We asked folks to tell us about their favorite quote or affirmation and to tell us what it means to them. We’ve shared some of those responses below.

Najashi | Musician & Content creator

My favorite affirmation i call it the way i strive my life to be Peace-in. It means being at peace with oneself the inner vibrations of you. The quiet time in your mind that lets a person reason with themselves ponder and reflect..Having that with in you are able to transfer that vibration with people and settings that you are in.I like it for it keeps my mind and body sane in a insane world which we are in. Read more>>

Lewas Dellgad | Actor

“Imagination and faith are the secrets of creation” by Neville Goddard is one of my favorite quote. When I look around I start to realize that this is truly true. A car, a career, a house and etc. one person had to imagine the concept at one point and had to use faith as fuel to bring it to fruition. This has truly help me to keep in a positive state of mind that anything in life is possible. Read more>>

Julien Elstob | Owner, Electric Workshop

The first one that comes to mind regarding my career is: “If you can dream it, You can do it” (Interesting fun fact – this quote is normally attributed to Walt Disney, but was actually first said by Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald sometime back in the ’80s. Disney liked the sentiment of the quote so much that they started using it as if it was something that Walt said.) It’s a pretty commonly quoted piece of text, but I find it really powerful. The dream of “what could be” can only be achieved if you actually show up, believe that you can make something work, and then execute. The idea of setting a goal in your mind and keeping a positive outlook is so important to making a vision a reality. Read more>>

Suz Born | Artist

“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” – Mother Teresa I love these simple words from Mother Teresa. It’s a good reminder that many times what brings us the most joy is investing in others. We all can get stuck in our own agendas and work, our culture pushes comparison and competition daily. This quote helps bring me back to the bigger picture. If I notice I’m experiencing restlessness or discontentment it probably because I need to make space to volunteer in someway… because “we belong to each other.” Read more>>

Deidre Wright | Personal Brand & Visibility Coach

“God has never given me a set back, without a come up”. Hardships, breakthroughs and blessings have been a constant in my life. During some of the toughest moments of facing rejections, heartbreaks and questioning where my life is going, I’ve said this mantra. It served as a reminder that everything has a divine plan and that once this new life lesson is mastered, abundance is on its way. Read more>>

Kaushlesh ‘Garry’ Purohit | Recording Engineer, Mixing Engineer, Mastering Engineer

“Give your 100% towards your goal, then whatever happens, happens for good” – Brijesh Purohit It’s liberating to not be worried about the result of a particular situation. Be it a mix or a production or an approval. Just making sure that you are putting your full effort to the best of your knowledge, will guarantee a result in your favor. It may not be your preferred result but it will be in your favor for sure. Read more>>

Genesis Morales | Holistic therapist, Grief & Loss Specialist, and founder of Bloom Within Therapy

One of my favorite affirmations is “You are enough.” I love the meaning it exudes and its simplicity. I would use it so often, share it with friends, clients, and colleagues that a dear friend wrote this affirmation in calligraphy, framed it, and gifted it to me. This affirmation reminds me of my innate power, the importance of showing up as myself, and assists me in remembering that I already have all the answers within myself; I just have to listen. It reinforces trust in myself and the practice of self-compassion when shame comes creeping in. This affirmation has guided me through many difficult times and continues to be a motivator in my life that I continue to share. If it resonates with you, use it!. Read more>>

Mili & Bertie | Alt-Pop Duo

“Life starts at the end of your comfort zone”. This quote has been like a religious mantra for us since starting out as self employed musicians straight out of music college. There’s no rule book for life, but there is definitely no rule book for the career path that we chose. A lot of jobs and paths people choose in life almost have a rough guide or step by step process in order to succeed, Like being some sort of doctor for instance. Sure, you need a whole lot of drive, hard work and intelligence; but the general idea is you chose the right subjects, get the grades, do the degree, do a placement, do the job. We are in awe of the brain cells and drive it takes to do this sort of job but both knew from an early age this wasn’t our calling. We also weren’t aware at a young age that what we do now was even a job!.. and a lot of people still aren’t. We have on several occasions, encountered the sentences “oh, you’re musicians, but what else do you do?’ Or ‘So when are you going to get a real job’ and our favourite “You’re so lucky, you basically just get up late. Read more>>

Jasper Chen | Writer & Producer

In Chinese, it’s “沒什麼大不了.” In English that translates best to “It’s not a big deal.” I take this quote to heart in whatever I do. When it comes to filmmaking and the arts, people will go on endlessly about their passion, about how they must tell the stories they tell, and the ungodly amount of effort that is continuously put into it all. For me the quote is a constant reminder that the stuff I work on is not life or death. At the end of the day, it’s collaboration and meant to be fun. It’s easy as a storyteller to funnel everything into work, to feel like one has to succeed in order to be labeled as an “artist” or “filmmaker,” but the idea that none of it is as big of a deal as we make it out to be helps to put perspective. Read more>>

Nina Harada | Artist & Writer

I love affirmations. I find them to be helpful guiding posts throughout this funny thing called life. Before I knew what affirmations or mantras were, there were several sayings that made their way to me and stuck. “This too shall pass,” my dad would often say in times of hurt or sadness. “Make a mess and clean it up later,” my therapist told me once in an effort to get my rising sign Capricorn self to shake things up a little. But the one that consistently speaks to me through every phase of life is: “There is no such thing as a mistake in art.” This is what my beloved elementary school art teacher told us, to give us little ones permission to color outside the lines. This mantra continues to guide me through my art practice, and it also guides me through life decisions (I’ve adapted it to: “There’s no such thing as a mistake.”) My rising sign might be Capricorn, but my sun is in Gemini. This means I’ll have a million ideas and have trouble following through with one. It means there’s a million ways I could go about something, but can’t decide which route to take. Read more>>

Maria Lozano | Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Yerbera & Post Partum Healing Provider

“At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.” -Frida Kahlo The beauty in Frida’s quote for me is that it can resonate for various seasons of our life experience. It has helped me in reflection, and be able to recognize my own strength, resilience, and expansion in adaptability to challenges being experienced. Frida’s life was filled with experiences of tragedy, illness, and artistically political challenges (“the system” ” the partriarchy”, etc) and always continued to move forward with her strength to challenge the barriers that arose on her journey. I appreciate how this quote offers a space to sit in our own reflections to nurture and uplift our personal strength and capacities in navigating through challenging times. When we invite ourselves to reflect on our accomplishments (and not all accomplishments will look like degrees, pay increases or other materialistic gratifications, but simple survival and thriving is an accomplishment) we are able to see how we slayed the dragon. Read more>>

Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter (a.k.a Dr. Blackness) | Author, Academic, Activist, and Coiner of #BlackLivesMatter

My favorite quote is an affirmation spirit delivered to me during meditation: “Each of us needs all of us.” I started using this quote when I first came to UCLA from Yale University as an assistant professor in 2014. Being at UCLA, an internationally and nationally renowned institution of higher education and a leading research institution, is a consistent reminder that we are a part of a community larger than many of us think. The world we need, needs each of us. My daily goal as an advocate, professor, and advisor is to educate students with kindness and to remind them that in a world where everything seems to cost something it is still entirely free to change your mind. Black knowledge is Black power. Read more>>

Jamie Skye | Yoga Instructor | Dancer | Entrepreneur

Yes! I have a (new) favorite quote. I actually have tons of favorite quotes and affirmations (how can you only have one?!) but this one I discovered recently. I was reading Buzzfeed and came across an article titled “People are sharing the quotes that permanently changed the way they look and things, and OMG.” I was obviously intrigued because I was like what quote haven’t I heard or read somewhere on the internet by now? This one actually made me think:… “That mountain you’ve been carrying, you were only supposed to climb.” Written by Lebanese-Canadian poet, Najwa Zebian.Woah, it may seem obvious, like “get over it already, move on.” The thing is, we may  not be aware of what’s holding us back. We may not even realize we’re still carrying the mountain because we’re too busy trying to climb more wondering why we’re unsuccessful. Maybe we’re still carrying around trauma we thought we got over or carrying around unwanted emotions, habits and fears. In life we’re going to encounter a lot of obstacles and it’s important to gain the ability to self-soothe. Read more>>

Memory Thomas | Visual Artist & Graphic Designer

I obsess over quotes and affirmations but here is the one that sits in front of me every day, literally because it is tatted on my collar bones lol : “Know Thyself”I love literature and I find philosophy very intriguing, which is how I came to learn this quote when I was like 18. This quote dates back to Greek inscriptions. It means so much to me because it is so simple yet carries so much depth. I’m big on investing time in myself, getting comfortable with one’s solitude, and practicing mental healing. When one truly knows thyself they know their character and limitations, by knowing our deep-seated feelings, desires, beliefs, and intentions, we can actually improve our lives and trust ourselves to make the right decisions both consciously and unconsciously. When you know yourself, no one can try to tell you or convince you of who you are! It makes you independent in the opinion of others and you always confidently show up as YOURSELF, unapologetically. Read more>>

Vita Eruhimovitz | Artist

“If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?” — Albert Einstein When I graduated from high school it seemed like there was a clear path for me in life. Ten years later I realized that this was not only an illusion, but also an un-productive one. I spent years wandering and looking for something unknown to me – until I realized that I am an artist. I still keep wondering and looking for “something” – (which isn’t very popular to admit these days) – however my wondering today is within my art practice. I believe some call it “research”. Wondering is at the center of my art practice and by now I have fully embraced it. My paintings aren’t fully abstract, yet they aren’t representational. My topics evolve from year to year and my inspirations and references span a wide range of interests. I love experimenting with new techniques and materials and while there are recurrent themes and images in my works – I never wish to commit myself to a “style”. For me “style” and art don’t go together. Read more>>

Martie Faye | Singer-songwriter & Poet

One I always think about is a quote by Zig Ziglar: “Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation.” I heard it for the first time when I was just starting to professionally pursue music. For me, it reminds me that as long as I keep putting in the work, and a long as I continue to grow in my craft, the opportunity meant for me will come. Conversely, it also helps me in moments of loss and rejection, reminding me that that opportunity was for someone else, it was their time not mine. Read more>>

Michelle Shea Walker | Intuitive Coach, Writer, & Artist

As a spiritual coach, writer, & artist, I feel like I speak in quotes and affirmations, but the one that’s resonated the most with me over the past few years isn’t from a self help how to or ancient spiritual proverb. True to my pop culture brand, my personal mantra comes from Madonna: “To me, the whole process of being brushstroke in someone else’s painting is a little difficult.” These words started to ring true for me around the time I turned 30. Up until that point, I’d been content to follow someone else’s lead, insecure about my own abilities to choose a direction. After 30, something magical happened: I found my own voice. I suddenly felt confident in my abilities to create whole worlds as opposed to just being a tool for someone else to do so. That’s when I started creating more of my own content, trusting my own intuitive wisdom, and writing my own projects so that I could be in charge of the whole picture, not just the brush strokes. Read more>>

X. ARI | Singer, Songwriter, Mental Health Advocate, Host of Mental Health Month with X. ARI

Every morning I recite many affirmations in the mirror with my hands on my heart to positively support my inner growth and self development. However, my life motto is to turn “Pain Into Power”. This is done by channeling my weaknesses into my greatest strengths by finding blessings in my burdens. I’ve learned how to channel dark energy into light through healthy conduits for healing such as creativity and self-care. I have several mental health conditions and have found my to turn them superpower by this transmutation of “Pain Into Power”. It is my mission to use creativity to empower and raise awareness by encouraging others to turn their Pain into Power by finding their conduit for healing. My mental health challenges and motto have given me so much meaning in this lifetime and I’m grateful to have the capacity to share my story and resources for recovery to help others heal and be inspired to not just survive, but thrive. Read more>>

Etienne Rosas | Musician and Policy Researcher

One of my favorites is “Man can do what he wills, but he cannot will what he wills”, by Arthur Schopenhauer. This quote is challenging, frustrating, humbling, and liberating all at once. As trained, ego-driven creatures, the first instinct we tend to have when confronted by the notion that our free will is an illusion is to push back and resist. But if you can get past that, you realize that there’s true freedom in accepting ourselves for what we are, and in submitting to being observers or vessels rather than scrambling to be protagonists or sources all the time. It’s likely the only freedom there is. It answers why we yearn for moments to get lost in and forget about our fears and why we experience vicariously with intensity through other people’s passions. Read more>>

Jose Gallegos | Co-Founder The Blue Awakening/El Despertar Azul.

“Never, never, never give up” -Winston Churchill- Since I was a kid this quote has been my #1 rule… Never give up no matter what is happening in your day.
Me as a father is my goal to remember this every single day to my kiddos and to let them know that the sky is the limit but they can go beyond. Read more>>

Leslie Tillis | All Natural Candle Creator

I can create my own and put it out in the world with out needing to ‘compete’ with the other companies. People will always say, ‘oh there’s a million candle companies out there how could you be successful when there’s so many?’ Rick’s quote reminds me that trying to compete against or be better than other companies will get me no where..in fact, it will do me a great disservice. I do my best to focus on what I’M creating and how I can better my product without the need to outsell or belittle other companies around me. Read more>>

Alysse Fozmark | Actress | Model | Crafter

My favorite quote would definitely be one my mom created, “Maybe yes, maybe no; do your best and let it go.” I love this quote so very much, especially with acting. We take classes, we put in the work, the time, the money; and then we just have to let it go. We might get that callback, we might get that booking, but we have to make sure we do our best every time, enjoy the work, and then just let it go. Thanks, mama!. Read more>>

Sharie Thompson | Influencer/Public Speaker

“What’s for you, will always be for you” That quote in particular takes me back to a time when I was younger, and I was auditioning for this short film production. I was so full of the possibility of not getting the role that I wouldn’t allow myself too bask in the experience as a whole. My aunt pulled me to the side and said “Whats for you, will be for you… and what’s not for you is for someone else.” I took that as my loss could be another persons gain. I may not have gotten that role but the person who was meant to have it, gained the experience they needed to help with the development of them as a person. I learned something that day that will forever stick with me. So, I guess you can say we both won in the end. Read more>>

Shawna Baca | Writer, Director, Author, Podcaster & Blogger, Mental Health Advocate

One of my favorite affirmations is “Where there is a will, there is a way.” Growing up in East Los Angeles and being raised by an Indigenous Chicana mother, there were many challenges for survival and making ends meet. I started working at the age of eleven years old doing everything from helping sell things to entering school contests that gave away prizes depending on your selling level. At twelve, I worked in the school snack bar, setting up selling milk and other snacks before school and at recess to other students. Although, I could not be paid under the childhood labor laws, I was free to take whatever snacks I wanted and that is how I helped provide breakfast and snacks for my younger sister and self. At fourteen, I secured my first job at a fast food burger joint. This was how I was able to buy school clothes. For some reason, and I can’t even tell you where I first heard this proverb, but at a young age, I just knew that when doors were closed or we didn’t have the means, that there was a way to pursue it and manifest what we needed. Read more>>

Michael Bryan | Producer /Co-Host / Photographer of the BrokenGirl Unchained Podcast

One of my favorite quotes was from a Drill Instructor I had while in the Marines. He used to tell us, “The only easy day was yesterday.” That’s always played a significant role in my life. I really love the concept that, no matter how difficult your days get, as long as you persevere and push through then you will be successful. I think that’s really important for people to remember. Life will kick you, twice when you’re already down it seems; however, if you can get through one day to the next, you’ll learn how to find contentment in your life. Read more>>

Megan Leigh | Singer-songwriter | Performance and Recording Artist

One of my favorites is, to me, both a quote and an affirmation, the Swedish proverb, “Those who wish to sing always find a song.” This message has always resonated with me ever since I first heard it when I was younger, though the meaning of it has changed and evolved right along with my music career. Before I began songwriting, when I was singing worship songs in church and with choral groups, it felt more simply like it was telling me that I should continue singing because it makes me feel good and makes others happy as well. Now that I have started my own business and career as a full-time performing and recording musician (which I never thought I would do!) it takes on a whole new meaning. Now it is as though it’s meant to encourage me to continue writing original songs that are within me and are uniquely mine, and songs with vibrations and messages that the world really needs. Read more>>

Janet Johnson | Owner and creator of Lily’s Gingerbread Lane

To me it means to be you, not what family, friends, society, politics or religion expects you to be. For the first 1/4 of my life I did what was expected of me. I was not true to who I am and therefore suppressed my own thoughts, ideas, desires and wants. Once I came into my own, leading an authentic life without shame or guilt, good things followed. In regards to applying it to Lily’s Gingerbread Lane. Having an idea, putting that idea into place no matter who did not support me also gave me the freedom to live my professional dream. With that mindset beautiful things have come from Lily’s Gingerbread Lane. Read more>>

Shy Wright | Speaker & Personal Development Consultant

There’s purpose in the process.” This quote keeps me focused and going because no matter the challenge, if I have a bad day, if I fail, if I reach a goal, if I miss all the marks, I know it’s part of my journey. Because of this I am able to identify the lessons and learn from them, make adjustments and keep moving forward. I like this quote because it’s a daily reminder to intentionally live to fulfil my purpose. Read more>>

Angelita Bushey | Producer/Actor

A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. Amelia Earhart This quote has always resonated with me, we rise by lifting others through kindness. Always look for the good in others. Read more>>

Diego Lopez | Cinematographer

My favorite affirmations are all of the scrolls from The Greatest Salesman in the World. I enjoy listening to them as often as a can while I am on my way to work in the mornings. A couple of my favorites are: “I am natures greatest miracle” and “I will live this day as if it were my last.” They keep me centered when I am worried about the problems surrounding my life and give me drive to keep moving forward always. Read more>>