9 Sentences You Should Read When Life Gets Tough

Literature, poetry, song lyrics, notable quotes – ever since I could read I have been obsessed with words.

In high school, I started a quote journal in high school and throughout my life I find myself looking back and referencing certain quotes to help me make sense of situations – professionally and personally.

When asked which quotes were the most powerful and inspiring to me, all I had to do was look back in my little notebook and the answers were clear.

Below are my top ten favorites with an explanation of how each one changed my life!

If you love this quote collection, read out our most popular quote article about short inspirational quotes for daily motivation. 

If you need more inspirational quotes, check out our motivational quotes category page.

Sentences You Should Read When Life Gets Tough

1. “Someone once asked a poet, “If your house was burning and you could save only one thing, what would you save?” The poet answered, “I would save the fire, for without the fire we are nothing.”

This is my favorite quote of all time. When I am tired, overwhelmed and overworked, I think of this because it reminds me that even when life gets tough, there is a reason for everything if you look at it with a new perspective. Without fire there is no passion, no drive to succeed. The fire fuels me in everything I do in life. Save the fire. So many people in life want to put that fire out – don’t ever let them.

 2. “Don’t let the bastards grind you down.”― Margaret Atwood

This quote is my power motto from one of my favorite books, The Handmaid’s Tale. Truly in life, no one has the ability to make you feel bad unless you let them. That is powerful to remember. But sometimes, you just can’t help it, and the negativity sneaks into your head and brings you down. This quote reminds me to stay strong when life gets tough!

 3. “You know, sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage. Just literally 20 seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.”― Benjamin Mee

Thank goodness for this quote. It is the reason I started my company, Mugsy PR. I took 20 seconds of courage to quit my previous job and took a leap of faith. Every time I need to be brave, I take a deep breath and think of this.

4. “No woman gets an orgasm from shining the kitchen floor.” – Betty Friedan

There may be some women out there whose fetish is mopping, but it isn’t mine. This quote reminds me, with a smile, to be grateful for my career, my life, my opportunities. I like a shiny kitchen floor – but I like being the boss more!

5. Your life is the canvas. Fill it with color. – Unknown

When you are little and you color, you see nothing wrong with a blue cow or a red sky. A blank canvas is nothing but opportunity. Then as an adult, we try to conform, and all of a sudden that blank canvas can feel overwhelming. A chance to create anything and weirdly we paint nothing.

This quote reminds me that it is MY life to live MY way. No one else can paint your canvas for you. When new opportunities come your way, instead of being anxious, think of it as a new color to add to your canvas!

6. “I’m in the red, but it’s only the color I’m painting this town” – George Watsky

First, who doesn’t want to paint the town red? Second, this is just a fun, smile inducing quote. And Third: Every time business is slow and I am broke, I think of this. It helps me remember that it is all about the way you look at things.

7. “In this life, people will love you and people will hate you and none of that will anything to do with you.” – Abraham Hicks

So important to remember when life gets tough. Every time I speak at a public event, give an opinion at a meeting, go to a networking event or just meet new people, I think of this quote. At the end of the day, what other people think doesn’t matter as much as we think it does. Haters gonna hate, likers gonna like, and life goes on.

8. “How wrong is it for a woman to expect the man to build the world she wants, rather than to create it herself?”― Anaïs Nin

Yet another great quote from Anais Nin. I am a strong believer in building your own life and letting a man, or any significant other, be a bonus to that already happy life. My grandparents always told me – “You make your own dreams with calloused hands.”

9. “Stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone ought to be.” –Elizabeth Gilbert

This quote is on my mirror at home because wishing doesn’t work, but being strong, proud and determined does. Work hard to get where you want, don’t just wish for it and life will begin to change in the most positive ways.

When life gets tough, all you need is to remember your favorite quotes or sayings. Whether they’re from friends, family, or an inspirational writer, they should help motivate you in the right direction.

Other sentences to read when life gets tough

10. “When the going gets tough, put one foot in front of the other and just keep going. Don’t give up.” – Roy T. Bennett

11. “Life is sometimes hard. Things go wrong, in life and in love and in business and in friendship and in health and in all other ways that life can go wrong. And when things get tough, this is what you should do. Make good art.” – Neil Gaiman

12. “When the going gets tough, the tough reinvent.” – RuPaul

13. “When an obstacle is tough, you try harder. When an obstacle is insurmountable, you change course. But you never sit down and refuse to finish.” – Bethenny Frankel

14. “Being physically tough is measured by how many fights you win, but mental toughness is measured by how you react when all the chips are stacked against you, how fast you get back on track when life kicks you in the nuts. Any fool can win a fight, but it takes a person with true grit to never give up when all seems lost.” – Benjamin Bayani

15. “It is attitude, infinitely more than circumstance, that determines the quality of life. Life is often quite tough, challenging us to choose between seemingly esoteric, intangible ideals and getting goodies or good vibes right now. You have character when you most often choose ideals.” – Laura Schlessinger

16. “Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.” – Bernice Johnson Reagon

17. “If Life Gets Too Hard To Stand, Kneel.” – Gordon B. Hinckley

18. “Passion pulls you. It’s the sense of connection you feel when the work you do expresses who you are. Only passion will get you through the tough times.” – Randy Komisar

19. “How do you survive for years in prison? You don’t think about years, or months, or weeks. You think about today—how to get through it, how to survive it.” – John Grisham