Taking care of yourself is the long-term approach to contributing anything meaningful to the world. If you're having a hard time being nice to yourself, read these self-care quotes. Being good to you is one of the greatest things you can do for everyone else.

30 Self-Care Quotes to Honor Your Best Self and the Highest Good of All

1. “Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” — Eleanor Brown

2. “When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings you joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.” — Jean Shinoda Bolen

3. “If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.” — Banksy

4. “I have come to believe that caring for myself is not self indulgent. Caring for myself is an act of survival.” — Audre Lorde

5. “Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.” — Katie Reed

6. “Document the moments you feel most in love with yourself—what you’re wearing, who you’re around, what you’re doing. Recreate and repeat.” — Warsan Shire

7. “Continually swimming an an endless sea of sensation can at times be exhausting, regardless if it is beautifully terrible or terribly beautiful, and this is why your deep-rooted need for peace and self care is essential to support your superb sensitivity.” — Victoria Erickson

8. “Be patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it’s holy ground. There’s no greater investment.” — Stephen Covey

9. “There's enough time for self-care. What there's not enough time for is making up for the life you missed by not taking care of yourself.” — Jennifer Williamson

10. “Self care is a divine responsibility.” — Danielle LaPorte

11. “Choose, everyday, to forgive yourself. You are human, flawed, and most of all worthy of love.” — Alison Malee

12. “Close your eyes and imagine the best version of you possible. That’s who you really are, let go of any part of you that doesn’t believe it.” — C. Assaad

13. “With every act of self-care your authentic self gets stronger, and the fearful, critical mind gets weaker. Every act of self-care is a powerful declaration: I am on my side. I am on my side, each day I am more and more on my own side.” — Susan Weiss Berry

14. “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” — Maya Angelou

15. “Taking care of yourself is part of taking care of others.” – Jennifer Williamson

16. “Instead of indulging in ‘comfort food,’ indulge in comfort meditation, comfort journaling, comfort walking, comfort talking, comfort manicures, comfort reading, comfort yoga, comfort hugging.” — Karen Salmansohn

17. “Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort.” – Deborah Day

18. “The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours — it is an amazing journey — and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins.” —Bob Moawad

19. “It really is ok for there to be times when you stop putting everyone else first, and just do what’s best for you.” — Tracey Leech

20. “Self-care is how you take your power back.” – Lalah Delia

21. “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

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

23. “Unless you fill yourself up first, you have nothing to give anybody. Therefore it is imperative that you tend to your joy first. People are responsible for their own joy. When you tend to your joy and do what makes you feel good, you are a joy to be around and you are a shining example to every child and every person in your life. When you are feeling joy you don’t even have to think about giving. It is a natural overflow.” — Rhonda Byrne, The Secret

24. “Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious.  You get to choose how you use it.  You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.” – Anna Taylor

25. “When you say ‘yes’ to others make sure you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself.” — Paulo Coelho

26. “The time you take away from obligations, parties, and even the people you love to soothe your own soul doesn’t require an apology.” – Jennifer Williamson

27. “Self-care is never a selfish act—it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer to others.” – Parker Palmer

28. “It’s not selfish to do what is best for you.” — Mark Sutton

29. “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 myself.” – Brian Andreas

30. “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Washington Thurman

. . .

Tell me:

Which of these quotes is your favorite?

Tell me in the comments. I read every single one, and I'd love to know!

With love,

Jen

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P.S. Never forget how valuable you are, how far you’ve come, how much potential you have. Go visit my shop for the (im)perfect poetry print that celebrates you in your fullness, in your mess and magic and everything in between.