Need a morning pick-me-up that’s a little healthier than an IV drip of coffee? We feel you. That’s why we’ve curated these quotes to start the day off right. Use these wise words from well-known authors, researchers, and leaders to tap into your happiness, gratitude, optimism, productivity, healthy habits, and self-confidence in the morning and all day long. Yes, it’s possible. Promise.
21 Quotes to Start the Day On the Right Foot
Without further ado, here are 21 quotes to start the day off with a bang. Or at least a little inspiration to keep your chin up and your negativity down. We broke them down into themes so you can pick the ones that really rev you up.
Happiness and gratitude
“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness—it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.”
—Dr. Brené Brown, speaker, author, and research professor at the University of Houston, in an interview with Gretchen Rubin for Forbes
“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
—Melody Beattie, self-help author, in The Language of Letting Go
“One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to make other people happy is to be happy yourself.”
—Gretchen Rubin, author and speaker, in The Happiness Project One-Sentence Journal for Mothers
“Happiness is the joy you feel moving towards your potential.”
—Shawn Achor, positive psychology researcher and author of The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology that Fuel Success and Performance at Work and Big Potential
Optimism
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope.”
—Helen Keller, author and political activist, in her essay “Optimism”
“Controlled experiments have shown that optimism is not only related to success, it leads to success…and maybe the most surprising benefit of optimism is health. If we expect the future to be bright, stress and anxiety are reduced.”
—Dr. Tali Sharot, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London, in her 2012 TED Talk “The Optimism Bias”
Productivity
“If we can find a way of becoming positive in the present, then our brains work even more successfully as we’re able to work harder, faster, and more intelligently.”
—Shawn Achor, positive psychology advocate and author, in his 2011 TEDx Talk “The Happy Secret to Better Work”
“Sometimes the biggest gain in productive energy will come from cleaning the cobwebs, dealing with old business, and clearing the decks—cutting loose debris that’s impeding forward motion.”
—David Allen, author and productivity consultant, in his book Ready for Anything: 52 Productive Principles for Getting Things Done
“The way to a more productive, more inspired, more joyful life is getting enough sleep.”
—Arianna Huffington, co-founder and former editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, in her 2010 TED talk “How to Succeed? Get More Sleep”
Healthy habits
“Depending on what they are, our habits will either make us or break us. We become what we repeatedly do.”
—Sean Covey, author, businessman, speaker, and son of Dr. Stephen Covey, in his book The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Teenagers
“Good habits are worth being fanatical about.”
―John Irving, novelist and screenwriter, in his book Setting Free the Bears
“In today’s competitive world, much of success is about cultivating good habits.”
—Deepak Singh, motivational speaker, leadership expert, and author, in his book Rise Today, Lead Tomorrow: Behind Every Win in Business, Sports, and Life is a Warrior You Want to Be!
“Habits are powerful factors in our lives. Because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns, they constantly, daily, express our character and produce our effectiveness.”
―Dr. Stephen Covey in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
Self-confidence
“Confidence…thrives only on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection, on unselfish performance; without them it cannot live.”
—President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in his first inaugural address on March 4, 1933
“Nothing has transformed my life more than realizing that it’s a waste of time to evaluate my worthiness by weighing the reaction of the people in the stands.”
—Dr. Brené Brown in her book Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
“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, former First Lady, in a 2015 Tuskegee University Commencement Address
To sum it all up…
We hope these quotes to start the day helped you feel a little more positive and ready to take on the world. Remember, research shows that positive thinking can make a difference in our happiness and long-term health. It may take some practice, so when you need inspiration, look to these quotes from the researchers, authors, and leaders who are paving the way in positive productivity.
Your turn: What positive quotes to start the day do you live by? Share your favorites in the comments.
Now that you have some wise words to start the day right, check out these quotes on keeping your productivity high all day long.
Author: Ally Carlton-Smith MS
Ally Carlton-Smith is an editor and freelance writer with a master’s degree in Health Communication. She’s also a closeted circus performer. When she’s not busy wordsmithing, you can find her hanging upside down at her local aerial studio.
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