Get inspired to channel your inner queen warrior with these awesome quotes for women.
You are strong, confident and courageous, and these powerful quotes will serve as your perfect reminder of just that!
You are reading: inspirational quotes for women about life
Contrary to the belief that this is a male-dominated world, women provide the foundation of power, grace, wisdom, justice, creativity, and hope.
Women are known to have better intuition, patience, emotional focus, compassion and networking ability. The list of female strengths is endless.
Throughout history, the world has witnessed many great women of strength who managed to tap into their Everyday Power to leave an indelible mark on society. Reading words of wisdom from such amazing women can inspire you to become a strong woman yourself, who approaches life with confidence.
The inspirational quotes for women below are filled with wisdom that will awaken hope, ambition, faith and inner strength. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we enjoyed compiling them.
Inspirational quotes for women on strength and leadership
1. “I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles.” – Audrey Hepburn
2. “You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.” ― Brigham Young
3. “Whenever you see a successful woman, look out for three men who are going out of their way to try to block her.” – Yulia Tymoshenko
4. “Some women choose to follow men, and some choose to follow their dreams. If you’re wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn’t love you anymore.” – Lady Gaga
5. “It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends.” – J. K. Rowling
6. “I am a woman with thoughts and questions and sh*t to say. I say if I’m beautiful. I say if I’m strong. You will not determine my story – I will.” – Amy Schumer
7. “It’s possible to climb to the top without stomping on other people.” – Taylor Swift
8. “Doubt is a killer. You just have to know who you are and what you stand for.” – Jennifer Lopez (see more quotes from Jennifer Lopez)
9. “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” – Anais Nin
10. “She was powerful not because she wasn’t scared but because she went on so strongly, despite the fear.” – Atticus
Inspirational quotes for women that empower
11. “And one day she discovered that she was fierce and strong, and full of fire and that not even she could hold herself back because her passion burned brighter than her fears.” – Mark Anthony
12. “I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a b*tch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.”— Maya Angelou
13. “Take criticism seriously, but not personally. If there is truth or merit in the criticism, try to learn from it. Otherwise, let it roll right off you.” — Hillary Clinton
14. “We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.” — Malala Yousafzai
15. “If you don’t like being a doormat then get off the floor.”- Al Anon
16. “The best protection any woman can have … is courage.”- Elizabeth Cady Stanton
17. “Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got. There is no yesterday, no tomorrow, it’s all the same day.” –Janis Joplin
18. “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”- Alice Walker
19. “One of the most courageous things you can do is identify yourself, know who you are, what you believe in and where you want to go.”- Sheila Murray Bethel
20. “Everyone has inside of her a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be, how much you can love, what you can accomplish, and what your potential is.” — Anne Frank
Also read these inspirational bad bitch quotes that will help make you more confident.
Inspirational quotes for women to inspire confidence
21. “Doubt is a killer. You just have to know who you are and what you stand for.” – Jennifer Lopez
22. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
23. “You are more powerful than you know; you are beautiful just as you are.” ~ Melissa Etheridge
24. “Do you want to meet the love of your life? Look in the mirror.” ~ Byron Katie
25. “The way in which we think of ourselves has everything to do with how our world sees us and how we see ourselves successfully acknowledged by the world.”- Arlene Rankin
26. “If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough.”- Oprah Winfrey
27. “You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.”- Rosalynn Carter
28. “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not making decisions.” — Catherine Cook
29. “If it’s a good idea, go ahead and do it. It’s much easier to apologize than it is to get permission.”— Grace Hopper
30. “It’s not your job to like me, it’s mine.” — Byron Katie
Have you seen these short inspirational quotes to fuel your day?
Inspirational quotes for women about success
31. “Buckle up, and know that it’s going to be a tremendous amount of work, but embrace it.” –Tory Burch
32. “I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took an excuse.”— Florence Nightingale
33. “What makes you different or weird, that’s your strength.”— Meryl Streep
34. “Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live.” – Anne Sweeney
35. “We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes – understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.” – Arianna Huffington
36. “If you are successful, it is because somewhere, sometime, someone gave you a life or an idea that started you in the right direction. Remember also that you are indebted to life until you help some less fortunate person, just as you were helped.” – Melinda Gates
37. Successful women are not liked. I think the biggest danger for women in science is colleagues who are not as good as you are.” – Christiane Nusslein-Volhard
38. “Whenever you see a successful woman, look out for three men who are going out of their way to try to block her.” – Yulia Tymoshenko
39. “Success as a woman has changed me. That’s what I feel is the first thing. When I feel like a successful woman as a rounded human being, then it feeds my work in a broader way so it becomes more interesting.”- Jacqueline Bisset
40. “I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” — Estée Lauder
Quotes for women to inspire and teach
41. “Once you figure out what respect tastes like, it tastes better than attention.” – Pink
42. “Any woman who understands the problems of running a home will be nearer to understanding the problems of running a country.”- Margaret Thatcher
43. “A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do. A woman must do what he can’t.”- Rhonda Hansome
44. “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
45. “I do not wish [women] to have power over men; but over themselves.”— Mary Wollstonecraft
46. “A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman.”— Melinda Gates
47. “I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning to sail my ship.”— Louisa May Alcott
48. “Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life.”— Dr. Mae Jemison
49. “Words have power. TV has power. My pen has power.”— Shonda Rhimes
50. “Power is not given to you. You have to take it.”—Beyoncé Knowles
Don’t forget to also read these Nancy Pelosi quotes from America’s most powerful woman.
Inspirational quotes for women to make them strong
51. “A lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.” ― Jane Austen (Read more Jane Austen quotes.)
52. “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.” ― Charlotte Brontë
53. “You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.” ― Brigham Young
54. “Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” ― Nora Ephron
55. “What would men be without women? Scarce, sir…mighty scarce.” ― Mark Twain
56. “As a woman I have no country. As a woman I want no country. As a woman, my country is the whole world.” ― Virginia WoolfIf you’re enjoying these quotes, you’ll love our collection of Virginia Woolf quotes that will help you understand life itself.
57. “The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it. ” ― Roseanne Barr
58. “No woman wants to be in submission to a man who isn’t in submission to God!” ― T D Jakes
59. “A witty woman is a treasure; a witty beauty is a power.” ― George MeredithIf you’re enjoying these quotes, you’ll love our collection of witty quotes to sharpen your cleverness.
60. “When a woman becomes her own best friend life is easier.”- Diane Von Furstenberg
Inspirational quotes for women on empowerment
61. “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.” – Margaret ThatcherIf you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to check out our collection of Margaret Thatcher quotes about strong will and leadership.
62. “We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored.” – Sheryl Sandberg
63. “It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” – Madeleine Albright
See Also: 10 Inspirational Quotes by Famous Authors and Poets
64. “Women must learn to play the game as men do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
65. “A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men.” – Gloria Steinem
66. “Women will be hidden no more. We will not remain hidden figures. We have names. … It was woman that gave you Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was woman that gave you Malcolm X. And according to the Bible, it was a woman that gave you Jesus. Don’t you ever forget it.” – Janelle Monáe
67. “I always wanted to be a femme fatale. Even when I was a young girl, I never really wanted to be a girl. I wanted to be a woman.” – Diane von Furstenberg
68. “Women have discovered that they cannot rely on men’s chivalry to give them justice.” – Helen Keller
69. “When there are no ceilings, the sky’s the limit. So let’s keep going—let’s keep going until every one of the 161 million women and girls across America has the opportunity she deserves to have.” – Hillary Clinton
70. “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
Also check out these powerful Joan of Arc quotes about leadership, faith, and strong women.
Powerful inspirational quotes for women
71. “I’m tough, ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay.” – Madonna
72. “We need to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. We have to step up as women and take the lead.” – Beyoncé
73. “Feminism isn’t about making women stronger. Women are already strong, it’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.” – G.D. Anderson
74. “No woman should be told she can’t make decisions about her own body. When women’s rights are under attack, we fight back.” – Kamala Harris
75. “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.” – Michelle Obama
76. “I feel now that the time is come when even a woman or a child who can speak a word for freedom and humanity is bound to speak.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe
77. “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” – Audre Lorde
78. “Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another.” – Toni Morrison
79. “Women are leaders everywhere you look—from the CEO who runs a Fortune 500 company to the housewife who raises her children and heads her household. Our country was built by strong women, and we will continue to break down walls and defy stereotypes.” – Nancy Pelosi
80. “Success, they taught me, is built on the foundation of courage, hard-work and individual responsibility. Despite what some would have us believe, success is not built on resentment and fears.” – Susana Martinez
Inspirational quotes for women to empower
81. “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” – Maya Angelou
82. “The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” – Ayn Rand
83. “There is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.” – Virginia Woolf
84. “The king may rule the kingdom, but it’s the queen who moves the board.” – D.M. Timney
85. “Your silence will not protect you.” – Audre Lorde
86. “A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.” – Diane Mariechild
87. “I do not wish women to have power over men; but over themselves.” – Mary Shelley
88. “Do not tame the wolf inside you just because you’ve met someone who doesn’t have the courage to handle you.” – Belle Estreller
89. “If you don’t live your life, then who will?” – Rihanna
90. “Embrace everything you are as a woman. Even your flaws too. And the things that you want to fix, you make them better.” – Kelly Rowland
Inspirational quotes for women to live by
91. “They tried to bury us; they did not know we were the seeds.” – Mexican Proverb
92. “She is water. Soft enough to offer life, tough enough to drown it away.” – Rupi Kaur
93. “Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them. – Unknown
94. “A strong woman understands that the gifts such as logic, decisiveness, and strength are just as feminine as intuition and emotional connection. She values and uses all of her gifts.” – Nancy Rathburn
95. “One isn’t born courageous, one becomes it.” – Marjane Satrapi
96. “The only way you can grow is to let yourself make mistakes and create contradictions.” – Nikki Giovanni
97. “Everything is within your power, and your power is within you.” ― Janice Trachtman
98. “There are times in life when, instead of complaining, you do something about your complaints.” – Rita Dove
99. “Strong women need not declare they can carry all the burdens in life. They just quietly do it and survive with a smile.” – Princess Maleiha Bajunaid Candao
100. “I did what my conscience told me to do, and you can’t fail if you do that.” – Anita Hill
Empowering and inspirational quotes for women
101. “When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” – Audre Lorde
102. “Taking care of yourself makes you stronger for everyone in your life … including you.”- Kelly Rudolph
103. “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
104. “Your willingness to look at your darkness is what empowers you to change.” – Iyanla Vanzant
105. “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” – Vivian Greene
106. “You know, you do need mentors, but in the end, you really just need to believe in yourself.” – Diana Ross
If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of mentor quotes about the power of guidance.
107. “Don’t let fear or insecurity stop you from trying new things. Believe in yourself. Do what you love. And most importantly, be kind to others, even if you don’t like them.” – Stacy London
108. “Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.” – Wilma Rudolph
109. “You’re not in competition with other women. You’re in competition with everyone.” – Tina Fey
110. “You can fall, but you can rise also.” – Angelique Kidjo
Inspirational women quotes to remind you of your strengh
111. “I don’t go by the rule book. I lead from the heart, not the head.” – Princess Diana
112. “Creating the culture of burnout is the opposite of creating a culture of sustainable creativity.” – Arianna Huffington
113. “No country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half of its citizens.” –Michelle Obama
114. “The only safe ship in a storm is leadership.” – Faye Wattleton
If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of leadership quotes about vision and working with others.
115. “There’s no situation — none — that isn’t improved with a couple of laughs. Everybody needs laughs.” – Julia Louis-Dreyfus
116. “My best successes came on the heels of failures.” – Barbara Corcoran
117. “The more you can be authentic, the happier you’re going to be, and life will work itself around that.” — Melinda Gates
118. “Strategic leaders must not get consumed by the operational and tactical side of their work.” – Stephanie S. Mead
119. “Whatever anybody says or does, assume positive intent. You will be amazed at how your whole approach to a person or problem becomes very different.” – Indra Nooyi
120. “The most important words that have helped me in life, when things have gone right or when things have gone wrong, are ‘accept responsibility.’” – Billie Jean King
Motivational and inspirational quotes for women
121. “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.” – Judy Garland
122. “Amazing things happen when women help other women.” – Kasia Gospos
123. “Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow them.” – Louisa May Alcott
124. “A strong woman builds her own world. She is one who is wise enough to know that it will attract the man she will gladly share it with” – Ellen J. Barrier
125. “The fastest way to change society is to mobilize the women of the world.” – Charles Malik
126. “You don’t have to play masculine to be a strong woman.” – Mary Elizabeth Winstead
127. “Women are the real architects of society.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe
128. “Whatever you do, be different – that was the advice my mother gave me, and I can’t think of better advice for an entrepreneur. If you’re different, you will stand out.” – Anita Roddick
129. “Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory.” – Betty Smith
130. “One is not born, but rather becomes a woman.” – Simone de Beauvoir
Inspirational quotes for women to help you reach your potential
131. “People think at the end of the day that a man is the only answer [to fulfillment]. Actually a job is better for me.” – Princess Diana
132. “Once you know who you are, you don’t have to worry anymore.” —Nikki Giovanni
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133. “You are the one that possesses the keys to your being. You carry the passport to your own happiness.” – Diane von Furstenberg
134. “A strong woman looks a challenge dead in the eye and gives it a wink.” —Gina Carey
135. “A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.” – Melinda Gates
136. “There were times I was underestimated a lot. It gave me a unique benefit.” —Elaine Welteroth
137. “I can’t think of any better representation of beauty than someone who is unafraid to be herself.” – Emma Stone
138. “You have to believe in yourself when no one else does.” —Serena Williams
139. “Instead of looking at the past, I put myself ahead twenty years and try to look at what I need to do now in order to get there then” – Diana Ross
140. “Practice creates confidence. Confidence empowers you.” —Simone Biles
Inspirational quotes for women to empower them
141. “I didn’t get there by wishing for it or hoping for it, but by working for it.” – Estée Lauder
142. “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” – Ayn Rand
143. “The difference between successful people and others is how long they spend time feeling sorry for themselves.” – Barbara Corcoran
144. “You can be the lead in your own life.” – Kerry Washington
145. “You can waste your life drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them.” – Shonda Rhimes
146. “The challenge is not to be perfect…it’s to be whole.” – Jane Fonda
147. “If you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.” – Erica Jong
148. “I need to listen well so that I hear what is not said.” – Thuli Madonsela
149. “You can’t give up! If you give up, you’re like everybody else.” – Chris Evert
150. “Many receive advice, only the wise profit from it.” – Harper Lee
Powerful and inspirational quotes for women
151. “A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That’s why they don’t get what they want.” — Madonna
152. “A woman is like a diamond: She reaches her full potential under immense amounts of pressure.” – Unknown
If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of diamond quotes about the power of long lasting beauty.
153. “Do one thing every day that scares you.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
154. “Courage is like a muscle; We strengthen it with use.” – Unknown
155. “Every woman has the right to be beautiful.” — Elizabeth Arden
156. “We have to teach our girls that they can reach as high as humanly possible.” —Beyonce
157. “I think beauty comes from within. If you’re happy and look at life in the best way you can, even when there are problems, it can make you beautiful on the outside.” — Faith Hill
158. “Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in.” —Hillary Clinton
159. “You never lose by loving. You always lose by holding back.” — Barbara De Angelis
160. “All the people who knock me down only inspire me to do better.” —Selena Gomez
Inspirational quotes for women to help you succeed
161. “Always concentrate on how far you have come, rather than how far you have left to go. The difference in how easy it seems will amaze you.” — Heidi Johnson
162. “Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” – Unknown
163. “Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” — Mother Teresa
164. “Don’t be afraid. Be focused. Be determined. Be hopeful. Be empowered.” —Michelle Obama
165. “I don’t believe in guilt, I believe in living on impulse as long as you never intentionally hurt another person, and don’t judge people in your life. I think you should live completely free.” – Angelina Jolie
166. “‘No’ today doesn’t mean ‘no’ tomorrow.” —Yvonne Orji
167. “Nothing is impossible; the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!” — Audrey HepburnIf you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of Audrey Hepburn quotes on life, style and children.
168. “Let your compassion fuel your passion.” — Achea Redd
169. “How wrong is it for a woman to expect the man to build the world she wants, rather than to create it herself?” – Anaïs Nin
170. “You can always find a solution if you try hard enough.” —Lori Greiner
Inspirational quotes for women to bring progress
171. “Step out of the history that is holding you back. Step into the new story you are willing to create.” – Oprah Winfrey
172. “You can waste your lives drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them.” – Shonda Rhimes
173. “I have come to realize making yourself happy is most important. Never be ashamed of how you feel. You have the right to feel any emotion you want, and do what makes you happy. That’s my life motto.” — Demi Lovato
174. “The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice.” – Peggy O’Mara
175. “No one knows what you have been through or what your pretty little eyes have seen, but I can reassure you ~ whatever you have conquered, it shines through your mind.” ― Nikki Rowe
176. “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” – Dolly Parton
If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of Dolly Parton quotes from the iconic actress.
177. “You cannot use another man’s leg to run your race. Wives stop waiting for your husbands to do everything. For God’s sake make an impact. Nobody is a threat to your development.” ― Patience Johnson
178. “You can imprison a man, but not an idea. You can exile a man, but not an idea. You can kill a man, but not an idea.” – Benazir Bhutto
179. “There is no cosmetic for beauty like happiness.” ― Maria Mitchell
180. “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” – Mother Teresa
Powerful inspirational quotes for women
181. “Always go with the choice that scares you the most, because that’s the one that is going to require the most from you.” – Caroline Myss
182. “I hope the fathers and mothers of little girls will look at them and say ‘yes, women can.’” – Dilma Rousseff
183. “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” – Maya Angelou
184. “Success isn’t about how much money, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives” – Michelle Obama
185. “Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.” – Charlotte Whitton
186. “Done is better than perfect.” – Sheryl Sandberg
187. “I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.” – Lucille Ball
188. “A strong woman is a woman determined to do something others are determined not be done.” – Marge Piercy
189. “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.” – Amelia Earhart
190. “Take any challenges as a creative opportunity.” – Alexandra Watkins
More inspirational quotes for women
191. “A strong woman who recklessly throws away her strength, she is worse than a weak woman who has never had any strength to throw away.” – Thomas Hardy
192. “A woman who holds her head up too high is trying to breathe from her own pollution.” – Suzy Kassem
193. “Most women I know are priestesses and healers, although many don’t know it yet, and some never will. We are all of us sisters of a mysterious order.” – Marianne Williamson
194. “A woman can lead effectively. She has what it takes to be a great leader.” – Gift Gugu Mona
195. “A smart woman fixes her own crown and does not dethrone other women from their own glory. For she knows on her own, she is strong.” – Gift Gugu Mona
196. “The greatest gift to man is woman, But the greatest gift to woman is herself.” – C.C. Campbell
197. “Femininity is your greatest power. Embrace it!” – Stacey Martino
198. “There is a shade of red for every woman.” – Audrey Hepburn
199. “Real women fight for something, other than their own emotions.” – Shannon L. Alder
200. “To be woman is to be a sacrifice.” – Alexis Henderson
Which of these inspirational quotes for women was your favorite?
Whenever a woman needs to develop self-confidence it’s important to have a couple of strong, independent women to look up to.
Reading their words of wisdom is a great way to not only encourage and empower yourself but to also celebrate and promote the achievements of the amazing women around us. Hopefully, the quotes above have inspired you to become the woman you were meant to be.
Did you enjoy these inspirational quotes for women? Which of the quotes was your favorite? Tell us in the comment section below. We would love to hear all about it.
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