Self-Care Quotes: Definition and Examples

By Sukhman Rekhi, M.A.
Reviewed by Tchiki Davis, M.A., Ph.D.

We could all use some gentle reminders about self-care from time to time. Here are some great self-care quotes to help you remember.

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Every now and then, we may feel the need for a sign, a kind gesture, or maybe just some words of wisdom. Quotes hold power. They are a form of storytelling. They are often spoken from the heart. And (arguably) most importantly, they offer a unique perspective from one person’s life that just may impact several others out there. If you happen to be stressed or notice your candle slowly losing its light, it may just be time for some good old tender loving self-care. Here are some encouraging words that may help you walk down the self-care aisle.

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What Are Self-Care Quotes? (A Definition)

Two words: self-care. Individually, we know what these words mean. But hyphenated? We may need to learn a bit more about them. Self-care isn’t just a nice face mask, a hot bubble bath, or a 20-minute nap (but of course, this is a part of it!) In fact, self-care is actually defined as our ability and personal agency to promote health, maintain well-being, prevent disease, and cope with illness (World Health Organization, 2009). This requires us to not only perform acts of self-love (e.g., face masks and bubble baths), but to also breathe mindfully, focus on our nutrition, get exercise, seek out social support, take care of our hygiene, make sure our needs are met and boundaries are not compromised, and ask for professional help when able.

Self-care may sound like a daunting task when the world seems to require so much of us, but it is essential to remember that we cannot give to others if we cannot give to ourselves first. The quotes listed below in this article will not only help you remember that sentiment but may just encourage you to incorporate self-care into your daily practice too. So what are we waiting for? Let’s get started.

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Motivational Self-Care Quotes

Now that we have learned that self-care is essential for us, it is time to put our knowledge to practice. However, for many of us, taking care of ourselves and putting ourselves as a priority can be challenging. Here is some inspiration on how to motivate yourself to be a better practitioner of self-care.

“Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
“Our bodies are our gardens, to which our wills are gardeners.” - William Shakespeare
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” - Anne Lamott
“Honestly, self-care is not fluffy. It’s something we should take seriously.” - Kris Carr
“Every one of us needs to show how much we care for each other and, in the process, care for ourselves.” - Princess Diana
“Self-care means giving yourself permission to pause.” - Cecilia Tran
“Every small positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future.” - Alice Walker
“The most important thing in life is to stop saying ‘I wish’ and start saying ‘I will.’ Consider nothing impossible, then treat possibilities as probabilities.” - Charles Dickens

Inner Strength Self-Care Quotes

Taking the first few steps in your journey of self-care is not always easy. Reassessing your priorities, understanding your boundaries (and enforcing them), and learning to make intentional time for yourself can be difficult tasks, especially for those of us who have always put others in front of us. Here are some quotes to remind you that having inner strength allows self-care, but self-care returns the favor by increasing your inner strength, too.

“Everything you need is wishing you the strength, courage, and confidence to change your life. You just need to look within yourself and find it.” - Amanda Rey
“Go within every day and find the inner strength so that the world will not blow your candle out.” - Katherine Dunham
“The secret to happiness is freedom. And the secret to freedom is courage.” - Thucydides
“You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” - Marcus Aurelius
“Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.” - Maya Angelou
“The sun shines not on us but in us.” - John Muir
“Beautify your inner dialogue. Beautify your inner world with love, light, and compassion. Life will be beautiful.” - Amit Ray
“With every act of self-care, your authentic self gets stronger, and the critical, fearful mind gets weaker. Every act of self-care is a powerful declaration: I am on my side, I am on my side, each day, I am more and more on my own side.” - Susan Weiss Berry

Mental Health Self-Care Quotes

Perhaps you’ve already connected the dots, but here is an important reminder: self-care is essential to keep your emotional well-being healthy and intact. Let me give an example. Perhaps you’re a caregiver but also have a full-time job. You spend your days hard at work dealing with interesting problems and the occasional difficult boss just to make enough money to make ends meet. You come home from the busy day at work and then spend your evenings cooking, cleaning, and caring for someone else (e.g., kids, older parents, etc.)

You notice yourself getting just a bit more irritated, feeling unable to concentrate on the task at hand, and perhaps experiencing burnout. Have you been in this situation before? Unfortunately, many of us may be in this situation—struggling to find the time to put our needs first or maybe just to even take a short break. While very few of us have the luxury to take paid time off and jet off to a nice island vacation, we can all try to implement a few minutes in our day to practice some self-care, for the sake of our psychological health and overall sanity. Not convinced by this hypothetical scenario? Check out these quotes that may just inspire you.

“Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.” - Roy T. Bennett
“There are days I drop words of comfort on myself like falling leaves and remember that it is enough to be taken care of by myself.” - Brian Andreas
“The challenge is not to be perfect—it is to be whole.” - Jane Fonda
“When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.” - Jean Shinoda Bolen
“Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious. You get to choose how you use it. You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.” - Anna Taylor
“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” - John Lubbock
“Self-love is an ocean and your heart is a vessel. Make it full, and any excess will spill over into the lives of the people you hold dear. But you must come first.” - Beau Taplin
“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.” - Chuang Tzu

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Mindfulness Self-Care Quotes

Taking care of yourself is a big enough step to take as you focus on your well-being. Adding the layer of trying to be mindful and staying in the present moment when you do take care of yourself may also present its own challenges. Here are some wise words of encouragement to help you break through.

“Self-care is so much more than a beauty regimen or an external thing you do. It has to start within your heart to know what you need to navigate in your life. A pedicure doesn’t last, but meditating every day does.” - Carrie-Anne Moss
“To experience peace does not mean that your life is always blissful. It means that you are capable of tapping into a blissful state of mind amidst the normal chaos of a hectic life.” - Jill Bolte Taylor
“How we pay attention to the present moment largely determines the character of our experience, and therefore, the quality of our lives.” - Sam Harris
“The best way to take care of the future is to take care of the present moment.” - Thich Nhat Hanh
“Just as water reflects the stars and the moon, the body reflects the mind and soul.” - Rumi
“Our life is shaped by our mind, for we become what we think.” - Buddha
“Self-care has become a new priority—the revelation that it’s perfectly permissible to listen to your body and do what it needs.” - Frances Ryan
“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” - Oprah Winfrey

Self-Love Self-Care Quotes

We may often use the phrases “self-love” and “self-care” interchangeably, but both have their individual nuances. While self-care encourages us to take care of ourselves, self-love allows us to show ourselves kindness, self-compassion, and appreciation for who we are. The good news is that we can do these all—and sometimes even at the same time. Here are some inspiring words about self-love and self-care.

“It is not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.” - Mandy Hale
“Don’t forget to tell yourself positive things daily! You must love yourself internally to grow externally.” - Hannah Bronfman
“If you have the ability to love, love yourself first.” - Charles Bukowski
“True self-care is not bath salts and chocolate cake, it’s making the choice to build a life you don’t need to escape from.” - Brianna Wiest
“The self-love needed for self-care is missing. Academicians use terms like self-esteem, self-worth, self-support, self-care, but rarely self-love. That is left to the spiritual community. People don’t realize that taking care of their own needs; eating, drinking, brushing their teeth, showering, wearing clean clothes, going to work, are all acts of self-love.” - Angela C. Santomero
“Self-kindness is self-empathy. And even when I talk to myself like someone I love and it feels weird, it works.” - Brene Brown
“Tell yourself how wonderful you are, how great you are. Tell yourself how much you love yourself.” - Don Miguel Ruiz
“I learned a long time ago the wisest thing I can do is be on my own side.” - Maya Angelou

Self-Care Quotes for Women

For all the readers out there who identify as a woman, this section is just for you. In society, women are socialized to carry the burden of caregiving. But let’s not forget women are deserving of their own care too. Here are some words that may help you gently remember that.

“Self-care is giving the world the best of you instead of what’s left of you.” - Katie Reed
“Don’t set yourself on fire to keep other people warm.” - Penny Reid
“I am mine. Before I am ever anyone else’s.” - Nayyirah Waheed
“When a woman becomes her own best friend, life is easier.” - Diane Von Furstenberg
“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.” - Norm Kelly
“A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.” - Coco Chanel
“How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you.” - Rupi Kaur
“Fall in love with taking care of yourself: mind, body, and soul. There is only one of you. You are truly once in a lifetime.” - LaTisha Cotto

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Self-Care Quotes for Moms

Don’t worry moms, we didn’t forget about you. Just like every other human, you too are deserving of the same love and care you pour into your kids every single day. Here are some inspiring words that may just push you to be a bit more gentle with yourself.

“To be a good parent, you need to take care of yourself so that you can have the physical and emotional energy to take care of your family.” - Michelle Obama
“You are worth the quiet moment. You are worth deeper breaths and you are worth the time it takes to slow down, be still, and rest.” - Morgan Harper Nichols
“Do something nice for yourself today. Find some quiet, sit in stillness, breathe. Put your problems on pause. You deserve a break.” - Akiroq Brost
“When you say yes to others, make sure you are not saying no to yourself.” - Paulo Coelho
“Our soul is like a soft and gentle flower, it needs to be nurtured, cared for, tended to, with sufficient sunlight, fresh air, and freedom to bloom into its most precious and beautiful form. This, my friend, is self-love.” - Miya Yamanouchi
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation. And that is an act of political warfare.” - Audre Lorde
“Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” - Eleanor Brown
“Taking care of myself doesn’t mean ‘me first’, it means ‘me too’.” - L.R. Knost

Funny Self-Care Quotes

Let’s end on a happy note, shall we? After all, laughing is a fantastic way to take care of ourselves. Here are some of our favorite funny self-care quotes.

“I’m too busy working on my own grass to notice if yours is greener.” - Unknown
“It’s not your job to like me—it’s mine!” - Byron Katie
“I am the only person in the world I should like to know thoroughly.” - Oscar Wilde
“Be a pineapple: stand tall, wear a crown, and be sweet on the inside.” - Unknown
“Sorry, I can’t hear you over the sound of how awesome I am.” - Harvey Specter
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” - Charles M. Schulz
“Don’t doubt yourself, that’s what haters are for.” - Turcois Ominek
“Reminder that Winnie the Pooh wore a crop top with no pants and ate his fave food and loved himself so you can too.” - Unknown

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Final Thoughts on Self-Care Quotes

We hope some of the words of wisdom about self-care above left you feeling inspired, motivated, and compelled to take care of yourself today. We encourage you to take some of your favorite quotes from the list and write them down. And maybe, even go an extra step—put a sticky note on your bathroom mirror or take a photo and use it as your phone wallpaper. Whatever you decide to do, we hope you have left with the knowledge and power to give yourself the care and love you so often give to those around you.

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References

World Health Organization. (2009). Self-care in the context of primary health care (No. SEA-HSD-320). WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia

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