In the words of the very wise Eleanor Roosevelt: “A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water”. We love quotes just like this, so much so that we’ve put together this bumper guide with over 300 of the most inspirational quotes for women!
Just read on below for the ultimate inspiring quotes for women.
Best Inspirational Quotes for Women
Just want us to pick the best of the best? Here is our shortlist of the coveted top 10 inspirational quotes for women (and by women):
- ‘What’s your favorite position?’ ‘CEO.’ Lauren Conrad
- A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water. Eleanor Roosevelt
- And one day she discovered that she was fierce and strong, and full of fire and that not even she could hold herself back because her passion burned brighter than her fears. Mark Anthony
- Don’t be the girl who fell. Be the girl who got back up. Jenette Stanley
- I was smart enough to go through any door that opened. Joan Rivers
- Little girls with dreams become women with a vision. Unknown
- She believed she could, so she did. Unknown
- There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish. Michelle Obama
- Well-behaved women seldom make history. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
- Women are never stronger than when they arm themselves with their weaknesses. Madame Marie du Deffand
Quotes on women empowerment
Want some words of wisdom from female trailblazers, or just from women (and men) about supporting and empowering women? How about one of these empowering women quotes?
A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men. Gloria Steinem
A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform. Diane Mariechild
And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. Anaïs Nin
As a woman I have no country. As a woman I want no country. As a woman, my country is the whole world. Virginia Woolf
Be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. Judy Garland
Do not tame the wolf inside you just because you’ve met someone who doesn’t have the courage to handle you. Belle Estreller
Don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself. Keep fighting for your dreams! Gabby Douglas
Drama is very important in life: You have to come on with a bang. You never want to go out with a whimper. Julia Child
Everyone has inside of her a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be, how much you can love, what you can accomplish, and what your potential is. Anne Frank
Everything is within your power, and your power is within you. Janice Trachtman
Freedom cannot be achieved unless the women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression. Nelson Mandela
Hold your head and your standards high even as people or circumstances try to pull you down. Tory Johnson
I always wanted to be a femme fatale. Even when I was a young girl, I never really wanted to be a girl. I wanted to be a woman. Diane von Furstenberg
I can hear the roar of women’s silence. Thomas Sankara
I do not wish women to have power over men; but over themselves. Mary Shelley
I have learned that as long as I hold fast to my beliefs and values – and follow my own moral compass – then the only expectations I need to live up to are my own. Michelle Obama
If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. Milton Berle
If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one. Dolly Parton
If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not making decisions. Catherine Cook
It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent. Madeleine Albright
Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. Charles R. Swindoll
Many receive advice, only the wise profit from it. Harper Lee
Men are taught to apologize for their weaknesses, women for their strengths. Lois Wyse
No one changes the world who isn’t obsessed. Billie Jean King
No one knows what you have been through or what your pretty little eyes have seen, but I can reassure you, whatever you have conquered, it shines through your mind. Nikki Rowe
No woman wants to be in submission to a man who isn’t in submission to God! T D Jakes
One of the most courageous things you can do is identify yourself, know who you are, what you believe in and where you want to go. Sheila Murray Bethel
Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Brene Brown
The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me. Ayn Rand
The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it. Roseanne Barr
The way in which we think of ourselves has everything to do with how our world sees us and how we see ourselves successfully acknowledged by the world. Arlene Rankin
There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one. Jill Churchill
This journey has always been about reaching your own other shore no matter what it is, and that dream continues. Diana Nyad
We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored. Sheryl Sandberg
We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced. Malala Yousafzai
Whatever you do, be different – that was the advice my mother gave me, and I can’t think of better advice for an entrepreneur. If you’re different, you will stand out. Anita Roddick
When you lose a couple of times, it makes you realize how difficult it is to win. Steffi Graf
When you’re through changing, you’re through. Martha Stewart
Woman must not accept; she must challenge. She must not be awed by that which has been built up around her; she must reverence that woman in her which struggles for expression. Margaret Sanger
Women asking for raises should not only know their value, but they should ask with the confidence that they’re helping the company to be successful. Kirsten Gillibrand
Women have discovered that they cannot rely on men’s chivalry to give them justice. Helen Keller
Women will be hidden no more. We will not remain hidden figures. We have names. … It was woman that gave you Dr Martin Luther King. It was woman that gave you Malcolm X. And according to the Bible, it was a woman that gave you Jesus. Don’t you ever forget it. Janelle Monáe
Women will only have true equality when men share with them the responsibility of bringing up the next generation. Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Yes, I’m a feminist, because I see all women as smart, gifted, and tough. Zaha Hadid
You can’t give up! If you give up, you’re like everybody else. Chris Evert
You cannot use another man’s leg to run your race. Wives stop waiting for your husbands to do everything. For God’s sake make an impact. Nobody is a threat to your development. Patience Johnson
You don’t always need a plan. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go, and see what happens. Mandy Hale
You take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing, no one to blame. Erica Jong
Your silence will not protect you. Audre Lorde
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Inspiring quotes by women writers
Authors and writers often say it best; their wise words are perfect for short, succinct quotes. With that in mind, we’ve put together some great quotes from female writers like the esteemed Maya Angelou and JK Rowling:
Destiny is a name often given in retrospect to choices that had dramatic consequences. J.K. Rowling
Everyone shines, given the right lighting. Susan Cain
It’s not your job to like me, it’s mine. Byron Katie
It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody. Maya Angelou
Not knowing you can’t do something, is sometimes all it takes to do it. Ally Carter
Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud. Maya Angelou
We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better. J.K. Rowling
We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated. Maya Angelou
When we speak, we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So, it is better to speak. Audre Lorde
You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it. Maya Angelou
You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Maya Angelou
Famous quotes for women
Celebrities, politicians, actresses and more – there are just thousands are killer quotes from women or for women from the famous set. Here are just a few:
A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That’s why they don’t get what they want. Madonna
A man told me that for a woman, I was very opinionated. I said, ‘For a man, you’re kind of ignorant’. Anne Hathaway
A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do. A woman must do what he can’t. Rhonda Hansome
Forget about the fast lane. If you really want to fly, just harness your power to your passion. Oprah Winfrey
I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles. Audrey Hepburn
I can’t think of any better representation of beauty than someone who is unafraid to be herself. Emma Stone
I didn’t get there by wishing for it or hoping for it, but by working for it. Estée Lauder
I have come to realize making yourself happy is most important. Never be ashamed of how you feel. You have the right to feel any emotion you want and do what makes you happy. That’s my life motto. Demi Lovato
I learned compassion from being discriminated against. Everything bad that’s ever happened to me has taught me compassion. Ellen DeGeneres
I’m selfish, impatient, and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control, and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best. Marilyn Monroe
I’m tough, I’m ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a b*tch, okay. Madonna
I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint – and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you. Oprah Winfrey
If you can dream it, you can do it. Walt Disney
If you don’t get out of the box you’ve been raised in, you won’t understand how much bigger the world is. Angelina Jolie
If you don’t live your life, then who will? Rihanna
If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough. Oprah Winfrey
If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman. Margaret Thatcher
Instead of looking at the past, I put myself ahead twenty years and try to look at what I need to do now in order to get there then. Diana Ross
It’s not the absence of fear, it’s overcoming it. Sometimes you’ve got to blast through and have faith. Emma Watson
It’s possible to climb to the top without stomping on other people. Taylor Swift
Some women choose to follow men, and some choose to follow their dreams. If you’re wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn’t love you anymore. Lady Gaga
The age of a woman doesn’t mean a thing. The best tunes are played on the oldest fiddles. Ralph Waldo Emerson
The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. Ralph Waldo Emerson
We need to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. We have to step up as women and take the lead. Beyoncé
What makes you different or weird, that’s your strength. Meryl Streep
When a woman becomes her own best friend, life is easier. Diane Von Furstenberg
When I’m hungry, I eat. When I’m thirsty, I drink. When I feel like saying something, I say it. Madonna
When I’m tired, I rest. I say, ‘I can’t be a superwoman today’. Jada Pinkett Smith
Women have to work much harder to make it in this world. It really pisses me off that women don’t get the same opportunities as men do, or money for that matter. Because let’s face it, money gives men the power to run the show. It gives men the power to define our values and to define what’s sexy and what’s feminine and that’s bullsh*t. At the end of the day, it’s not about equal rights, it’s about how we think. We have to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. Beyoncé
You are more powerful than you know; you are beautiful just as you are. Melissa Etheridge
You can be the lead in your own life. Kerry Washington
You have what it takes to be a victorious, independent, fearless woman. Tyra Banks
Courageous woman quotes
Courage and confidence in equal measure. We love some of these courageous quotes for women, perfect for an Instagram photo, caption or really any social media platform:
Courage is like a muscle. We strengthen it by use. Ruth Gordon
Do you want to meet the love of your life? Look in the mirror. Byron Katie
Doubt is a killer. You just have to know who you are and what you stand for. Jennifer Lopez
Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will. Suzy Kassem
Encourage yourself, believe in yourself, and love yourself. Never doubt who you are. Stephanie Lahart
I am a woman with thoughts and questions and sh*t to say. I say if I’m beautiful. I say if I’m strong. You will not determine my story – I will. Amy Schumer
I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done. Lucille Ball
If you don’t risk anything, you risk even more. Erica Jong
Love yourself first and everything else falls into place. Lucille Ball
One isn’t born courageous, one becomes it. Marjane Satrapi
Success breeds confidence. Beryl Markham
The best protection any woman can have… is courage. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
The king may rule the kingdom, but it’s the queen who moves the board. D.M. Timney
There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there. Indira Gandhi
Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world. Hillary Clinton
You are the one that possesses the keys to your being. You carry the passport to your own happiness. Diane von Furstenberg
You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water. Rabindranath Tagore
Strong proud woman quotes
Women should stand tall and stand proud, which is why we’ve collected some of the best inspirational quotes about strong proud women for you!
A strong woman builds her own world. She is one who is wise enough to know that it will attract the man she will gladly share it with. Ellen J. Barrier
A strong woman is a woman determined to do something others are determined not be done. Marge Piercy
A strong woman understands that the gifts such as logic, decisiveness, and strength are just as feminine as intuition and emotional connection. She values and uses all of her gifts. Nancy Rathburn
A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman. Melinda Gates
Feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings. Cheris Kramarae
Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them. Anonymous
Strong women need not declare they can carry all the burdens in life. They just quietly do it and survive with a smile. Princess Maleiha Bajunaid Candao
The strength of a woman is not measured by the impact that all her hardships in life have had on her; but the strength of a woman is measured by the extent of her refusal to allow those hardships to dictate her and who she becomes. C. JoyBell C.
Words have power. TV has power. My pen has power. Shonda Rhimes
You can never leave footprints that last if you are always walking on tiptoe. Leymah Gbowee
Beautiful quotes that inspire women
Poetry, prose and verse – there are so many beautiful and inspiring quotes for women that are almost lyrical in their text. We’ve collected a few firm favourites for you:
Be there for others, but never leave yourself behind. Dodinsky
By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before. Edwin Elliot
I have stood on a mountain of no’s for one yes. B. Smith
I want to be like a sunflower; so that even on the darkest days I will stand tall and find the sunlight.
Related: The best sunset quotes and captions for Instagram
I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning to sail my ship. Louisa May Alcott
No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. Hal Borland
Once you figure out what respect tastes like, it tastes better than attention. Pink
She is water. Soft enough to offer life, tough enough to drown it away. Rupi Kaur
She was powerful not because she wasn’t scared but because she went on so strongly, despite the fear. Atticus
Step out of the history that is holding you back. Step into the new story you are willing to create. Oprah Winfrey
The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it. J.M. Barrie
The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before. Albert Einstein
They tried to bury us; they did not know we were the seeds. Mexican Proverb
What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. Jane Goodall
When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful. Malala Yousafzai
You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation. Brigham Young
Powerful quotes for women
Women are leaders, they are brave, and they are powerful! Want to convey just that? Well definitely use one of these cracking quotes about powerful women:
A good compromise is one where everybody makes a contribution. Angela Merkel
Any woman who understands the problems of running a home will be nearer to understanding the problems of running a country. Margaret Thatcher
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. Eleanor Roosevelt
I have found the paradox that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love. Mother Teresa
I hope the fathers and mothers of little girls will look at them and say ‘yes, women can’. Dilma Rousseff
If it’s a good idea, go ahead and do it. It’s much easier to apologize than it is to get permission. Grace Hopper
It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union…men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less. Susan B. Anthony
Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself. Eleanor Roosevelt
People think at the end of the day that a man is the only answer [to fulfilment]. Actually, a job is better for me. Princess Diana
Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier. Mother Teresa
Take criticism seriously, but not personally. If there is truth or merit in the criticism, try to learn from it. Otherwise, let it roll right off you. Hillary Clinton
We can do no great things, only small things with great love. Mother Teresa
Whenever you see a successful woman, look out for three men who are going out of their way to try to block her. Yulia Tymoshenko
With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts. Eleanor Roosevelt
You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through. Rosalynn Carter
Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action. Benjamin Disraeli
Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star. W. Clement Stone
Feminism isn’t about making women stronger. Women are already strong it’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength. G.D. Anderson
Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another. Toni Morrison
I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own. Audre Lorde
I feel now that the time is come when even a woman or a child who can speak a word for freedom and humanity is bound to speak. Harriet Beecher Stowe
Just keep taking chances and having fun. Garth Brooks
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
No woman should be told she can’t make decisions about her own body. When women’s rights are under attack, we fight back. Kamala Harris
Power is not given to you. You have to take it. Beyoncé
Power to me is the ability to make a change in a positive way. Victoria Justice
The fastest way to change society is to mobilize the women of the world. Charles Malik
The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any. Alice Walker
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often. Winston Churchill
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
Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present. Bil Keane
Happy quotes that inspire women
Even in the darkest of days, you can still try on a smile. Whether it’s smiling, laughing or just general joy, women should feel happy and fulfilled. Want a quote to reflect that? Maybe one of the below will work:
A warm smile is the universal language of kindness. William Arthur Ward
Be happy for this moment. This moment in your life. Omar Khayyam
Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light. J.K Rowling
If you are too busy to laugh, you are too busy. Proverb
If you can’t make it better, you can laugh at it. Erma Bombeck
If you carry joy in your heart, you can heal any moment. Carlos Santana
It’s a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy. Lucille Ball
Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day. Henri J.M. Nouwen
Kindness is always fashionable, and always welcome. Amelia Barr
Maybe some women aren’t meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free until they find someone just as wild to run with them. Candace Bushnell
Never regret anything that made you smile. Mark Twain
No matter how difficult and painful it may be, nothing sounds as good to the soul as the truth. Martha Beck
No matter what you look like or think you look like you’re special and loved and perfect just the way you are. Ariel Winter
Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy. Thich Nhat Hanh
Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get. Ingrid Bergman
The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. Nicholas Chamfort
There is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind. Virginia Woolf
Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves. J.M. Barrie
When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us. Helen Keller
Whenever you are blue or lonely or stricken by some humiliating thing you did, the cure and the hope is in caring about other people. Diane Sawyer
Inspiring quotes about life for women
Women often have to juggle a lot – work, family and just balancing everything for the people in her life. But life is there to be lived, and so with that top of mind, we thought you might want to use one of these amazing motivational quotes about life:
A seasoned woman is spicy. She has been marinated in life experiences. Like a complex wine, she can be alternately sweet, tart, sparkling, mellow. She is both maternal and playful. Assured, alluring, and resourceful. She is less likely to have an agenda than a young woman—no biological clock tick-tocking beside her lover’s bed, no campaign to lead him to the altar, no rescue fantasies. The seasoned woman knows who she is. She could be any one of us, as long as she is committed to living fully and passionately in the second half of her life, despite failures and false starts. Gail Sheehy
Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim. Nora Ephron
Change your life today. Don’t gamble on the future, act now, without delay. Simone de Beauvoir
Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live. Anne Sweeney
Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got. There is no yesterday, no tomorrow, it’s all the same day. Janis Joplin
Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Dr Mae Jemison
Don’t live life in the past lane. Samantha Ettus
I choose to make the rest of my life the best of my life. Louise Hay
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 never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life. Eleanor Roosevelt
I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a b*tch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass. Maya Angelou
I try to live in a little bit of my own joy and not let people steal it or take it. Hoda Kotb
If you are successful, it is because somewhere, sometime, someone gave you a life or an idea that started you in the right direction. Remember also that you are indebted to life until you help some less fortunate person, just as you were helped. Melinda Gates
If your home environment is good and peaceful and easy, your life is better and easier. Lori Greiner
In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: It goes on. Robert Frost
Life is getting up an hour early to live an hour more. Anonymous
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. Maya Angelou
Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. George Bernard Shaw
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage. Anais Nin
Life was meant to be lived. Curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life. Eleanor Roosevelt
There are times in life when, instead of complaining, you do something about your complaints. Rita Dove
To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist. Oscar Wilde
We still live in a world in which a significant fraction of people, including women, believe that a woman belongs and wants to belong exclusively in the home. Rosalyn Sussman
When looking for a life partner, my advice to women is date all of them: the bad boys, the cool boys, the commitment-phobic boys, the crazy boys. But do not marry them. The things that make the bad boys sexy do not make them good husbands. When it comes time to settle down, find someone who wants an equal partner. Someone who thinks women should be smart, opinionated and ambitious. Someone who values fairness and expects or, even better, wants to do his share in the home. These men exist and, trust me, over time, nothing is sexier. Sheryl Sandberg
When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another. Helen Keller
You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. C.S. Lewis
You can waste your lives drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them. Shonda Rhimes
You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one. Anonymous
Funny inspirational quotes for women
It’s good to have a laugh now and again; trying to be a little light-hearted when also being inspirational, right? With that in mind, below are a few ideas for funny or sassy quotes for women:
A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. Albert Einstein
A witty woman is a treasure; a witty beauty is a power. George Meredith
Always be careful of what you hear about a woman. Rumours come from either a man who can’t have her or a woman who can’t compete with her. Anonymous
As usual, there is a great woman behind every idiot. John Lennon
Being a woman is a terribly difficult task, since it consists principally in dealing with men. Joseph Conrad
Beware of monotony; it’s the mother of all the deadly sins. Edith Wharton
Don’t take too much credit for your children — or too much blame! Debora Spar
I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much. Mother Teresa
I learned a long time ago that there is something worse than missing the goal, and that’s not pulling the trigger. Mia Hamm
If I stop to kick every barking dog I am not going to get where I’m going. Jackie Joyner-Kersee
If you can’t go straight ahead, you go around the corner. Cher
If you don’t like being a doormat then get off the floor. Anonymous
If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun. Katharine Hepburn
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Eleanor Roosevelt
Normal is not something to aspire to, it’s something to get away from. Jodie Foster
Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, ‘I’m possible! Audrey Hepburn
Trying to be a man is a waste of a woman. Coco Chanel
What would men be without women? Scarce, sir…mighty scarce. Mark Twain
Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult. Charlotte Whitton
When a man gives his opinion, he’s a man. When a woman gives her opinion, she’s a b*tch. Bette Davis
When I believe in something, I’m like a dog with a bone. Melissa McCarthy
Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition. Marilyn Monroe
You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the water slide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute. Tina Fey
You cannot explore the universe if you think that you are the centre of it. Joshua Suya Pelicano
Inspirational quotes about a woman’s looks
Appearance really isn’t everything but often women are judged by it. We wanted to feature some quotes about appearance that can inspire and motivate you:
A beautiful face will age, and a perfect body will change, but a beautiful soul will always be a beautiful soul. Anonymous
A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous. Coco Chanel
A man’s face is his autobiography. A woman’s face is her work of fiction. Oscar Wilde
Embrace everything you are as a woman. Even your flaws too. And the things that you want to fix, you make them better. Kelly Rowland
I may be wearing makeup, but I can throw a fastball by you at the same time. Jennie Finch
Keep your heels, head, and standards high. Coco Chanel
Look your best – who said love is blind? Mae West
Our culture is obsessed with perfection, especially when it comes to the way women look. The parameters of acceptability as far as physical appearance go are so limiting that only a handful of women actually fall into this category. And the rest of us are left to either squeeze ourselves into moulds that don’t fit, hating ourselves all the while, or we just give up entirely. Yancy Lael
Stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone ought to be. Elizabeth Gilbert
Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak. Rachel Zoe
Taking joy in living is a woman’s best cosmetic. Rosalind Russell
The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy. Yves Saint-Laurent
There is more to sex appeal than just measurements. I don’t need a bedroom to prove my womanliness. I can convey just as much sex appeal, picking apples off a tree or standing in the rain. Audrey Hepburn
There is no cosmetic for beauty like happiness. Maria Mitchell
When you embrace your difference, your DNA, your look or heritage or religion or your unusual name, that’s when you start to shine. Bethenny Frankel
Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman. Coco Chanel
Quotes for successful women
We love independent hard-working woman quotes, and these are some of the finest! Quotes about success, about working hard and about smashing that glass ceiling!
A surplus of effort could overcome a deficit of confidence. Sonia Sotomayor
Because I am a woman, I must make unusual efforts to succeed. If I fail, no one will say, ‘she doesn’t have what it takes’. They will say, ‘women don’t have what it takes’. Clare Boothe Luce
Buckle up and know that it’s going to be a tremendous amount of work but embrace it. Tory Burch
Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try. Brian Littrell
I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took an excuse. Florence Nightingale
I firmly believe you never should spend your time being the former anything. Condoleezza Rice
I just love bossy women. I could be around them all day. To me, bossy is not a pejorative term at all. It means somebody’s passionate and engaged and ambitious and doesn’t mind leading. Amy Poehler
I never dreamed about success. I worked for it. Estée Lauder
If you’re not making some notable mistakes along the way, you’re certainly not taking enough business and career chances. Sallie Krawcheck
Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement. Golda Meir
One likes people much better when they’re battered down by a prodigious siege of misfortune than when they triumph. Virginia Woolf
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Helen Keller
Success as a woman has changed me. That’s what I feel is the first thing. When I feel like a successful woman as a rounded human being, then it feeds my work in a broader way, so it becomes more interesting. Jacqueline Bisset
Success is a journey not a destination. Ben Sweetland
Success, they taught me, is built on the foundation of courage, hard-work and individual responsibility. Despite what some would have us believe, success is not built on resentment and fears. Susana Martinez
Successful women are not liked. I think the biggest danger for women in science is colleagues who are not as good as you are. Christiane Nusslein-Volhard
The difference between successful people and others is how long they spend time feeling sorry for themselves. Barbara Corcoran
The power you have is to be the best version of yourself you can be, so you can create a better world. Ashley Rickards
We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes – understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success. Arianna Huffington
Short inspiring quotes for women
Very short inspirational quotes are great for if you just want to be brief and get your point across in the most succinct way. So, perhaps one of the brief quotes below will work for you:
And the trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk more. Erica Jong
Be first and be lonely. Ginni Rometty
Despite the forecast, live like it’s spring. Lily Pulitzer
Do something wonderful, people may imitate it. Albert Schweitzer
Done is better than perfect. Sheryl Sandberg
I’m always perpetually out of my comfort zone. Tory Burch
If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way. Napoleon Hill
It always seems impossible until it’s done. Nelson Mandela
Knowing what must be done does away with fear. Rosa Parks
My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness. Dalai Lama
One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman. Simone de Beauvoir
The best thing to hold onto in life is each other. Audrey Hepburn
The challenge is not to be perfect… it’s to be whole. Jane Fonda
The most effective way to do it, is to do it. Amelia Earhart
Time moves in one direction, memory in another. William Gibson
Wherever you go, go with all your heart. Confucius
Women must learn to play the game as men do. Eleanor Roosevelt
You can’t please everyone, and you can’t make everyone like you. Katie Couric
You don’t have to be anti-man to be pro-woman. Jane Galvin Lewis
You must be the change you wish to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi
Even more inspirational quotes for women
None of the above tickled your fancy? Well then just read on below! We’ve curated even more fantastic motivational quotes for women:
A lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment. Jane Austen
Always go with the choice that scares you the most, because that’s the one that is going to require the most from you. Caroline Myss
Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputations can never effect a reform.
Don’t look at your feet to see if you are doing it right. Just dance. Anne Lamott
I am a feminist. I’ve been female for a long time now. I’d be stupid not to be on my own side. Maya Angelou
I am always busy, which is perhaps the chief reason why I am always well. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will. Charlotte Brontë
I did what my conscience told me to do, and you can’t fail if you do that. Anita Hill
I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself. Arianna Huffington
I don’t care what you think about me. I don’t think about you at all. Coco Chanel
I need to listen well so that I hear what is not said. Thuli Madonsela
I want to do is because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others. Amelia Earhart
I, with a deeper instinct, choose a man who compels my strength, who makes enormous demands on me, who does not doubt my courage or my toughness, who does not believe me naïve or innocent, who has the courage to treat me like a woman. Anaïs Nin
If somebody can do something 80 percent as good as you think you would have done it yourself, then you’ve got to let it go. Sara Blakely
If you find someone you love in your life, then hang on to that love. Princess Diana
If you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing. Margaret Thatcher
If you think taking care of yourself is selfish, change your mind. If you don’t, you’re simply ducking your responsibilities. Ann Richards
In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different. Coco Chanel
Just watch, all of you men. I’ll show you what a woman can do…I’ll go across the country I’ll race to the Moon… I’ll never look back. Edna Gardner Whyte
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. Albert Einstein
Miracles happen every day. Change your perception of what a miracle is, and you’ll see them all around you. Jon Bon Jovi
On earth there is no heaven, but there are pieces of it. Jules Renard
One cannot accomplish anything without fanaticism. Eva Peron
One of the secrets to staying young is to always do things you don’t know how to do, to keep learning. Ruth Reichl
Rise above the storm and you will find the sunshine. Mario Fernández
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched — they must be felt with the heart. Helen Keller
The day will come when men will recognize woman as his peer, not only at the fireside, but in councils of the nation. Then, and not until then, will there be the perfect comradeship, the ideal union between the sexes that shall result in the highest development of the race. Susan B. Anthony
The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. Amelia Earhart
The only way you can grow is to let yourself make mistakes and create contradictions. Nikki Giovanni
The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights. Gloria Steinem
We ask justice, we ask equality, we ask that all the civil and political rights that belong to citizens of the United States, be guaranteed to us and our daughters forever. Susan B. Anthony
We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained. Marie Curie
We need to start work with the idea that we’re going to learn every day. I learn, even at my position, every single day. Chanda Kochhar
What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. Zig Ziglar
When you feel copied, remember that people can only go where you have already been, they have no idea where you are going next. Liz Lange
You can have unbelievable intelligence, you can have connections, you can have opportunities fall out of the sky. But in the end, hard work is the true, enduring characteristic of successful people. Marsha Evans
You have trust in what you think. If you splinter yourself and try to please everyone, you can’t. Annie Leibovitz
You move totally away from reality when you believe that there is a legitimate reason to suffer. Byron Katie
Which were your favourite inspirational quotes for women and motivational Instagram captions in our blog post? Let us know in the comments or get in touch here to submit one!
We also have heaps more quotes and captions guides, including articles for hashtags (like couples or sunset hashtags) or even updating your whatsapp status when you’re sad.
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