Maya Angelou Sayings and Quotes

Below you will find our collection of inspirational, wise, and humorous old Maya Angelou quotes, Maya Angelou sayings, and Maya Angelou proverbs, collected over the years from a variety of sources.'

Determine to live life with flair and laughter. Maya Angelou
The real difficulty is to overcome how you think about yourself. If we don't have that we never grow, we never learn, and sure as hell we should never teach. Maya Angelou
The dread of futility has been my life-long plague. Maya Angelou
We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color. Maya Angelou
We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated. Maya Angelou
Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at it destination full of hope. Maya Angelou
What you're supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Don't complain. Maya Angelou
Whining is not only graceless, but it can be dangerous. It can alert a brute that a victim is in the neighborhood. Maya Angelou
Forgiveness. It's one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody. You are relieved of carrying that burden of resentment. You really are lighter. You feel lighter. You just drop that. Maya Angelou
All great achievements require time. Maya Angelou
A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again. Maya Angelou
I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. Maya Angelou
We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color. Maya Angelou
I encourage you to live with life. Be courageous, adventurous. Give us a tomorrow, more than we deserve. Maya Angelou
When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed. Maya Angelou
A mother's love liberates. Maya Angelou
It is impossible to struggle for civil rights, equal rights for blacks, without including whites. Because equal rights, fair play, justice, are all like the air: we all have it, or none of us has it. That is the truth of it. Maya Angelou
There's something which impels us to show our inner souls. The more courageous we are, the more we succeed in explaining what we know. Maya Angelou
When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. Maya Angelou
Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women. Maya Angelou
I not only have the right to stand up for myself, but I have the responsibility. I can't ask somebody else to stand up for me if I won't stand up for myself. And once you stand up for yourself, you'd be surprised that people say, "Can I be of help?". Maya Angelou
A friend may be waiting behind a stranger's face. Maya Angelou
I don't trust people who don't love themselves and tell me, 'I love you.' ... There is an African saying which is: Be careful when a naked person offers you a shirt. Maya Angelou
Remember, people will judge you by your actions not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold but so does a hard-boiled egg. Maya Angelou
We spend precious hours fearing the inevitable. It would be wise to use that time adoring our families, cherishing our friends, and living our lives. Maya Angelou
Nothing will work unless you do. Maya Angelou
People will never forget how you made them feel. Maya Angelou
We are the victims of the world's most comprehensive robbery. Life demands a balance. It's all right if we do a little robbing now. Maya Angelou
Let choice whisper in your ear and love murmur in your heart. Be ready. Here comes life. Maya Angelou
The breezes of the West African night were intimate and shy, licking the hair, sweeping through cotton dresses with unseemly intimacy, then disappearing into the utter blackness. Maya Angelou