Women Inspire Quotes & Sayings

my strength should not threaten you.
my strength is not a threat to your strength.
you are strong.
you are beautiful.
you are lush.
you are powerful.
as you are.
as i am.

imagine the force we would be together
if we lifted each other up.
imagine the force we would be together
if we didn't tear each other down. — AVA.

The child destined to be a writer is vulnerable to every wind that blows. Now warm, now chill, next joyous, then despairing, the essence of his nature is to escape the atmosphere about him, no matter how stable, even loving. No ties, no binding chains, save those he forges for himself. Or so he thinks. But escape can be delusion, and what he is running from is not the enclosing world and its inhabitants, but his own inadequate self that fears to meet the demands which life makes upon it. Therefore create. Act God. Fashion men and women as Prometheus fashioned them from clay, and, by doing this, work out the unconscious strife within and be reconciled. While in others, imbued with a desire to mold, to instruct, to spread a message that will inspire the reader and so change his world, though the motive may be humane and even noble
many great works have done just this
the source is the same dissatisfaction, a yearning to escape. — Daphne Du Maurier

It's a perfect moment to quietly meditate on the cosmic Great Mother who can inspire us all; the divine, feminine Spirit of nurturance known as The Goddess, so revered in ancient times and being rediscovered by women today. — Sarah Ban Breathnach

Some midwives said that pleasure overheated the seed and killed it. But others claimed that babies only come when women smile. This was the tale she told Jacob to inspire his caresses. — Anita Diamant

Nordie's at Noon is an honest and inspiring testament to [these authors'] experiences which, I am completely confident ... will inspire thousands of women as it inspired me. — Elizabeth Edwards

I believe most Afghan men, on an individual level, are far from extremist or fundamentalist.
Hope rests with those men, who control what happens to their daughters. Behind every discreetly ambitious young Afghan woman with budding plans to take on the world, there is an interesting father. And in every successful grown woman who has managed to break new ground and do something women usually do not, there is a determined father, who is redefining honor and society by promoting his daughter. There will always be a small group of elite women with wealthy parents who can choose to go abroad or to take high positions in politics. They will certainly inspire others, but in order for significant numbers of women to take advantage of higher education and participate in the economy on a larger scale, it will take powerful men educating many other men — Jenny Nordberg

There is so much pressure to look a certain way in this town. But it's nice to have a little meat on you, and I hope I inspire women to appreciate their muscular calves. — Jessica Biel

Wonder Woman' was conceived by Dr. Marston to set up a standard among children and young people of strong, free, courageous womanhood; and to combat the idea that women are inferior to men, and to inspire girls to self-confidence and achievement in athletics, occupations, and professions monopolized by men. She wasn't meant to be a superwoman; she was meant to be an everywoman. — Jill Lepore

The purpose of this overview is not to reject previous ideas and images about Mary, many of which were and still are inspiring and comforting to people. Rather, the hope is that as we have rediscovered scripture since Vatican II, we can view Mary as a strong Jewish woman, a model who can inspire women in the twenty-first century. — Mary Christine Athans

I have a lot of wonderful women in my life and each one means so much to me. That's why I'm passionate about finding the cures. Let friendship inspire your passion to fight breast cancer. Join me and go Passionately Pink for the Cure today! — Melina Kanakaredes

I'd watch old movies with Judy Garland, Shirley Temple and Bette Davis and long to be part of that glamorous world. A lot of that glamour is gone now. In my own small way, I hope I'm bringing some of it back. But it would be great if I could inspire women to dress up. — Imelda May

Fiction
good fiction, anyway
is dream made flesh, given purpose and drive, and set on a quest to show us the best in us and to give us the power and the tools to dream beyond reality's 'merely good enough' to a vision of what is truly great ...
... and then to give us the stories of men and women of character who in turn inspire those of us who dare to reach for the truly great within ourselves.
THAT is why you write fiction. — Holly Lisle

Mothers are the rocks of our families and a foundation in our communities. In gratitude for their generous love, patient counsel, and lifelong support, let us pay respect to the women who carry out the hard work of motherhood with skill and grace, and let us remember those mothers who, though no longer with us, inspire us still. — Barack Obama

But what can women do in times of war? They help, they cheer, they inspire, and if their cause is lost they must accept death or worse. Few women have the courage for self-destruction. "To the victor belong the spoils," and women have ever been the spoils of war. — Zane Grey

The great ambition of women is to inspire love. — Moliere

It was just very interesting to me that certain types of women inspire people's imagination, and all of them were very difficult women. — Elizabeth Wurtzel

The fire to inspire women and help them to blaze new paths fiercely burns inside of me. — Tyra Banks

Enlighten me, Lord Blackmoor, how should I be wooed, as you put it? I am intrigued by your obvious expertise."
He was quick to respond, "You're too vibrant for them. Too strong. You have a sharp mind and an exciting personality and an unexpected sense of humor. If these men were half the man you deserve, they would have already recognized all those things and they would be romancing you accordingly. They would be working to intrigue and amuse and inspire you
just as you do them. And they would know that only when they have won your mind will they even have a chance at winning your heart."
The room felt much warmer all of a sudden, and Alex resisted the urge to fan herself, trying to ignore the rapid increase in her pulse as color flooded her cheeks. In the silence that followed his impassioned speech, Gavin stood and walked over to her. A cocky grin spread across his face. "That's how I write to the women I hope to interest, Alex. — Sarah MacLean

Women inspire me. Women in the airports, around the country in different cities, destinations around the world, inspire me with the way they express their individuality. I love watching women and discovering all the ways each person uses a color, pattern, a style, even a lipstick color. I'm a people watcher. — Camila Alves

I look forward to a time, in the not so distant future, when we no longer look forward to 'firsts' as milestones women have yet to achieve, but we look back on them as historic events that continue to teach and inspire. — Dee Dee Myers

While the melodrama of hucking crates of tea into Boston Harbor continues to inspire civic-minded hotheads to this day, it's worth remembering the hordes of stoic colonial women who simply swore off tea and steeped basil leaves in boiling water to make the same point. What's more valiant: littering from a wharf or years of doing chores and looking after children from dawn to dark without caffeine? — Sarah Vowell

As I get older, I want to draw on my experience to make roles better. I see that in the older women who inspire me - their experience makes them better. — Anne-Marie Duff

I've spent more than two decades speaking to women through magazines. What's so exciting about Yahoo is that I can inspire and connect with hundreds of millions more women, and bring them the magic of the fashion world in ways they haven't yet experienced. — Joe Zee

If we continue to show young girls that they are being compared to other girls, we're doing ourselves a huge disservice as a society. I surround myself with smart, beautiful, passionate, driven, ambitious women. Other women who are killing it should motivate you, thrill you, challenge you and inspire you rather than threaten you and make you feel like you're immediately being compared to them. The only thing I compare myself to is me, two years ago, or me one year ago. — Taylor Swift

And this homage to women's attractions has distorted their understanding to
such an extent that almost all the civilized women of the present century are anxious only to inspire love, when they ought to have the nobler aim of getting respect for their abilities and virtues. — Mary Wollstonecraft

But most of these women -- the famous and the obscure -- had one thing in common: they did not think of themselves as heroes. They followed their consciences, saw something that needed to be done, and they did it. And all of them helped win a war, even though many of them paid the ultimate price for their contribution. But their sacrifice was not in vain, especially if their courage continues to inspire others to fight injustice and evil wherever they find it.
--From Women Heroes of WWII — Kathryn J. Atwood

There are thousands of inspirational stories waiting to be told about young women who yearn for a great education. They are stories of struggle and stories of success, and they will inspire others to take action and work to change lives. — Soledad O'Brien

Women who have strong identities, who know themselves, really inspire me. — Lianne La Havas

You'll have a good, secure life when being alive means more to you than security, love more than money, your freedom more than public or partisan opinion, when the mood of Beethoven's or Bach's music becomes the mood of your whole life ... when your thinking is in harmony, and no longer in conflict, with your feelings ... when you let yourself be guided by the thoughts of great sages and no longer by the crimes of great warriors ... when you pay the men and women who teach your children better than the politicians; when truths inspire you and empty formulas repel you; when you communicate with your fellow workers in foreign countries directly, and no longer through diplomats ... — Wilhelm Reich

The image of the Goddess inspires women to see ourselves as divine, our bodies as sacred, the changing phases of our lives as holy, our aggression as healthy, our anger as purifying, and our power to nurture and create, but also to limit and destroy when necessary, as the very force that sustains all life. Through the Goddess we can discover our strength, enlighten our minds, own our bodies, and celebrate our emotions. We can move beyond narrow, constricting roles and become whole. — Starhawk

I surround myself with women who inspire me to be more ambitious, and who constantly astonish me with their magnetism, style, and smarts. — Heidi Julavits

That's just the kind of anxiety reality TV hopes to inspire in female viewers. After all, as advertisers have long understood, it's far easier to shill cosmetics and clothing - not to mention Match and and Bally Fitness memberships - to insecure women scared of being alone than to it is to self confident people who believe they're beautiful, lovable, and capable of being happy just as they are. — Jennifer L. Pozner

Given the deeply rooted Christian suspicion of sexuality, however, the new view of women as intrinsically asexual improved their reputation. Whereas women had once been considered snares of the devil, they were now viewed as sexual innocents whose purity should inspire all decent men to control their own sexual impulses and baser appetites. — Stephanie Coontz

Dear Charles, she wrote.
After writing to express my appreciation for all the generosity of our friends, I would be remiss indeed if I did not include a missive to you. Out of all the new blessings in my new life, the one I thank God for the most is you. I thank you for writing to me through Genteel Correspondence, and for choosing me out of all the other women eager for adventure in the wild west.
I thank you for your kindness, and your gentleness toward me. Only very strong men can be gentle. I thank you for sharing your home and your life with me. I thank you for inventing delicious breakfasts. And chicory flavored coffee. And prayers that ease my mind and inspire my spirit and lift my heart. For your smile and the way you hold your hat in your hands. For the things you say and how you say them.
Did you know that I pray for you each day? I do. I pray for your safety and happiness.
Yours in Christ,
Rose — Jan Holly

When you have kids, you just can't believe your heart could love something so much. My kids inspire me every day and I think I'm a better singer now because they have given me a greater emotional well to draw from. — Katie Noonan

She enetered the room and the entire crowd stopped, who was she? even in a million moons; you will never understand her, for she is to mysterious to presume and too wise to share her light to everyone. I wanted to love her, but i could tell, i wasnt the only one. — Nikki Rowe

Women never cease to impress and inspire me. — Diane Von Furstenberg

love is myself in the mirror.
i will see love every time. — AVA.

Modeling is about illusion. It's a fantasy world where models play various roles. By featuring extreme looks, magazines show women how to have fun with makeup and clothes, and to inspire them to experiment - just like we did when we were little girls. — Cindy Crawford

My hope is that we will inspire more lesbians to get politically engaged. For too long, lesbian women have been left out of politics. — Laura Ricketts

Women inspire me ... so I enjoy women's stories and biographies. I am interested in all women. — Diane Von Furstenberg

Models should just be beautiful women who inspire others. They won't be starving themselves because they are being accepted for themselves. Any thinner than today's ideals would be impossible. Any thinner means dead. — Crystal Renn

i am a woman
and i am alone,
and i cannot tell
which one of the two
i love being more. — AVA.

Innovating Women is more important today than ever. Things are changing for the better. The recent announcements by Google, LinkedIn, Yahoo, and Facebook of their diversity numbers - and a pledge to improve these - are the most recent victories. The Boys Club is under fire and is trying to reform itself. Women are achieving success and helping each other. Advancing technologies are leveling the playing field. Women are in the catbird seat for the new era of exponential innovation. This is the time to inspire and motivate - and that is what Innovating Women will surely do. — Vivek Wadhwa

I am honored to join the CBS Sports family to inspire, entertain and deliver insight on a platform with amazing women doing what we do best - talk sports. I am excited to have the opportunity to be a part of such a ground-breaking show. Yet we cannot do it alone. We hope to have the support of men and women' — Lisa Leslie

When I travel, I love speaking to women around the world about the things that inspire them, the fashions they like, what makes something good and what would make it even better. — Maria Sharapova

We attach to most of our chapels a cultural hall so that our youth may have a place to dance, to perform their talents in musicals and other uplifting entertainment, and we hope our youth leaders as trustees of the building will see to it that only wholesome, uplifting activities are performed in this building. Should you have any reservations whether or not an activity, a style of dancing or tempo of music is in accord with Church standards, may I suggest this guide: Does it uplift and inspire one to higher ideals? Does it develop wholesome relationships between young men and women, or appeal to and arouse their baser instincts? Will it cause one to be a better Latter-day Saint and lead one closer to the Savior? Avoid all activities and dances which bring the world's demoralizing standards into this sacred meeting place. — Ezra Taft Benson

There are women who inspire you with the desire to conquer them and to take your pleasure of them; but this one fills you only with the desire to die slowly beneath her gaze. — Charles Baudelaire

Books inspire a man to embrace the world or flee it. They start wars and end them. They make the men and women who write and publish them vast fortunes, and nearly as quickly can drive them into madness and despair. Stay away from what you do not fathom from now on ... — Matthew Pearl

I'm continuing to do what I can to empower and inspire other women. — Camila Alves

England produces under favorable conditions of ease and culture the finest women in the world. And, as the men are affectionate and true-hearted, the women inspire and refine them. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

WOMEN preserve the culture of this country with greater tenacity and faith. They keep men on the moral path and inspire them to follow spiritual discipline. Their hearts are tender and full of compassion for the hungry and the distressed. That is why in this land, women are adored and revered. — Sathya Sai Baba

The women that inspire me are the ones who have careers and children; why would I want to limit myself? I've always wanted to have children, and I would never give up that experience for a career. I want to have it all. — Jennifer Aniston

If you cannot inspire a woman with love of you, fill her above the brim with love of herself ~ all that runs over will be yours. — Charles Caleb Colton

So let God know what you're doing just by doing it - or feel good about yourself. But don't rely on men and women to inspire you to do good - because we will probably often fail you with our own imperfections! We all should be trying to improve ourselves, regardless of how much better off or worse off we are than the person next to us, because we can all get better. — Ysabella Brave

Knowing About Victoria Woodhull inspires women to be daring, outrageous and creative. — Gloria Steinem

Uplift. Inspire. Elevate. Black Women Win! — Stephanie Lahart

I've always looked to other women for inspiration and kicks. When a woman stands up and does her thing, it never ceases to excite and inspire me. — Neneh Cherry

I love seeing strong-willed women inspire little girls. I hope someday some new artist will say 'I was inspired by the Dixie Chicks. — Emily Robison

How, I asked myself, do you convince men and women who live comfortably to change a system that provides their comforts
even when they know about EHMs and jackals, when they understand that attached to their comforts are terrible price tags? Where do you find words to empower them to stand up to a force like the corporatocracy? How do you inspire them to take actions that will bend the corporations to the will of the people? — John Perkins

Find that person that inspires you. — Jesse Peyronel

Running is a huge category for us. To be able to run to work and have lightweight, breathable, windproof materials you can chuck in your bag that work on technical level but also on a lifestyle level are really important to me. I work out - and I think most people do - and I want to encourage women and inspire them in a way that fits in with their lifestyle. — Stella McCartney

Becoming a CoverGirl is truly an honor and a gift. It opens up a new platform for me to inspire women to feel stronger, braver and more beautiful inside and out. — Janelle Monae

I believe there need to be women visual in our every day landscape, working hard and doing their own thing, whether you like it or not, whether it's acceptable or not ... I especially hope to inspire young women because often I feel like so much emphasis is put on how beautiful you are, and how thin you are, and not a lot of emphasis is put on what you can do and how smart you are. I'd like to change that, change the emphasis of what's important when looking at a woman. — Margaret Kilgallen

I remember being in Japan when Destiny's Child put out 'Independent Women,' and women there were saying how proud they were to have their own jobs, their own independent thinking, their own goals. It made me feel so good, and I realized that one of my responsibilities was to inspire women in a deeper way. — Beyonce Knowles

Work on what is real rather than worry about what is unreal. — Elizabeth George

We recognize the universal power of music to touch the hearts of men and women everywhere and in all generations-to inspire and encourage, to sustain and lift, to comfort and bring peace. — Gordon B. Hinckley

Women create an idealized, hopeful vision for the future to inspire other women. Fiction and fantasy are the crucial first steps to changing the world. — Maya Rodale

This fear of maleness that they inspire estranges men from every female in their lives to greater or lesser degrees, and men feel the loss. Ultimately, one of the emotional costs of allegiance to patriarchy is to be seen as unworthy of trust. If women and girls in patriarchal culture are taught to see every male, including the males with whom we are intimate, as potential rapists and murderers, then we cannot offer them our trust, and without trust there is no love. — Bell Hooks

the woman is rain,
and when she falls,
she is a monsoon.
to love her is to drown. — AVA.

I wanted to show that women could run, but I also wanted to kind of inspire the idea that ordinary people can run. I was like, boy, I feel so good when I run, if everybody could feel like this, this sense of joy and physical well-being and strength and autonomy you have when you run, how much better the world would be, you know? — Bobbi Gibb

I believe in the power of women. As nurturers, we have a unique ability to care and share and make the world a better place. Women Who Inspire are women who are making a difference. — Donna Karan

Women are created to inspire ... neither men nor women utilize this well. — Sameh Elsayed

I hope I can make a show that will inspire a whole other generation of young women and girls to say, "I can do a show like that." — Amanda De Cadenet

To inspire love is a woman's greatest ambition, believe me. It's the one thing woman care about and there's no woman so proud that she does not rejoice at heart in her conquests. — Moliere

Anyone can wear my dresses. They will look good on any figure, no matter what shape you are. I want to celebrate a woman's inner strength, to inspire real women and make them feel confident and beautiful. — Tadashi Shoji

I've always been inspired by women, and my mission was to inspire women. I always wanted to become a certain kind of woman, and I became that woman through fashion. It was a dialogue. I would see that the wrap dress made those women confident, and made them act with confidence. — Diane Von Furstenberg

For me professionally as well I've built an incredible business that I'm very proud of that is my own brand and that is both creating incredible content to empower and inspire this next generation of working women through a digital platform, mainly through my website, ivankatrump, our email newsletters, and our social-media platforms. — Ivanka Trump

There are women & girls who are pushing the boundaries for what society deems as "normal." We need these pioneers to inspire future generations to dream big and strive to achieve those dreams. — Joanna Lohman

Keep your expectations high,
Not because you are better than anyone else, but because you have experienced enough pain; to realise, you won't settle anymore. — Nikki Rowe

Don't let anyone rob you of hope. — Pope Francis

I hope that I inspire women to believe in themselves, no matter where they come from; no matter what education they have; what particular background they originate from. — Madonna Ciccone

The spirit of the South Atlantic was the spirit of Britain at her best. It has been said that we surprised the world, that British patriotism was rediscovered in those spring days. It was never really lost. But it would be no bad thing if the feeling that swept the country then were to continue to inspire us. For if there was any doubt about the determination of the British people it was removed by the men and women who, a few months ago, brought a renewed sense of pride and self-respect to our country. — Margaret Thatcher

Yet Katie held fast to the dream that perhaps there were men in the world who appreciated good women - men capable of loving a woman enough to die for her.
Something had to inspire the heroes in fairy tales and books.
Her Aunt Augusta always said it was only womenfolk's eternal wish for better men that inspired such stories ... but Katie liked to believe that living or, at least, once-living men inspired them. — Marcia Lynn McClure

As long as you feel comfortable losing, you will never win! — Mignon' Talise Padilla

Because misogynists are the best of men." All the poets reacted to these words with hooting. Boccaccio was forced to raise his voice: "Please understand me. Misogynists don't despise women. Misogynists don't like femininity. Men have always been divided into two categories. Worshipers of women, otherwise known as poets, and misogynists, or, more accurately, gynophobes. Worshipers or poets revere traditional feminine values such as feelings, the home, motherhood, fertility, sacred flashes of hysteria, and the divine voice of nature within us, while in misogynists or gynophobes these values inspire a touch of terror. Worshipers revere women's femininity, while misogynists always prefer women to femininity. Don't forget: a woman can be happy only with a misogynist. No woman has ever been happy with any of you! — Milan Kundera

When we view ourselves through the lens of God's Word, we better understand God's love for us and the worth we have in His eyes. — Elizabeth George

Men are not dogs. We merely think we are and, on occasion, act as if we are. But, by believing in our nobler nature, women have the amazing power to inspire us to live up to it. — Neil Strauss

I hope to inspire everyone - especially young people, women, and young girls all over the world, and in Middle Eastern countries that do not provide women with the same opportunities as men - to not give up their dreams and to pursue them. — Anousheh Ansari

And yet, because I am without a doubt mortal, I have the troubling desire to do good, to please, to communicate my warmth, to still be very beautiful sometimes to inspire a taste for beauty. I know that these times are not fertile in grace ... I am afraid tomorrow the grace of woman ... may be recognized as a public utility & be socialized to the point of becoming a banal article, a bazaar object like in '93 & that one will find types of tender or amusing women with millions of copies like the creations of the big ... fashion stores where it is always the same thing. I want to affirm the superiority of the god over that of the organizer of concerts for the poor. — Rachilde

There are two types of women in particular who inspire my envy. The first is an ebullient one, happily engaged from morning until night, able to enjoy things like group lunches, spontaneous vacations to Cartagena with gangs of girlfriends, and planning other people's baby showers. The bigger existential questions don't seem to plague her, and she can clean her stove without ever once thinking, What's the point? It just gets dirty again anyway and then we die. Why don't I just stick my head ... — Lena Dunham

There's no effrontery like that of a woman caught in the act; her very guilt inspires her with wrath and insolence. — Juvenal

This Resolution for Women will both stir and challenge you. It will speak to the best part of who you are. It will remind you of your priceless value and the wonderful, God-honoring reasons why you were created. Then it will push you to embrace your current season of life by defining what matters to you most in the midst of it. This book will encourage, inspire, and even provoke and irritate you. But at every place, it will lead you to devote yourself to making and keeping commitments that will bring you all the blessings and joys of a life in pursuit of God's best. As you read, you will find yourself analyzing — Priscilla Shirer

Women are not on this planet exclusively to inspire men and make them happy. We have our own dreams and needs, our own shit to get done. — Gretchen McNeil

Women, as some witty Frenchman once put it, inspire us with the desire to do masterpieces and always prevent us from carrying them out. — Oscar Wilde

Sheryl Sandberg and Marissa Meyer have already accomplished more than most. I think the sky is the limit for them professionally. If they can inspire more women to "lean in," as Sandberg so famously describes it - to pursue a career and a family - that would be an incredible accomplishment. If they can, by their example as hands on mothers and high powered executives, show young women that they don't need to leave the workplace when they have children, they will be superheroes. — Willow Bay

We Americans often say that marriage is hard work. I'm not sure that the Hmong would understand this notion. Life is hard work, of course, and work is very hard work
I'm quite certain they would agree with those statements - but how does marriage become hard work? Marriage becomes hard work once you have poured the entirety of your life's expectations for happiness into the hands of one mere person. Keeping that going is hard work. A recent survey of young American women found that what women are seeking these days in a husband - more than anything else - is a man who will "inspire" them, which is, by any measure, a tall order. As a point of comparison, young women of the same age, surveyed back in the 1920s, were more likely to choose a partner based on qualities such as "decency" or "honesty," or his ability to provide for a family. But that's not enough anymore. Now we want to be INSPIRED by our spouses! Daily! Step to it, honey! — Elizabeth Gilbert

Other women who are killing it should motivate you, thrill you, challenge you and inspire you. — Taylor Swift

let the stars inside you breathe,
before the darkness swallows them whole.

let them burn through your skin and light this
whole goddamn world on fire. — AVA.