Life can be a whirlwind, and let’s face it—taking care of ourselves often gets pushed way down on the to-do list and can feel nearly impossible when so many people rely on us every day. But here’s the thing: carving out a little “me time” isn’t just a luxury; it’s essential for our mental and physical health.
Sometimes, all we need is a little reminder to hit pause and focus on our own well-being—and that’s exactly what a great self-care quote can do.
These bite-sized nuggets of wisdom are perfect for sparking self-compassion, refilling your emotional and physical tank, and building a healthy, loving connection with the most important person in your life: you.
Need a little nudge to prioritize yourself? You’re in luck! We’ve gathered 150 inspiring, motivating, and downright enlightening quotes about self-care to remind you why being kind to yourself is so crucial—especially in today’s hectic world. Let these words of wisdom light your way to a happier, healthier you!
Inspiring quotes about self-care (1 – 50)
1. “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Lamott
2. “You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.” – Norm Kelly
3. “Self-care is not a luxury. It is a priority.” – Audre Lorde
4. “Nurturing yourself is not selfish—it’s essential to your survival and your well-being.” – Renée Peterson Trudeau
5. “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation.” – Audre Lorde
6. “Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow.” – Eleanor Brownn
7. “Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.” – Katie Reed
8. “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Lamott
9. “Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” – Brené Brown
10. “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha
11. “Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.” – Christopher Germer
12. “Lighten up on yourself. No one is perfect. Gently accept your humanness.” – Deborah Day
13. “Learning to love yourself is like learning to walk—essential, life-changing, and the only path to becoming who you’re meant to be.” – Vironika Tugaleva
14. “Take time to do what makes your soul happy.” – Unknown
15. “Love yourself first, and everything else falls into line.” – Lucille Ball
16. “By taking care of myself I have so much more to offer the world than I do when I am running on empty.” – Ali Washington
17. “Do something every day that is loving toward your body and gives you the opportunity to enjoy the sensations of your body.” – Golda Poretsky
18. “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
19. “The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself.” – Steve Maraboli
20. “Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm, and harmony.” – Thomas Merton
21. “An empty lantern provides no light. Self-care is the fuel that allows your light to shine brightly.” – Unknown
22. “Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is rest.” – Mark Black
23. “Self-care means giving yourself permission to pause.” – Cecilia Tran
24. “You are enough just as you are.” – Meghan Markle
25. “Keep taking time for yourself until you’re you again.” – Lalah Delia
26. “Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean me first; it means me too.” – L.R. Knost
27. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
28. “How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you.” – Rupi Kaur
29. “Self-care is how you take your power back.” – Lalah Delia
30. “When you say ‘yes’ to others, make sure you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself.” – Paulo Coelho
31. “Be faithful to that which exists within yourself.” – André Gide
32. “Don’t sacrifice yourself too much, because if you sacrifice too much, there’s nothing else you can give.” – Karl Lagerfeld
33. “The mind is like water. When it’s turbulent, it’s difficult to see. When it’s calm, everything becomes clear.” – Prasad Mahes
34. “Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.” – Ovid
35. “You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress simultaneously.” – Sophia Bush
36. “Self-care is not selfish. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” – Eleanor Brownn
37. “Be you, love you. All ways, always.” – Alexandra Elle
38. “Keep good company, read good books, love good things, and cultivate soul and body as faithfully as you can.” – Louisa May Alcott
39. “Self-care is taking the time to love yourself so that you can radiate your best energy.” – Unknown
40. “Be kinder to yourself. And then let your kindness flood the world.” – Pema Chödrön
41. “Put yourself at the top of your to-do list every single day, and the rest will fall into place.” – Unknown
42. “Taking care of yourself makes you stronger for everyone in your life, including you.” – Kelly Rudolph
43. “Loving yourself isn’t vanity. It’s sanity.” – Katrina Mayer
44. “Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.” – Buddha
45. “Self-care is the art of honoring your boundaries.” – Adeline Birch
46. “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 me.” – Brian Andreas
47. “Fall in love with taking care of yourself.” – Unknown
48. “Self-respect, self-worth, and self-love, all start with self. Stop looking outside of yourself for your value.” – Rob Liano
49. “The better you feel about yourself, the less you feel the need to show off.” – Robert Hand
Self-care quotes (51 – 100)
50. “Taking care of yourself is the most powerful way to begin to take care of others.” – Bryant McGill
51. “If you have the ability to love, love yourself first.” – Charles Bukowski
52. “Be nice to yourself. It’s hard to be happy when someone is mean to you all the time.” – Christine Arylo
53. “Whatever is good for your soul, do that.” – Unknown
54. “You are your best thing.” – Toni Morrison
55. “There is enough time for self-care. There is not enough time to make up for the life you’ll miss by not filling yourself up.” – Jennifer Williamson
56. “A calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that’s very important for good health.” – Dalai Lama
57. “You owe yourself the love that you so freely give to other people.” – Unknown
58. “Sometimes self-care is exercise and eating right. Sometimes it’s spending time with loved ones or taking a nap. And sometimes it’s watching an entire season of TV in one weekend while you lounge around in your pajamas. Whatever soothes your soul.” – Nanea Hoffman
59. “The relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship you have.” – Robert Holden
60. “Self-care is not a waste of time; self-care makes your use of time more sustainable.” – Jackie Viramontez
61. “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” – Jim R
62. “Your self-worth is determined by you. You don’t have to depend on someone telling you who you are.” – Beyoncé
63. “If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.” – Jack Kornfield
64. “Don’t apologize for self-care. You deserve your own love and attention.” – Unknown
65. “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” – Maya Angelou
66. “Self-care is not about self-indulgence, it’s about self-preservation.” – Audrey Lorde
67. “Every small positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future.” – Alice Walker
68. “The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” – Coco Chanel
69. “Don’t sacrifice yourself too much because if you do, there’s nothing else you can give.” – Karl Lagerfeld
70. “Love yourself unconditionally, just as you love those closest to you despite their faults.” – Les Brown
71. “Self-love is asking yourself what you need – every day – and then making sure you receive it.” – Unknown
72. “Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” – Nora Ephron
73. “With every act of self-care, your authentic self gets stronger.” – Unknown
74. “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde
75. “Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” – Oprah Win
76. “Your greatest responsibility is to love yourself and to know you are enough.” – Unknown
77. “It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.” – Mandy Hale
78. “You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.” – Maya Angelou
79. “When I loved myself enough, I began leaving whatever wasn’t healthy. This meant people, jobs, my own beliefs, and habits—anything that kept me small.” – Kim McMillen
80. “Take time to recharge. You can’t pour from an empty cup.” – Unknown
81. “Learn to rest, not quit.” – Banksy
82. “You can’t always control what goes on outside, but you can always control what goes on inside.” – Wayne Dyer
83. “Taking care of myself doesn’t mean me first. It means me too.” – L.R. Knost
84. “Allow yourself to enjoy each happy moment in your life.” – Steve Maraboli
85. “A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.” – Zen Shin
86. “Taking time to nurture yourself is an act of self-love.” – Unknown
87. “Don’t forget to drink water and get some sun. You’re basically a houseplant with more complicated emotions.” – Unknown
88. “Taking care of yourself is the best way to take care of others.” – Unknown
89. “Do not wait until you are exhausted to take a break. Rest now to avoid burnout later.” – Unknown
90. “Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.” – Rumi
91. “Balance is not something you find. It’s something you create.” – Jana Kingsford
92. “Your soul needs your attention more than your schedule does.” – Unknown
93. “Sometimes self-care looks like doing less, not more.” – Unknown
94. “You’re allowed to take up space. You’re allowed to rest. You’re allowed to be exactly as you are.” – Unknown
95. “Give yourself the same care and attention that you give to others and watch yourself bloom.” – Unknown
96. “Choose, every day, to forgive yourself. You are human, flawed, and most of all, worthy of love.” – Alison Malee
97. “Be the reason someone feels seen, heard, and supported—including yourself.” – Unknown
98. “Your energy is currency. Spend it well. Invest it wisely.” – Unknown
99. “The only journey is the journey within.” – Rainer Maria Rilke
100. “You don’t have to be perfect to be amazing.” – Unknown
Quotes about self-care (101 – 150)
101. “You cannot truly love another until you know how to love yourself.” – Fred Rogers
102. “Happiness is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like and celebrating it for everything that it is.” – Mandy Hale
103. “When you love yourself, you heal yourself.” – Lalah Delia
104. “A healthy outside starts from the inside.” – Robert Urich
105. “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde
106. “Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow.” – Eleanor Brownn
107. not fall apart without you.” – Malebo Sephodi
108. “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” – Brené Brown
109. “Taking care of yourself is the most powerful way to begin to take care of others.” – Bryant McGill
110. “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha
111. “Do something today that your future self will thank you for.” – Sean Patrick Flanery
112. “Self-care is not a waste of time; self-care makes your use of time more sustainable.” – Jackie Viramontez
113. “Allow yourself to enjoy each happy moment in your life.” – Steve Maraboli
114. “You are worth the quiet moment, you are worth the deeper breath. You are worth the time it takes to slow down, be still, and rest.” – Morgan Harper Nichols
115. “Self-care is taking your power back.” – Lalah Delia
116. “Your calm mind is the ultimate weapon against your challenges. So relax.” – Bryant McGill
117. “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
118. “Your heart deserves the same care and attention that you give to others.” – Unknown
119. “Self-care is how you say to yourself, ‘I deserve the same love and kindness I give to others.’” – Unknown
120. “Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean giving up—it means moving forward.” – Unknown
121. “Prioritize your peace over pleasing others.” – Unknown
122. “Be yourself. An original is so much better than a copy.” – Unknown
123. “Your self-love will attract the kind of relationships you deserve.” – Unknown
124. “A strong sense of self-worth is the foundation of self-care.” – Unknown
125. “A peaceful mind leads to a peaceful life.” – Unknown
126. “It’s okay to say no to others so you can say yes to yourself.” – Unknown
127. “The best project you’ll ever work on is yourself.” – Unknown
128. “Rest is not a reward; it is a necessity.” – Unknown
129. “Healing is not an overnight process. Give yourself grace.” – Unknown
130. “Choose yourself every day and watch your life transform.” – Unknown
131. “Be your own biggest cheerleader.” – Unknown
132. “Speak kindly to yourself; you’re always listening.” – Unknown
133. “The time you take to care for yourself is never wasted.” – Unknown
134. “Self-care is about listening to your body and your soul.” – Unknown
135. “Nourish yourself with positivity and love.” – Unknown
136. “You deserve the love you so freely give to others.” – Unknown
137. “Peace is found in moments when you allow yourself to breathe and be.” – Unknown
138. “Your soul needs your attention more than your schedule does.” – Unknown
139. “It’s not your job to be everything to everyone.” – Unknown
140. “The only person you need to be better than is the person you were yesterday.” – Unknown
141. “When we self-care, we honor our inner selves and give space for healing.” – Unknown
142. “Give yourself permission to unplug and regroup without feeling guilty.” – Unknown
143. “Be enough for yourself first. The rest of the world can wait.” – Unknown
144. “Your energy is currency. Spend it well. Invest it wisely.” – Unknown
145. “The time you take to care for yourself is never wasted.” – Unknown
146. “Create healthy habits, not restrictions.” – Unknown
147. “Caring for yourself is the greatest kindness you can offer the world.” – Unknown
148. “Taking care of yourself is a productive use of your time.” – Unknown
149. “A butterfly eventually blooms. Just be patient.” – Unknown
150. “There’s absolutely no-one in the world like you. That’s pretty cool.” – Unknown
Ready to take better care of yourself?
Save these self-care quotes
And there you have it—150 inspiring self-care quotes to keep you shining bright and show up as your best self daily! Bookmark this page for whenever you need a pick-me-up, share it with friends who could use a little extra love, or print a few to stick on your mirror as daily reminders!
