75 Powerful Mental Health Quotes to Heal, Empower and Inspire You

This is part 1 of our article series about Words That Heal. Read article 2 (The Science behind Affirmations) or article 3 (How To Use Affirmations).

Life can be tough. Sometimes we lose our way. Things start to slip and it feels like control over our own life glides through our fingers. Even though humans have existed for thousands of years, there is still a lonely and isolated feeling connected to this. As if we, personally, are the only ones that are feeling these kinds of emotions.

But that’s not the case – in fact, most people know the feeling of being down, of struggling, of not knowing which steps to take next. 

While these rough patches can feel brutally hard, they also open a lot of new doors and possibilities. Look at some of the most inspiring people in your surroundings – maybe it’s your mom that fought through a lot of hardships to come to the place where she’s now, your best friend who went through a serious crisis and is standing now stronger and more self confident than ever or your favorite artist, who developed their personal style after they fought a war with themselves.

It’s important to know – especially when we feel that something isn’t alright – that better times are coming. Usually it takes a lot of healing and time but most often people who went through hard phases say that they came out not only stronger but as a better version of themselves than the version they have been before.

As humans, we have an immensely strong power to fight back and come out of the biggest holes. Sometimes different perspectives and small changes can also bring a lot of joy and wonders to our mental health.

Because we at YDWYA think that inner healing and work is not only possible, but intrinsically important for us humans to become the best versions for ourselves and for the whole of society, we have decided to prepare this article.

Our goal is to show and interpret some of the best and most famous quotes about mental health in a mega-blogpost. 

You don’t have to feel or relate to all of the 75 mental health quotes – but we think that everyone will find a handful of those texts inspiring and maybe even life-changing. Let these quotes become your daily companions.

Best Mental Health Quotes for Tough Days

8 Quotes That Ground You

Let the following quotes bring you back to a state of grounding, peace and connection to earth. Don’t rush, be in the moment.

1. Letting go of what you can’t control is a beautiful kind of peace.
   That’s a very stoic quote. In today's world, we think that everything is under our control and we can change everything about ourselves and our bodies. While there’s always room for self improvement of the mind, we shouldn’t focus on the unchangeable. Radical self acceptance is a powerful motive here.

2. Facing the world is hard. Do it one step at a time.

3. One of the best actions we can take, with courage, is to relax.

4. The truth is that life is delicious, horrible, charming, frightful, sweet, bitter and that is everything.
   This relates to the theory that life is to be lived like the seasons in nature. After winter comes spring, after spring comes summer. There will always be ups and downs. And what would the ups be worth if there were no downs?

5. The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it.

6. To dwell in the here and now does not mean you never think about the past or responsibly plan for the future. The idea is simply not to allow yourself to get lost in regrets about the past or worries about the future. If you are firmly grounded in the present moment, the past can be an object of inquiry, the object of your mindfulness and concentration. But you are still grounded in the present moment. - Nhat Hanh

7. Be like a tree. Stay grounded, keep growing and know when to let go.

8. You’ve survived 100% of your worst days.
   We tend to overlook how strong we really are. Often, we see power in others but not in ourselves. Think about the hardest things you have ever done – and how you overcame them. You, my friend, are a strong fighter.

8 Quotes That Remind You You’re Not Alone

Even at your loneliest, you are part of something bigger: your body, society, earth, this present moment. You are never alone and you will always have support from others or yourself – be your own best friend.

1. I am not alone even in solitude. - Debasish Mridha

2. To forget the self is to remember that we don't exist alone, but in relation to other people, to other creatures, to the planet, and to the universe. - Steve Hagen

3. Remember you are never really alone. Although it may feel like it for very long stretches of time. - Steven L. Peck

4. I’m not alone, I’m free.

5. Do not feel lonely; the entire universe is inside you. - Jalaluddin Rumi

6. This world is a better place with you.

Take a look at this Hoodie here.

7. You are never alone if you can talk to your conscience. - M.F. Moonzajer

8. In solitude, the mind gains strength and learns to lean upon itself.

10 Quotes That Embrace The Struggle

Sometimes all we can do is push through, embrace hard times and work towards a better future. The following 10 points can really be called “mental health quotes” as they will make you more resilient and strong.

1. Tough times never last, but tough people do.

2. Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.

3. The prettiest flower still had to struggle to surface.

4. Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.

5. Obstacles are placed in our way to remind us that anything worth having is worth fighting for.

6. Your life’s story is written by how you overcome struggle, not by how you avoid it.

7. Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny - C.S. Lweis
   Sometimes, when we are going through something tough, we tend to forget that the struggle might lead to unforeseen, amazing places. Maybe you are just in the process of creating something big for yourself.

8. Although the world is full of suffering, it’s also full of overcoming it. - Helen Keller

9. You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life.

10. Energy and persistence conquer all things - Benjamin Franklin

Empowering Quotes to Reclaim Your Mind

11 Quotes About Self-Worth & Confidence

Much too often we let our self-worth and confidence drift because of unimportant things, remarks by others or unfair comparisons. Let the following mental health quotes bring out your inner spark again.

1. Why should I care what other people think of me? I am who I am. And who I wanna be. - Avril Lavigne

2. NO one can make you feel inferior without your consent. - Eleanor Roosevelt

3. To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.

4. The better you feel about yourself, the less you feel the need to show off.
   This is an important one! Have you already met someone who’s constantly bolstering about how adored they are, how popular they are or how amazing their achievements are? Very often, people who brag all the time, have a very low self-esteem. Confidence comes from a stoic, inner calmness. Don’t let such people dim your light, make your light shine even brighter and help others be their best versions instead of bringing them down.

5. You are valuable simply because you exist. Not because of what you do or what you have done, but simply because you are. - Max Lucado
   Especially in western cultures people use to tie their worth to their achievements. But have you noticed something? The happiest people are the ones who don’t compare themselves to others. They do what makes them happy, without looking left or right. Don’t define yourself by things like looks or money – you are worthy as much as every single other person on this planet. No one’s above you, no one’s below you.

6. You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody. - Maya Angelou

7. Remember, you have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving yourself and see what happens. - Louise Hay

8. The moment you feel you have to prove your worth to someone is the moment to absolutely and utterly walk away. - Alysia Harris
   

   Note by the author: Strong contestant to be one of the best ones in this list. You feel like you have to prove someone your worth? Friendly distance yourself from this person. You are worthy exactly as you are. If someone makes you question or doubt that, they are not worthy of YOUR company - not the other way around. You deserve to have people in your surroundings that make you feel strong, powerful and confident.

9. Accept who you are, and revel in it.

10. Sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can.

11. Self-confidence can be learned, practiced and mastered – just like any other skill. Once you master it, everything in your life will change for the better. - Barrie Davenport

7 Quotes About Inner Power

We don’t see the world objectively. No one does. But if we look at the world with a feeling of inner power, we’ll conquer the world in a strong, determined manner. Go for it!

1. You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength - Marcus Aurelius
   Again, a very stoic one. This again focuses on trying to regain power on the things that you can control, especially your own thoughts.

2. Fall seven times, stand up eight.

3. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it. - Mark Twain

4. Beneath every strong independent woman lies a broken little girl who had to learn how to get back up and to never depend on anyone.

   Note by the author: This one is definitely a controversial one. It’s not bad to depend on others sometimes, especially when you are in trouble and need a helping hand. But to be strong, also means to feel strong and independent as well.

5. I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time. - Anna Freud

6. It is worth remembering that the time of the greatest gain in terms of wisdom and inner strength is often that of greatest difficulty. - Dalai Lama
   The Dalai Lama hits the nail on the head: Times of great difficulty can boost a person's inner strength, self-awareness and knowledge about life.

7. Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.

11 Quotes About Growth After Pain

When we experience hard times in life – be it after a breakup, a loss of a loved one or by the struggles of daily life – we learn a lot. Notice the calmness in old people? They have seen it all and healed from many hardships in life. The following mental health quotes about growth after pain will motivate you to heal and grow.

1. I am better off healed than I ever was unbroken. – Beth Moore

2. There is no timestamp on trauma. There isn’t a formula that you can insert yourself into to get from horror to healed. Be patient. Take up space. Let your journey be the balm.

3. Trauma is a fact of life. It does not, however, have to be a life sentence.

4. Trauma teaches us that healing is not about forgetting; it’s about embracing our scars and using them as reminders of our strength and resilience.

5. I admire people who could have turned cold after everything they have been through but still choose love anyway. There’s strength in that. - Keneilwe Dr. Mhlanga

6. You have been assigned this mountain to show others it can be moved. - Mel Robbins

7. The wound is the place where the Light enters you.

8. You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress simultaneously. - Sophia Busch
   

   Note from the author: I love that one! Who says you can’t have some construction work going on while still living your life to the fullest? You are worthy as you are, no matter at which point of your healing journey you are at the moment.

9. The pain you feel today is the strength you will feel tomorrow.

10. Even the darkest hour has only sixty minutes.

11. If you are going through hell, keep going. - Winston Churchill

Quotes That You Can Literally Wear

Wearing a quote can change how you feel. Whenever you pass by a mirror, get a comment by passersby or just when you know what you are wearing right now, you will be remembered about what the quote means to you personally. It’s an awesome way to show your individuality and just live by your own principles.

1. I’m Still Growing T-Shirt
   
   I am still growing – as we all are, for the rest of our lives. We all are on this planet for the first time and this Tee brings this message over perfectly and brings some humility to the streets. Check it out in our shop!

2. You Deserve To Be Loved For Who You Are Hoodie
   
   There are billions of people on this planet, but not a single one is the same as you are. Nobody can bring the same values to the world as you do. And that’s why you should be loved! Check it out in our shop!
   

3. Healing Is Not Linear Sweater
   
   Nowadays, everything has to be optimized to the max: money, looks, our social media profiles,... But that’s so freaking unhuman. We have emotions, every day is different and especially healing can’t be optimized. It’s a wobbly line with many ups and downs. The important thing is that you keep going. Check it out in our shop!
   

4. I’m Here If You Need me T-Shirt
   
   A simple way of reassuring your loved ones: Whenever you are struggling, I’m here. Humility is what we need more of, especially in today's world. Check it out in our shop!
   

5. It’s Okay To Unfollow People In Real Life Hoodie
   
   Remember this quote from above: ‘The moment you feel you have to prove your worth to someone is the moment to absolutely and utterly walk away.’ ? Whenever someone doesn’t value you for what you are, you should definitely unfollow them in real life. Check it out in our shop!
   

6. Strong People Cry T-Shirt
   
   Everyone does sometimes. And that’s okay. Let your emotions flow. Check it out in our shop!

Famous Quotes About Mental Health

5 Quotes From Artists And Famous People

1. It doesn’t have to take over your life, it doesn’t have to define you as a person, it’s just important that you ask for help. It’s not a sign of weakness. - Demi Lovato

2. We can no longer afford to be silenced by stigma that portray [mental health] conditions as a matter of weakness or moral failing. - Lady Gaga

3. I think no matter what you look like, the key is to first of all be happy with yourself. And then you know if you want to try to improve things that you don’t like about yourself, then do it after you appreciate yourself. - Adele

4. If you give yourself to your creativity and imagination, it can help you overcome almost anything and really enable you to feel free and powerful. - Lady Gaga

5. I am of the belief that we have so much more control over our feelings than I think we give ourselves credit for. That’s not to say that you can just flip out of being sad. But I think that you can set yourself up for success to be happy and create happiness and create good energy in the world around you and create the things you want more of in your life, you know? My wish is for more people to know how powerful they are in creating those things. - Hunter Hayes

8 Powerful One-Liner Quotes About Mental Health With Interpretation

1. It’s okay not to be okay.
   Simple, but there’s a lot of meaning behind it: For a long time in human history, people who have suffered from different mental health conditions have been stigmatized badly. That’s over. It’s okay not to be okay.

2. Taking care of your mental health  is an act of self-love.
   Treat yourself like you would treat your best friend. Give yourself credit for all the positive things you have done and be your own bestie.

3. Mental health is not a destination, it’s a journey.
   Very often, we see mental health in a black-and-white state. But that’s not true. You can have areas in your life where everything is running smoothly and areas where things aren’t moving so well. 

4. It’s ok to set boundaries to protect your mental health.
   Don’t confuse kindness with pleasing people. Being kind doesn’t mean letting your boundaries become soft. If someone doesn’t treat you well, you should distance yourself. You would suggest the same to a friend, no?

5. The less harshly we judge ourselves, the more accepting we become of others.
   The person that accepts that they aren’t flawless will also accept the imperfection in others. We all are imperfect, and that’s what makes us so beautifully human.

6. Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.
   We all have that inner voice that can treat us very harshly. But would you treat people from your family or friend-group like that? No! So don’t do the same to you. And if a negative thought comes up you can let it pass like a cloud.

7. Learn to value yourself, which means: fight for your happiness.
   Respecting yourself means fighting for the things that are important to you.

8. By facing our challenges and overcoming them, we grow stronger, wiser, and more compassionate.
   You will come out as a better person after the thing that you are dealing with right now.

Final Words: Let These Mental Health Quotes Stay With You

Mental Health is an important aspect of our lives – today more than ever. Let those quotes ground you and give yourself time to process the ones that hit hardest. Being mentally healthy is a constant journey, with ups and downs. Life has different seasons, and it’s best when we learn to appreciate all of them. 

Don’t forget to check out our Mental Health Awareness collection to wear those quotes every day.