Encouraging quotes for when you're feeling down. Words that give you the strength to rise again.
I messed up at work, I got a bad grade on a test, I had a fight with a friend…
When we’re living our lives, there are bound to be times when we feel down.
In this article, we’ll introduce famous quotes we hope you’ll read when you’re feeling low.
We’ve gathered words that offer meaning to failure, encourage you by saying there’s no need to be discouraged, and remind you to cherish yourself—messages that can lift you up from many different angles.
When you want some gentle words of encouragement, be sure to check these out!
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Inspiring quotes to lift you up when you’re feeling down: words that give you the strength to rise (21–30)
A champion is defined not by how they act when they win, but by how they rise after they lose.Serena Williams
It means that true strength appears in how you act after a loss.
Anyone can celebrate when they win.
But it’s precisely when you’re frustrated by defeat and feel like your spirit might break that your real strength is tested.
For example, if you lose a game by a wide margin, the true champion isn’t the one who says, “I can’t do this anymore” and gives up, but the one who looks forward and keeps working, saying, “I’ll practice more for next time.” The same is true when you don’t get the test score you hoped for.
It gently teaches us that failure isn’t the end, but a chance to grow.
The courage to stand back up after losing is what leads to future victory.
If you laugh, the world laughs with you. If you cry, you cry alone.Ella Wheeler Wilcox
These are the opening words of “Solitude,” a work by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, a poet who was active in the United States.
They express the connection between sorrow and loneliness and also convey how important it is to stay positive.
When you are laughing, people gather; when you are sad, you are alone—this encourages us to be as positive as possible so that people will come together.
It also stirs the courage to face hardship, reminding us that it is we ourselves who overcome suffering.
Beyond the clouds, the sky is always blue.Louisa May Alcott
These are the words of Louisa May Alcott, an American novelist, speaking to the idea that if we endure even in painful times, brighter days are sure to come.
Even when the sky is covered with clouds, there is blue sky beyond them—this conveys the fact that with time, hardship will pass.
If we think of the bright essence as merely hidden by clouds, it may help us remember that brightness.
The message is hopeful: suffering doesn’t last, and there is surely something bright ahead.
Do not laugh at those who have fallen. They tried to walk.Seiichiro Yonekura
These are the words of Seiichiro Yonekura, expressing how wonderful failure can be, even though many people laugh at it.
If you fell, it means you had been walking up to that point—failure is proof that you took action.
It also feels like a question directed at those who laugh at someone who has fallen: are they really moving forward themselves, and do they have the right to laugh at failure? It’s the kind of message that affirms the effort someone has made up to their setback and gives them the courage to keep walking.
It’s never too late to become the person you wanted to be.George Eliot
These are words left to us by George Eliot, who was active as a writer in Britain and is known for works such as Adam Bede and Middlemarch.
While many people give up feeling they’ve missed the right moment, she shows a way of thinking that asks whether now might be the time to begin.
When starting something, the very desire to begin is what matters most—she conveys a message urging us to take the plunge with resolve.
Even when it feels like the timing has slipped away, the strength of your intention can carry you through; her words also communicate the importance of willpower.
No matter how many times you fall, you can start over as many times as it takes. “Failure” isn’t falling down; it’s not getting back up.Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford, a leading actress of the silent film era who also helped found the film production company United Artists, was someone who knew the countless challenges behind success.
Her words resonate with hearts that might hesitate for fear of failure when starting a new life.
Anyone can stumble; what truly matters is the will to stand up again.
Even on days when things don’t go as planned in an unfamiliar environment, her message reminds us that life allows us to start over as many times as we need.
It’s a quote that gives us the courage and the push to keep looking forward.
If you admit defeat, you lose. Even if you acknowledge how bad the situation is, as long as you are determined to see it through to the end, a chance to win will emerge.
If you admit defeat, you lose…
If you read just that part, it gives the impression of being stubborn and unwilling to give up, but if you read on, you can understand what President Trump is trying to say.
Admitting defeat means giving up on that fight.
Once you give up the fight, the path that leads to the future is cut off.
But as long as you don’t give up, there may be a chance to turn the situation around.
It’s important to acknowledge failures and unfavorable circumstances while maintaining a strong, unwavering heart that doesn’t give up.
