Feel Better

A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.

- Coco Chanel

topic: Beauty, Girl, Fashion, My Girl, That Girl

When you look fear in the face, you are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'

- Eleanor Roosevelt

topic: Looks, Able, Next, Empowering Women, Inspirational Adversity

The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it.

- Roseanne Barr

source: "Heard the one about ..." by Andy Barker, www.theguardian.com. March 11, 2006.

topic: Inspirational, Being Strong, Strong Women, Powerful Women, Women Equality

Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.

- Dale Carnegie

source: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (2012). “Achingly Alice”, p.129, Simon and Schuster

topic: Love, Inspirational, Life, Life Philosophy, About Success

As a woman I have no country. As a woman my country is the whole world.

- Virginia Woolf

topic: Inspirational, Country, Women, Women Equality, Inspirational Feminist

The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.

- Coco Chanel

topic: Strength, Inspiring, Fashion, Self Determination, Empowering Women

If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun.

- Katharine Hepburn

source: Katharine Hepburn (1987). “The making of The African Queen, or, How I went to Africa with Bogart, Bacall, and Huston and almost lost my mind”, Alfred A. Knopf

topic: Inspirational, Life, Inspiring, Independent Thinking, Powerful Women

Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got.

- Janis Joplin

topic: Positive, Being Yourself, Strong Women, Empowering Women, Women Equality

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.

- Mae West

source: "Mae West: 'YOLO,' Before YOLO Was a Thing", bigthink.com. September 25, 2015.

topic: Inspirational, Life, Motivational, Life Is Simple, Live Life To Its Fullest

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

- Eleanor Roosevelt

source: Quoted in Vidette-Messenger (Valparaiso, Ind.), 7 June 1941 See Channing 1

topic: Inspirational, Happiness, Leadership, Empowering Women, Improve Self Esteem