10 Quotes from Maya Angelou That I Live By | In Remembrance

Today, May 28, 2014, legendary author, poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou passed away. I’m still in shock, and praying for all of her family and friends who will truly miss her presence. Maya was one of those people who even though most of us never met her, you felt like you knew her and she touched people with her words in profound ways.

Despite the many obstacles and challenges that she faced in her life, like being a teen mother and a victim of rape as a child, she rose above it all and beat the odds. So much wisdom in her 86 years of life. I wanted to share 10 quotes from Maya Angelou that I live by in remembrance of her, because words are powerful – and her words definitely are words to live by.

1. If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.

2. Nothing will work unless you do.

3. We may encounter many defeats be we must not be defeated.

4. A wise woman wishes to be no one’s enemy; a wise woman refuses to be anyone’s victim.

5. The wisest thing I can do is be on my own side, be an advocate for myself and others like me.

6. I work very hard, and I play very hard. I’m grateful for life. And I live it – I believe life loves the liver of it. I live it.

7. It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody.

8. We can learn to see each other and see ourselves in each other and recognize that human beings are more alike than we are unalike.

9. I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself.

10. 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.