So, to be bodacious enough to invent ourselves is wise. If a person does not invent herself, she will be invented. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.Įach of us has that right, that possibility, to invent ourselves daily. I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. And once you stand up for yourself, you’d be surprised that people say, “Can I be of help?”. I can’t ask somebody else to stand up for me if I won’t stand up for myself.

I not only have the right to stand up for myself, but I have the responsibility. My work is to try to think clearly, then have the courage to make sure that what I say is the truth. I was told many years ago by my grandmother who raised me: If somebody puts you on a road and you don’t feel comfortable on it and you look ahead and you don’t like the destination and you look behind and you don’t want to return to that place, step off the road. And you are like the sky is, as the air is, the same way water is wet. When you know you are of worth, you don’t have to raise your voice, you don’t have to become rude, you don’t have to become vulgar you just are. When you know you are of worth - not asking it but knowing it - you walk into a room with a particular power. I have Asian ones, I have Jewish ones, I have Muslim ones.Īsk for what you want and be prepared to get it! I have white ones and Black ones and fat ones and thin ones and pretty ones and plain. My great blessing is my son, but I have daughters. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you. You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.

The children to whom we read simple stories may or may not show gratitude, but each boon we give strengthens the pillars of the world. Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. 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. You can’t really know where you are going until you know where you have been. More Maya Angelou facts (Wikipedia page) The Best Maya Angelou Quotes Occupation: Writer, poet, civil rights, activist 85 Mother Teresa Quotes On Love, Generosity, Kindness.270 Martin Luther King Jr Quotes On Courage, Racism, Dreams.If I am not good to myself, how can I expect anyone else to be good to me? Maya Angelou I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver. When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed. Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art. This is what I am learning, at 82 years old: the main thing is to be in love with the search for truth.

Maya angelou kindness quotes