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Stress-Relieving Quotes for Self-Comfort

Reviewed by Wendy Boring-Bray, DBH, LPC · November 02, 2020 ·

You might be wondering, “how can a quote help me to self soothe and relieve stress?” There are multiple ways that quotes can support you in relieving stress. First, they serve as reminders. Words are an excellent grounding tool, and some people theorize that the use of words is a manifestation method that can help you bring what you want into your life, whether you speak them out loud or write them down. 

Famous Quotes About Stress

Here are some famous quotes about stress that almost anyone can relate to and benefit from hearing at some point in their life:

“When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened.” - Winston Churchill

“There is more to life than increasing its speed.” - Mahatma Gandhi

“He who is of a calm and happy nature will hardly feel the pressure of age. But to him who is of an opposite disposition, youth and age are equally a burden.” - Plato

“These mountains that you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb.” – Najwa Zebian

“It seems that we have it backward in our society. We tend to look up to people who are under a great deal of stress, who can handle loads of stress, and those who are under a great deal of pressure.” - Richard Carlson

“Calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that's very important for good health.” - Dalai Lama

“Times of stress are also times that are signals for growth, and if we use adversity properly, we can grow through adversity.” - Abraham Twerski

“Everything you have ever wanted is sitting on the other side of fear.” - George Addair

“Set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organise your life around it.” - Brian Tracy

“Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations. The best is yet to come.” - Zig Ziglar

“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” - Leo F. Buscaglia

Stress-Free Quotes

Often, we stress more than we need to. If you need some quotes to help you stress less or get closer to living a stress-free life, check out some of these quotes, and let the messages behind them help you stress less:

“Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.” - Ovid

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” - John Lubbock

“Life isn’t as serious as the mind makes it out to be.” - Eckhart Tolle

“The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.” - Sydney J. Harris

“Sometimes, the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.” - Etty Hillesum

“Keep calm and keep learning.” - Lailah Gifty Akita

“Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside of you that is greater than any obstacle.” - Christian D Larson

“Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.” - Winnie the Pooh

Soothing Quotes

Soothing quotes are a great tool for helping us get through situations or days that don’t start out as calm as we’d like them to be. Here are some calming quotes that can help:

“Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.” - Chinese proverb

“You are braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” - Christopher Robin

“Don’t believe every worried thought you have. Worried thoughts are notoriously inaccurate.” - Renee Jain

“Let peace be your middle name.” - Ntathu Allen

“The day she let go of the things that were weighing her down, was the day she began to shine the brightest.” - Katrina Mayer

“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” - Thich Nhat Hanh

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” - Anne Lamott

“I promise you nothing is as chaotic as it seems. Nothing is worth diminishing your health. Nothing is worth poisoning yourself into stress, anxiety, and fear.” - Steve Maraboli

“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.”  - Saint Francis De Sales

“By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before.” - Edwin Elliot

“Breath is the power behind all things. I breathe in and know that good things will happen.” - Tao Porchon-Lynch

Quotes For Work Stress

Feeling stressed out due to work and other obligations? It’s common. Statistics released by the APA say that work is one of the most common causes for stress, alongside other issues like the state of the world, money, or violence and crime. Here are some quotes to support you in combating stress related to work or productivity:

“A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness.” - Albert Einstein

“One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was from a horse master. He told me to go slow to go fast. I think that applies to everything in life. We live as though there aren't enough hours in the day but if we do each thing calmly and carefully we will get it done quicker and with much less stress.” - Viggo Mortensen

“The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom.” - James Allen

“You can do anything but not everything.” - Kathy Freston

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” - Stephen Covey

“Just when you feel you have no time to relax, know that this is the moment you most need to make time to relax.” - Matt Haig

“Today, I refuse to stress myself out about things I cannot control or change.” - Mel Robbins

Quotes For Setting Boundaries

Difficulty with setting boundaries is something that causes stress for a lot of people. If you can’t set boundaries, you might say “yes” when you’d benefit from saying “no,” and as a result, there might be way too much on your plate. You might even harbor resentment toward the requests of others due to a lack of boundaries. Here are some quotes about setting boundaries that can help and inspire you to set boundaries moving forward:

“When we fail to set boundaries and hold people accountable, we feel used and mistreated. This is why we sometimes attack who they are, which is far more hurtful than addressing a behavior or a choice.” - The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

“The hardest part about setting boundaries with people, no matter who they are, is not feeling confident in our authority to do so. As long as you realize that setting boundaries is necessary for healthy relationships, you will feel better defining and keeping them.” - Tamera Mowry-Housley

“To me, self-care does not mean going to the spa. It’s learning to say no. It’s knowing yourself so you can make choices that are an expression of you.” - Tracee Ellis Ross

“People who violate your boundaries are thieves. They steal time that doesn’t belong to them.” - Elizabeth Grace Saunders

“You have to be able to set boundaries, otherwise the rest of the world is telling you who you are and what you should be doing. You can still be a nice person and set boundaries.” - Oprah Winfrey

“Givers need to set limits because takers rarely do.” - Rachel Wolchin

“‘No’ is a complete sentence.” - Annie Lamott

Mantras For Coping With Stress

Montrose is short sentences or phrases that people repeat to themselves, often for the purpose of grounding, providing one’s self with a reminder of what’s important to them, or self-soothing. Here are some quotes that you might use as mantras for coping with stress:

“Don't stress the could haves, if it should have, it would have.” - Author unknown

You don't have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you.  - Dan Millman

“Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.” - Hermann Hesse

“More smiling, less worrying. More compassion, less judgment. More blessed, less stressed. More love, less hate.” - The Light in the Heart by Roy T. Bennett

“For fast acting relief, try slowing down.” - Lily Tomlin

You can also create your own mantras for coping with stress. These might be general sayings, or they might relate closely to your personal stressors or circumstances. Mantras are only one of the tools that can help soothe and manage stress, however.

Other Ways To Cope With Stress

Quotes are a great way to help yourself through stressful times, whether those are moments or tough periods in your life. However, it’s not always enough on its own to use quotes and mantras. Social support, basic self-care such as making time to nourish yourself and clean, and taking time for activities that you enjoy can help you cope with stress. If you find that you are experiencing prolonged stress, you might consider reaching out to a counselor or therapist.

Take The Mind Diagnostics Stress Test

Is stress impacting your life? While it’s not a replacement for the help of a licensed medical or mental health professional, nor can it serve as or replace a mental health evaluation, the Mind Diagnostics stress test can help give you some insight into what you might be going through.

Click here to take the Mind Diagnostics stress test.

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