All of my history as an African-American woman, as a Jewish woman, as a Muslim woman. I'm bringing everything I ever knew, and all the stories I've read - everything good, strong, kind and powerful. I bring it all with me into every situation, and I will not allow my life to be minimized by anybody's racism or sexism or ageism.

Maya Angelou

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Maya Angelou

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My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style

Maya Angelou

inspiring inspirational life

When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. People know themselves much better than you do. That's why it's important to stop expecting them to be something other than who they are

Maya Angelou

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You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. Please remember that your difficulties do not define you. They simply strengthen your ability to overcome.

Maya Angelou

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You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise!

Maya Angelou

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We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.

Maya Angelou

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Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.

Maya Angelou

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If you are always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you can be.

Maya Angelou

encouragement success inspiring

Each one of us has lived through some devastation, some loneliness, some weather superstorm or spiritual superstorm, when we look at each other we must say, I understand. I understand how you feel because I have been there myself. We must support each other and empathize with each other because each of us is more alike than we are unalike.

Maya Angelou

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Open your eyes to the beauty around you, open your mind to the wonders of life, open your heart to those who love you, and always be true to yourself.

Maya Angelou

eye love-you heart

If you are going down a road and don't like what's in front of you, and look behind you and don't like what you see, get off the road. Create a new path!

Maya Angelou

positive-attitude path looks

My wish for you is that you continue. Continue to be who and how you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness.

Maya Angelou

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A Woman in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing. She goes where she will without pretense and arrives at her destination prepared to be herself and only herself

Maya Angelou

women spirit rivers

Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.

Maya Angelou

inspiring inspirational relationship

Just do right. Right may not be expedient, it may not be profitable, but it will satisfy your soul. It brings you the kind of protection that bodyguards can’t give you. So try to live your life in a way that you will not regret years of useless virtue and inertia and timidity.

Maya Angelou

regret giving years

You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Try to be a rainbow in someone else's cloud. Do not complain. Make every effort to change things you do not like. If you cannot make a change, change the way you have been thinking. You might find a new solution.

Maya Angelou

clouds life thinking

If you must look back, do so forgivingly. If you will look forward, do so prayerfully. But the wisest course would be to be present in the present gratefully.

Maya Angelou

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When you know you are of worth, you don't have to raise your voice, you don't have to become rude, you don't have to become vulgar; you just are. And you are like the sky is, as the air is, the same way water is wet. It doesn't have to protest.

Maya Angelou

voice air sky

Nothing will work unless you do.

Maya Angelou

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At the end of the day people won't remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.

Maya Angelou

the-end-of-the-day love people