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Wise words from Maya Angelou, Kamala Harris, and other role models who are inspiring us to better ourselves and the world we live in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By Marina Khidekel, Head of Content Development at Thrive Global<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In honor of Black History Month, we\u2019re reflecting on the Black role models who have shown us the world through their unique lens. One of our favorites comes from poet Rita Dove, in her poem, Transit. She writes, \u201cWhile in the midst of horror we fed on beauty \u2014 and that, my love, is what sustained us.\u201d Dove\u2019s words remind us that in challenging times, we can choose to surround ourselves with positivity and beauty \u2014 and when we take time to hear each others\u2019 stories, we can develop a new understanding of the world and facilitate positive conversations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We asked our Thrive community to share their favorite quotes and passages from Black leaders, authors, poets, and artists that bring them joy, peace, and inspiration. Which of these quotes speak to you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen people show you who they are, believe them the first time.\u201d \u2014Maya Angelou<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis quote taught me how to trust my instincts. People have an energy about them \u2014 trust what you see and feel. It\u2019s a gut feeling. When I read this for the first time, I felt as though I\u2019d been struck by lightning. It was so powerful and clear. In one sentence, Angelou distilled how we can trust and decide who we choose to be in a relationship with. It\u2019s a muscle worth developing, and with time, it will allow you to quickly assess and decide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Sharon Radigan, certified feng shui consultant, Sarasota, FL<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPerhaps the mission of an artist is to interpret beauty to people \u2014 the beauty within themselves.\u201d \u2014Langston Hughes<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI have always been an artist and as a photographer, I make all my work about the person seeing their beauty that comes from within.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Amy Boyle, photographer, Chicago, IL<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI had to make my own living and my own opportunity. But I made it! Don\u2019t sit down and wait for opportunities to come. Get up and make them.\u201d \u2014Madam C.J. Walker<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is always a great reminder when I get scared to send an email or promote myself. It makes me realize that if I want things to happen, I have to go out there, even if it\u2019s scary or if I get rejected thousands of times. It gives me the courage and confidence to keep moving forward, no matter what.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Sheena Yap Chan, co-author, Toronto, Canada<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you can\u2019t fly, then run. If you can\u2019t run, then walk. If you can\u2019t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, keep moving.\u201d \u2014Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWith the anniversary of George Floyd\u2019s death in May combined with ongoing social and racial unrest, the increased number of COVID cases and deaths, and work pressure, this quote keeps me moving forward when the world seems to be going nuts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Jennefer Witter, speaker, CEO, and author, New York, N.Y.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.\u201d \u2014Maya Angelou<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis quote reminds me that we all have permission to evolve, change, and grow. And that in every moment, we\u2019re simply doing the best with what we know. I often share this quote with clients who are starting their journey releasing diet culture and reclaiming an empowered relationship with their body. It\u2019s easy to get wrapped up in frustration, anger, and grief for the years spent wasting time on the tireless pursuit of \u2018perfection.\u2019 Instead, this quote encourages them to step forward and forge a new, more empowered path.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Gillian Goerzen, health and fitness coach and intuitive eating counselor, Nanaimo, B.C., Canada<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEach person must live life as a model for others.\u201d \u2014Rosa Parks<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s such a simple but powerful statement. It inspires me to always be true to my values, openly live my life according to them, and model the way for my team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Carrie McEachran, executive cirector, Sarnia, ON, Canada<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe price of privilege is the moral duty to act when one sees another person treated unfairly. And the least that a person in the dominant caste can do is not make the pain any worse.\u201d \u2014Isabel Wilkerson<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThough this quote doesn\u2019t explode with the warm fuzzy feelings of joy and peace, it offers a deep sense of reality as we walk down the road to equality for all. The brutal, cold, and dehumanizing realities in which we live can also be goldmines if we choose to look, listen, learn, and do our part in contributing to the greater whole of our human race. As a privileged white woman born in the South, having grown up in an invisible infrastructure where I am of the dominant \u2018caste,\u2019 can do one of two things: paralyze me into complacency or move me into action. And in all honesty, I\u2019ve done both. This quote inspires me to keep awkwardly learning, taking action, and moving forward to do my part by stepping up and speaking out when I see others being mistreated.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Fran Benedict, integrative nutrition consultant, Nashville, TN<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.\u201d \u2014Maya Angelou<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis quote is a strong reminder that following the \u2018norm\u2019 may not offer personal authenticity and growth. We hear variations of this concept, but this quote in particular resonated with me. And as a mom, I now see added wisdom in this passage, to nurture my children\u2019s self-discovery as they unlock their own unique blend of talents, skills, and interests.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014 Janna Cummins, integrated marketing strategist, Portland, ME<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere will be a resistance to your ambition. There will be people who say to you, \u2018You are out of your lane,\u2019 because they are burdened by only having the capacity to see what has always been instead of what can be. But don\u2019t you let that burden you.\u201d \u2014Kamala Harris<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs a driven and motivated Caribbean Black woman with a big vision for myself, I have met resistance to my own ambition. This quote is empowering to me because it reminds me of where my focus and energy should be in the face of resistance. I continue to create with authenticity, passion, and drive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Lleuella Morris, development consultant, Guyana & Trinidad and Tobago<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI always wanted to be someone better the next day than I was the day before.\u201d \u2014Sidney Poitier<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSuccess isn\u2019t any more difficult than that. This simple inspiration from an incredible man shows that if you can be a little bit better today than you were yesterday, you\u2019re on your way to success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Leah LaCross, strategy consultant, MA<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCaring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.\u201d \u2014Audre Lorde.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cToo many of us don\u2019t prioritize ourselves and feel guilty and ashamed when we do. Too often, we put ourselves last, especially when we are fighting any kind of injustice or \u2018wrong.\u2019 I love Audre\u2019s words because it reminds us that we do need to care for ourselves and that, in fact, we are working for social justice and a better world when we do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Lisa Kohn, author and executive coach, Wayne, PA<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.\u201d \u2014Howard Thurman<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis quote is a constant reminder that each of us is gifted with something that compels us to act, contribute, and leave this world better than we found it. Some call it \u2018passion,\u2019 others deem it their \u2018purpose.\u2019 If there was ever a time to embrace the notion that the world needs folks who \u2018have come alive,\u2019 it\u2019s now. Let\u2019s do this!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Gail H. Towns, marketer and writer, Jackson, N.J.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Originally published at ThriveGlobal<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Wise words from Maya Angelou, Kamala Harris, and other role models who are inspiring us to better ourselves and the world we live in. 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