Delve into the timeless wisdom of Eleanor Roosevelt quotes and sayings that will inspire change and action in the world.
What is Eleanor Roosevelt famous for?
Eleanor Roosevelt, in full, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the longest-serving First Lady of the United States throughout her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four terms in office (1933-1945).
She was an influential figure in American politics and was well known for her tireless advocacy for human rights and social justice.
After leaving the White House she served as a United States Delegate to the United Nations General Assembly, as well as the first Chairperson of the UN Human Rights Commission in 1946.
President Harry S. Truman later called her the “First Lady of the World” in tribute to her human rights achievements. In 1968, she was posthumously awarded the UN Human Rights Prize.
Roosevelt was a sought-after speaker and particularly showed interest in child welfare, housing reform, and equal rights for women and racial minorities.
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She even wrote a daily syndicated newspaper column, “My Day,” which she used as a platform to discuss issues including civil rights, women’s rights, and various current events.
As we reflect on Eleanor Roosevelt’s words, let’s be reminded of the power of empathy, the importance of standing up for what is right, and the capacity within each of us to create positive change, even in the face of adversity.
Eleanor Roosevelt’s legacy continues to serve as an inspiration for people across the globe who are striving to create a more just and equitable society.
Top 10 Eleanor Roosevelt Quotes
1.“The giving of love is an education in itself.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
2.“You must do the things you think you cannot do.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
3.“It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
4.“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
5.“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
6.“You can often change your circumstances by changing your attitude.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
7.“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
8.“Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
9.“Do what you feel in your heart to be right – for you’ll be criticized anyway.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
10.“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
Best Quotes Of Eleanor Roosevelt
11.“Never be bored, and you will never be boring.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
12.“I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
13.“Character building begins in our infancy and continues until death.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
14.“You must look within for value, but must look beyond for perspective.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
15.“A stumbling block to the pessimist is a stepping-stone to the optimist.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
16.“The future is literally in our hands to mold as we like. But we cannot wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow is now.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
17.“You have to accept whatever comes, and the only important thing is that you meet it with the best you have to give.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
18.“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
19.“It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
20.“Friendship with one’s self is all-important because, without it, one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
Famous Eleanor Roosevelt Quotes
21.“Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
22.“People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
23.“Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn’t have the power to say yes.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
24.“I think that somehow, we learn who we really are and then live with that decision.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
25.“If someone betrays you once, it’s their fault; if they betray you twice, it’s your fault.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
26.“The only things one can admire at length are those one admires without knowing why.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
27.“Hate and force cannot be in just a part of the world without having an effect on the rest of it.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
28.“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
29.“We have to face the fact that either all of us are going to die together or we are going to learn to live together, and if we are to live together, we have to talk.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
30.“A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt
Inspirational Quotes From Eleanor Roosevelt
31.“I never waste time looking back.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
32.“Understanding is a two-way street.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
33.“What you don’t do can be a destructive force.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
34.“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
35.“What could we accomplish if we knew we could not fail?” — Eleanor Roosevelt
36.“The only limits to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
37.“Think as little as possible about yourself. Think as much as possible about other people.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
38.“You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
39.“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
40.“Since everybody is an individual, nobody can be you. You are unique. No one can tell you how to use your time. It is yours. Your life is your own. You mold it. You make it.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt Quotes About Life
She was a strong advocate for fairness and equality, and her words inspire people to be kind and understanding. Here is a list of the best Eleanor Roosevelt quotes to celebrate her impressive legacy.
41.“Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
42.“Life is like a parachute jump, you’ve got to get it right the first time.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
43.“If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
44.“Nothing has ever been achieved by the person who says, ‘It can’t be done.’“ — Eleanor Roosevelt
45.“Life was meant to be lived, and curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
46.“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
47.“You can never really live anyone else’s life, not even your child’s. The influence you exert is through your own life, and what you’ve become yourself.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
48.“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
49.“Enjoy every minute you have with those you love, my dear, for no one can take joy that is past away from you. It will be there in your heart to live on when the dark days come.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
50.“Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose a challenge instead of competence.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt Quotes To Live By
51.“There are no have-to’s, just choices.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
52.“A woman is like a teabag; you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
53.“Before we can make friends with anyone else, we must first make friends with ourselves.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
54.“My experience has been that work is almost the best way to pull oneself out of the depths.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
55.“He who loses money, loses much; He who loses a friend, loses much more; He who loses faith, loses all.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
56.“When you have decided what you believe, what you feel must be done, have the courage to stand alone and be counted.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
57.“Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness you are able to give.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
58.“I believe anyone can conquer fear by doing the things he fears to do, provided he keeps doing them until he gets a record of successful experience behind him.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
59.“We all create the person we become by our choices as we go through life. In a real sense, by the time we are adults, we are the sum total of the choices we have made.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
60.“Do the things that interest you and do them with all your heart. Don’t be concerned about whether people are watching you or criticizing you. The chances are, are that they aren’t paying attention to you.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
61. “The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!” ― Eleanor Roosevelt
62. “Success must include two things: the development of an individual to his utmost potentiality and a contribution of some kind to one’s world.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
63. “To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt
More About Eleanor Roosevelt’s Life
She was an American politician, diplomat, humanitarian, and activist.
Roosevelt played a leading role in drafting the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and was given a standing ovation by the assembly upon their adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Eleanor Roosevelt’s life and work have left an enduring impact on the world, and her legacy serves as a beacon for those striving to create positive change.
Eleanor Roosevelt passed away on November 7, 1962.
Conclusion
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