15 of the Best Quotes from one of History’s Most Incredible Women, Maya Angelou

Every generation has it’s influences, and few have been as powerful as the impression left by Dr. Maya Angelou. As a young black woman being raised in the south in a period of racial discrimination, Maya’s unstoppable spirit shone through everything she did. In her storied life, she became a celebrated poet, memoirist, educator, dramatist, producer, actress, historian, filmmaker, and civil rights activist. Although Dr. Angelou once said, “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,” these 15 quotes are evidence that we will never forget what this incredible woman had to say.

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

“What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. Don’t complain.”

“When someone shows you who they are, believe them; the first time.”

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”

“I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.”

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because, without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”

“I don’t trust people who don’t love themselves and tell me, ‘I love you.’ … There is an African saying that is: Be careful when a naked person offers you a shirt.”

“Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness.”

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”

“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.”

“Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time.”

“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”

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