22 Inspirational Quotes to Live By in 2022

Last updated: January 10, 2022

If you know me, then you know I’m a sucker for an inspirational quote. Seriously. You’d think I was a motivational speaker just from a glance at my Pinterest feed. (Hint: it’s littered with cheesy quotes about life.)

There’s nothing quite as motivating as a quote that speaks directly to what you’re going through. It can make you feel less alone and more comforted, because you think “Wow, this person who wrote this quote knows exactly what I’m feeling.”

A quote can also motivate you to change your life for the better. You may read it and suddenly want to grab life by the reins, chase after the dreams you’ve been putting off for years and create a life of fulfillment.

Here are 22 inspirational quotes to live by in 2022 and beyond.

1. “Stop measuring days by degree of productivity and start experiencing them by degree of presence.” - Alan Watts

2. “I realized, there is no shame in being honest. There is no shame in being vulnerable. It’s the beauty of being human.”

3. “You see, the truth so many people seem to miss is that happiness doesn’t start with a relationship, a job or a college degree. It starts with your thoughts and what you tell yourself every day.”

4. “Live a life that is driven more by curiosity than by fear.”

5. “I’ve found that growing up means being honest about what I want, what I need, what I feel, who I am.”

6. “And too often we forget we are worthy of our love too.” - Dhiman

7. “Oh my God, what if you wake up some day, and you’re 65, or 75, and you never got your memoir or novel written; or you didn’t go swimming in warm pools and oceans all those years because your thighs were jiggly and you have a nice big comfortable tummy; or you were just so strung out on perfectionism and people-pleasing that you forgot to have a big juicy creative life of imagination and radical silliness and staring off into space like when you were a kid? It’s going to break your heart. Don’t let this happen.”

8. “Surround yourself with people who push you to be your best self.”

9. “The act of creating something is always more important than the result.”

10. “A year from now, you will wish you had started today.” - Karen Lamb

11. “So please ask yourself: What would I do if I weren’t afraid? And then go do it.” - Sheryl Sandberg

12. “I hope you aren’t held back because of a number. And that you don’t rush into things because it feels like time is slipping by. I hope you do what’s right for you. Hold on. Slow down. And breathe in. Your age is your age. But more importantly, your life is your life. Don’t change your journey so that it matches someone else’s. We need to walk different paths, so the whole world can be explored. Revel in the differences. And enjoy where you are, in this moment.”

13. “Appreciate everything. Appreciate it when you go out on the street and the light is green, appreciate it when someone gives you a small candy, appreciate every compliment you receive, appreciate the love that people give you, appreciate every breath that someone takes before they tell you something because they took it for you. Appreciate. Even the bad things because there’s no better thing than balance and balance doesn’t exist without bad things. Appreciate your balance. Appreciate your life. Appreciate yourself.”

14. “Please make sure that wherever you’re at in life, you don’t treat it like a transitory period. Don’t waste your college years wishing to already be graduated and have a job. Don’t waste your single years wishing for someone to be in love with. If/when those things come, they will come in due time and they will be good. But there is nothing like looking back and feeling empty because wasted literal years ignoring what you had because you were hoping for something better. While it’s important to better yourself and reach for your goals, don’t neglect the present because that’s where you are now and it’s your future now that determines your future.”

15. “No emotion is the final state.” - Jeanette Winterson

16. “There is no designated time for anything in your life. You don’t have to have your first kiss at a certain time, you don’t have to get married in your 20’s and you don’t have to do anything just because other people think it’s best. In fact, you will be much better off if you just do what your heart says. The day you stop caring what other people think is the day their opinions don’t mean anything, because you’re not there to give them weight.”

17. “When it feels scary to jump, that’s exactly when you jump. Otherwise you end up staying the same place your whole life. And that I can’t do.” - J.C. Chandor, “A Most Violent Year”

18. “Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you’ll find that you have more of it.” - Ralph Marston

19. “I love being horribly straightforward. I love sending reckless text messages (because how reckless can a form of digitized communication be?) and telling people I love them and telling people they are absolutely magical humans and I cannot believe they really exist. I love saying, Kiss me harder, and You’re a good person, and You brighten my day. I love my life as straightforward as possible.

Because one day, I might get hit by a bus.

Maybe it’s weird. Maybe it’s scary. Maybe it seems downright impossible to just be — to just let people know you want them, need them, feel like, in this very moment, you will die if you do not see them, hold them, touch them in some way, whether it’s your feet on their thighs on the couch or your tongue in their mouth or your heart in their hands.

But there is nothing more beautiful than being desperate.

And there is nothing more risky than pretending not to care.

We are young and we are human and we are beautiful and we are not as in control as we think we are. We never know who needs us back. We never know the magic that can arise between ourselves and other humans.

We never know when the bus is coming.” - Rachel C. Lewis, “Tell The People You Love That You Love Them”

20. “You all have a little big of ‘I want to save the world’ in you…I want you to know that it’s okay if you only save one person, and it’s okay if that person is you.”

21. “For what it’s worth, it’s never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.” - F. Scott Fitzgerald

22. “If you’re happy doing what you’re doing, nobody can tell you you’re not successful.” - Harry Styles

What a way to start the new year, am I right?

Whether you’re a believer of New Year’s resolutions or not, quotes are a great way to reset your motivation, regardless of what stage of life you’re in or what time of the year it is. You don’t need the clock to strike midnight on New Year’s Eve to venture in a new direction and lead a more fulfilling life.

Of course, it’s also important to remember that quotes are just an ingredient in the “I want a better life” pie. Words are powerful tools to keep you motivated, but action is really what makes the pie delicious. Do what you say you’ll do.

Your friend,
Jane

P.S. What’s your favorite inspirational quote? Let me know in the comments below!