Eleanor Roosevelt, an enduring figure of wisdom and strength, gifted the world with profound insights that continue to resonate with people of all walks of life. Her quotes delve into themes of courage, self-belief, and human rights, making them not only inspiring but also timeless. This article aims to explore her impactful sayings through various lenses that shed light on her philosophical outlook, empowering narratives, and the universal truths embedded in her words. It’s a tribute to the woman who dared to speak up for change, encouraging each of us to persistently chase our dreams and stand up for justice.
Quotes on Courage
"Do one thing every day that scares you."
"Courage is more exhilarating than fear, and in the long run, it is easier."
"We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face."
"You must do the thing you think you cannot do."
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
"Courage is like a muscle. We strengthen it by use."
"It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan."
"Anger is one letter short of danger."
"You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do."
"Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell 'em, 'Certainly, I can!' Then get busy and find out how to do it."
"It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself."
"When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die."
Quotes on Human Rights
"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home."
"Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both."
"It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it."
"The battle for individual rights of women is one of long-standing and none of us should countenance anything which undermines it."
"Human rights must be protected by the rule of law."
"Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility."
"The workplace has become a little like a family, or a destination in and of itself."
"When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?"
"Understanding is a two-way street."
"To handle yourself, use your head. To handle others, use your heart."
"I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity."
"Every time you meet a situation, though you think at the time it is an impossibility, once you have met it and lived through it, you find that forever after you are freer than you were before you met it."
Quotes on Change
"Change is the essence of life; be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become."
"You can't move if you stand with one foot on the brake."
"People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built."
"It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan."
"With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts."
"Life must be lived and curiosity kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life."
"You often get the best light from a burning bridge."
"Friendship with oneself is all-important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world."
"Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product."
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
"You learn by living. You can't learn from books alone."
"Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn't have the power to say yes."
Quotes on Women Empowerment
"The future is literally in our hands to mold as we like. But we cannot wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow is now."
"A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water."
"Women are like teabags. We don't know our true strength until we are in hot water."
"I dedicate this task to all the women who are in love with the U.N. and are trying to serve it."
"We will fail when we fail to try."
"One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes."
"It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness."
"The giving of love is an education in itself."
"It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan."
"We are afraid to care too much, for fear that the other person does not care at all."
"The only thing one must have is education and a willingness to look reality in the face."
"We grow when we face the difficult, not when we shirk from it."
Quotes on Life
"Life is what you make it. Always has been, always will be."
"In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves."
"No one won the last war, and no one will win the next war."
"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience."
"The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it."
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
"The reason that fiction is more interesting than any other form of literature, to those who really like to study people, is that in fiction the author can tell you why a man does something or an explanation for that act which happens in any simple setting that is drawn from a hundred possibilities. In real life you do not always examine all the foundations on which people act."
"Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art."
"Understanding is a two-way street."
"Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn't have the power to say yes."
"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience."
"Learning and living are inseparable."
Quotes on Self-belief
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
"You can often change your circumstances by changing your attitude."
"You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do."
"A little simplification would be the first step toward rational living, I think."
"A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader, a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves."
"Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong."
"Success is not the end, but the beginning of a new challenge."
"The world of achievement has always belonged to the optimist."
"If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor."
"It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan."
"Happiness is not a goal, it is a by-product of a life well lived."
"What could we accomplish if we knew we could not fail?"
Quotes on Friendship
"Friendship with oneself is all-important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world."
"Anybody can sympathize with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathize with a friend's success."
"It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself."
"The giving of love is an education in itself."
"You can gain more friends by being yourself than you can by putting up a front."
"Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart."
"The best way to make friends is by building bridges, not barriers."
"True friends are the ones who lift you up, when everybody even yourself stopped believing in you."
"When you handle yourself, use your head; when you handle others, use your heart."
"The only way to have a friend is to be one."
"Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery."
"One thing's for sure what you need is courage under a difficult time, and for that, there are no substitutes for good friends."
Quotes on Education
"I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity."
"Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself."
"The decisions you make are a choice of values that reflect your life in every way."
"The only advantage of not thinking is that you don't grow."
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
"It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it and work at it."
"Understanding is a two-way street."
"A little simplification would be the first step toward rational living, I think."
"The giving of love is an education in itself."
"One could not look back easily and solve the immediate problems without experience."
"It is never too late to be what you might have been."
"You can often change your circumstances by changing your attitude."
Quotes on Dreams
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
"It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan."
"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today."
"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience."
"Make your own destiny. Make your own decisions. Make your own mistakes."
"Somehow we learn who we really are and then live with that decision."
"One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes."
"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face."
"It isn't enough to talk about peace; one must believe it and work at it."
"Success must include two things: the development of an individual to his utmost potential and a contribution of some kind to one's world."
"We gain strength from our dreams."
"The most difficult thing is the decision to act—the rest is merely tenacity."
Quotes on Love
"The giving of love is an education in itself."
"Love is not only something you feel, it is something you do."
"You must do the things you think you cannot do because in love, you will be steadfast."
"A mature person is one who does not think only about what is necessary now, rather the things that love requires."
"Friendship with oneself is all-important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world."
"What could we accomplish if we knew we could not fail at love?"
"Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent and that includes not loving someone doesn't change the worth they hold."
"Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The really frightful things are the hesitations that stifle love."
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others, pouring love into the world."
"What do we live for, if not to make life less difficult for each other?"
"The reason that fiction is more interesting than any other form of literature is because love is a part of every story."
"You accept things as they are, when love is the only thing you can summon and the only answer you need."
Final words
Eleanor Roosevelt remains a beacon of enlightenment whose words transcend time and circumstance. Her insights, encapsulated in quotes that speak to everyone, show the power of determined spirit and unyielding resolve. Through courage, change, self-belief, and love, her philosophical legacy is a testament to living life with intention and integrity. Her call to action challenges us to face adversity with bravery and embrace diversity with open hearts. In following her wisdom, each of us can contribute to a brighter, more equitable world. These impressions she left on history continue to motivate millions, affirming that her light will forever illuminate the paths we choose to follow.
