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For those who are facing generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), getting through a challenging bout of symptoms can feel impossible. Even those who work with therapists on effective ways to work through anxious thoughts face days where they feel obstacles are insurmountable. In these dark moments, you (or a loved one who cares for you) may reach for a bit of motivation to accept the challenges ahead of you — and to find the energy to try again tomorrow.
It's true that everyone faces their own adversity in life. But those with mental health conditions may be surprised to hear that some of the most celebrated individuals in history have faced anxious tendencies, too. A fair share of the world's leaders, cultural trailblazers, prolific writers and celebrated performers have opened up about their journey in facing rumination, anticipation and dread that plagues those suffering from anxiety. And they've owned up to the fact that anxiety can definitely cause your life to seemingly unravel at a moment's notice.
But all of them have also revealed the tenacity they've summoned to push past these roadblocks. It takes a certain amount of insight to push past negative thoughts and emotions, to put life into perspective – and this collection of inspiring quotes about anxiety may help you do that, or at the very least, give you a sense of comfort.
Powerful quotes about anxiety:
- "Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment." — Oprah Winfrey
- "The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but on significance — and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning." — Oprah Winfrey
- "This life is mine alone. So I have stopped asking people for directions to places they've never been." — Glennon Doyle
- "Creating something is what helped me from just spinning apart like an unweighted flywheel. And I haven’t stopped since." – Stephen Colbert
- "You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them." – Maya Angelou
- "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." —Nelson Mandela
- "I think the more people vocalize what they're going through — their experience or just simply educating themselves so that they can learn more about what they're talking about — that's going to be the key to creating a conversation about mental illness and making it more understood." — Demi Lovato
- "The tough times, the days when you're just a ball on the floor — they'll pass. You're playing the long game, and life is totally worth it." – Sarah Silverman
- "The best use of creativity is imagination. The worst use of creativity is anxiety." – Deepak Chopra
- "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people's thinking." – Steve Jobs
- "You don’t have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you." – Dan Millman
- "Whatever you do, never run back to what broke you." – Frank Ocean
- "Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow." – Swedish Proverb
- "It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light." — Aristotle
- "When you make a mistake, respond to yourself in a loving way rather than a self-shaming way." – Ellie Holcomb
- "Breathe darling. This is just a chapter. It’s not your whole story." – S.C. Lourie
- "You can't just take Tylenol to deal with anxiety. Being able to be level with people, being honest about your problem – that is a huge help." – Royce White
- “We just need to be kinder to ourselves. If we treated ourselves the way we treated our best friend, can you imagine how much better off we would be?” — Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex
- "We all have mental health in the same way that we all have physical health. It’s okay to have depression, it’s okay to have anxiety, it’s okay to have an adjustment disorder." – Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
- “All over the world, people are in some kind of mental, psychological, emotional pain. Being able to say, 'This is what happened what happened to me,' is crucial.” –Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
- "Success is not final; failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts." – Winston Churchill
- “Be healthy and take care of yourself, but be happy with the beautiful things that make you, you.” – Beyoncé
- "The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won't. It's whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere." – President Barack Obama
- "As I started opening up and talking about my issues, I felt strength, not vulnerability." – Michael Phelps
- "You don’t see [mental illness]: It’s not a mass; it’s not a cyst. But it’s there. Why do you need to prove it? If you can treat it, you treat it." – Amanda Seyfried
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