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Being a Ukrainian in the middle of an ugly war, I know a thing or two about difficult times. Today they destroyed my university with a massive missile attack, a place where I spent six years of my life, and my husband did, too. With everything that’s happening in the world, I feel like hope is sometimes the only thing we can hold on to. This is why I created this collection of inspirational quotes about hope in hard times.
I hope they can help you keep your head above water no matter what’s happening in your life.
We have to remember that there are better days ahead of us and even the darkest of times come to an end. Let’s keep hoping for a beautiful future and prepare for new beginnings!
Even the war can’t go on forever. Things change, and the more you stay positive, the faster you get to the light at the end of the tunnel and attract new positive opportunities into your life. As time passes, your situation will improve eventually, the pain will go away, and your heart will heal.
Just keep going, one day at a time. It will get better.
33 inspirational quotes about hope in hard times
It’s okay if you feel down right now. Let these inspiring quotes cheer you up a little and give you a deeper sense of hope for the better.
1. Everything will be okay in the end. If it is not okay, it’s not the end. – John Lennon
This is easily one of my favorite quotes of all time. This is what I say to myself when I face my own challenges in life. The light always wins, just you wait and see. It will all be okay in the end.
2. Never lose hope. Storms make people stronger and never last forever. – Roy T. Bennett
You will survive this, and you’ll get stronger.
Keep your hopes up and keep waiting for the wind to change in your favor.
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3. Life is designed to knock you down. It will knock you down time and time again, but it doesn’t matter how many times you fall – it matters how many times you get back up. – Lilly Singh
Success in any area of life only comes to those who don’t stay down when they are being pushed to the ground. They will not allow anyone or anything to take away their hope and put out their inner fire. They pull themselves back and keep trying. And they always get what they want, because it’s impossible to destroy someone who never gives up.
4. When life knocks you down, try to land on your back. Because if you can look up, you can get up. Let your reason get you back up. – Les Brown
This quote is about your perspective during difficult times. You can look down and only see the bottom you’re at, and keep reliving the events of the past, thinking your life is over. Or you can look up, see that the sky is the limit and possibilities are limitless, and start planning for the future.
5. You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming. – Pablo Neruda
No matter how much damage is done, or how much effort someone puts into taking you down, soon there will be a new season of freshness and regrowth. You can overcome any harsh winter as long as you keep believing that spring is on its way!
6. If you’re going through hell, keep going. – Winston Churchill
I think this is a very wise thought for hard times, even though it doesn’t talk directly about hope. If you are going through darkness, why would you wanna stop, give up, and just stay there forever? Find ways to motivate yourself to keep going until you get out of the darkness and turn a new page.
7. Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today. – Thich Nhat Hanh
Like fate, hope is a really interesting thing to think about. It helps us stay strong and deal with daily struggles easier because we have this unstoppable inner belief that things will get better eventually. There is no proof or logical reason to believe it but we still do, because if we don’t have hope, we don’t have a reason to keep fighting and overcome whatever is happening.
8. On the other side of a storm is the strength that comes from having navigated through it. Raise your sail and begin. – Gregory S. Williams
This is one of the quotes on hope and strength that give you an understanding of why perseverance matters. They say what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. Keep pushing and you’ll be surprised how amazing and strong you actually are when you reach your shore.
9. Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. – Desmond Tutu
For a person with a strong positive mindset, hope comes naturally because you know to look for the bright side. Instead of focusing on the darkness and letting it consume you, look for the tiniest bits of light, appreciate them, and visualize the best possible outcome to attract it sooner.
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10. When it was dark, you always carried the sun in your hand for me. – Sean O’Casey
Here is a saying about hope that emphasizes the importance of building positive relationships. When you have amazing friends or a soulmate who is always there for you, you will never be alone when life is hard. You will always have external support and someone who can cheer you up, find the right words to say to you, or change your perspective when you lose sight of the light.
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11. When we let go of what we think is best for us, we can receive what we truly need. – Anthon St. Maarten
Maybe there is something better waiting for you behind the corner. But in order to find it, you need to stop holding on to your current reality first. Let go of all expectations and regrets from the past, forgive everyone who hurt you, and listen to your inner voice to find a new path and your real desires.
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12. Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want. – Jim Rohn
The feeling of hope goes hand in hand with being thankful for everything you have in your life. When you learn to focus on what you have instead of suffering because of the things you don’t have, you’ll open your mind to more positive things to come. It’s much easier to hope for the good when you see some of it in your day-to-day life, even when there is lots of bad stuff around it.
13. Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it. – Helen Keller
Whatever you are going through, there is probably someone who already went through it and survived. And someone who is going through the same thing this very moment. You are not alone, if if it feels like that sometimes. People survive all kinds of terrible things every day, and you’ll survive this, too.
Look up some positive stories of people who overcame this, or find Facebook support groups with people in the same situation. You’ll feel better when you see how many people could do it, and it can reinforce your own hope. Or if you aren’t really a people person (I can totally relate), you can always talk to an online therapist privately and get support without being vulnerable in front of a big group.
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14. You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope. – Thomas Merton
Life is a journey, not a destination. There is always another chapter, and you don’t always know what awaits you behind the next turn. Keep your hope strong, and soon you’ll look back at today’s struggles from a better future, glad that it ended. And maybe you won’t even believe that it mattered so much to you before!
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15. I am prepared for the worst, but hope for the best. – Benjamin Disraeli
I don’t know if Benjamin Disraeli was the first to ever say it, but this idea always has been somewhat a staple in my mindset. It’s smart to be prepared for all kinds of outcomes, but you can’t get stuck in being afraid of negative ones as you’ll start attracting them. Whatever you put your energy into gets attracted to you, so make sure to always focus on the positive outcome, imagine how you will feel, and don’t allow negative thoughts and “what ifs” to take over.
16. Never say that you can’t do something, or that something seems impossible, or that something can’t be done, no matter how discouraging or harrowing it may be; human beings are limited only by what we allow ourselves to be limited by: our own minds. We are each the masters of our own reality; when we become self-aware of this, absolutely anything in the world is possible. – Mike Norton
There are all kinds of deeply-rooted limiting beliefs in every adult’s head. Some of them we might get from personal experience but most of them we pick up subconsciously from other people in our lives.
Pay attention to your language when you talk to yourself or a friend. And stay away from negative people who convince you something can’t be done. In many cases, they say it because they themselves couldn’t do it, or they weren’t strong enough to even try. And if you believe that something is impossible, there is no way you can achieve it unless you change this belief first.
Don’t set unnecessary limitations upon yourself! If you want something really bad, go for it and don’t stop until you get it. The doors will start opening when you come knocking.
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17. Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there’s no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic. – Laini Taylor
Here is one of the most inspirational hope quotes you can ever find! There is so much power in each and every one of us, and we can make things happen regardless of how hard it seems at first. Hope gives us strength to try, and try again, and as long as you keep your hope alive, you’ll eventually reach your destination. And the more you succeed, the more hopeful you get for the future and for making the impossible possible.
So stay strong, and keep going!
18. I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe. – Dalai Lama
No matter what religion you identify with (if any), there is a lot to learn from Buddhist monks. They dedicate their lives to spirituality and spend enormous amounts of time in solitude and meditation, looking for the answers. If they say there is always hope to be found, I choose to believe them.
19. It is often in the darkest skies that we see the brightest stars. – Richard Evans
This is an interesting thing to think about, because we really wouldn’t appreciate the light if it wasn’t for darkness. We wouldn’t find ourselves in awe, looking at the colors of the rising sun after a deep black night. We wouldn’t recognize a kind person if all people were equally nice. And we wouldn’t be able to experience joy if we were happy all the time.
Sometimes we have no idea of how much we can do until we are put in a situation when we have no choice.
20. None of us knows what might happen even the next minute, yet still we go forward. Because we trust. Because we have faith. – Paulo Coelho
We literally have no idea what might happen tomorrow, or the next minute. An airplane might randomly fall on your house today and you’ll have no way to prevent it. Bad things happen, but there is no use in worrying about them if they are out of our control anyway. Instead, let’s focus on all the things we can control, and make the most of what we have at this point of our lives.
21. You can hit the lowest low and face the darkest dark, but you can always get back up and get in the light. All of this is what actually makes life worth living. – Kerli
Always remember that it’s up to you whether you want to be a victim of the circumstances or the master of your reality. Every choice you make affects your happiness, so why choose anything that makes you feel bad? Complaining about the bad will never get you closer to the good, you have to find it in you to step into the light. Sometimes it’s more than one step, might even be a long road ahead, but it’s always worth it!
22. Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future. – Robert H. Schuller
Among other short motivational sayings about hope, I especially like this one because it reminds you to not hold on to what’s already behind you.
Don’t let your past sorrows and previous mistakes define you, learn the lesson and let it go. Be defined by your big dreams, ambitions, hard work, and future achievements instead. Become the person who built their dream life instead of whining how impossible that dream was.
23. Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. – Michael Jordan
I believe that every roadblock is there to teach you something. If you have to take a detour in life, maybe it’s because there is something better prepared for you on that other road. Or maybe there is someone important you’ll need to pick up on the way.
If this was easy, everyone would do it. Hardships teach you to find creative approaches to solving problems, and make you adaptable which helps you get further in life despite all the negative circumstances.
24. They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for. – Tom Bodett
If there is nothing in your future life to look forward to, there is no reason to even get up today. Grab a good productivity planner, get inspired by a bunch of successful people, and start planning your dream life right now! If you don’t do it, nobody will, and you might stay in your current miserable maintenance mode forever.
25. In a world filled with hate, we must still dare to hope. In a world filled with anger, we must still dare to comfort. In a world filled with despair, we must still dare to dream. And in a world filled with distrust, we must still dare to believe. – Michael Jackson
If you want to send a word of support to someone you care about, here is a beautiful quote about staying hopeful even when everything is going wrong. Be the light you wanna see in the world! Focusing on finding your own peace of mind will help you stay strong in front of any life’s challenges.
26. Things start out as hopes and end up as habits. – Lillian Hellman
Whenever you approach something new in life, you don’t have any shred of proof yet to be confident in the outcome. But if you have a good reason to do it and stay consistent with it, it might very well work out.
When you touch a guitar for the first time, you are only hoping you can learn, but soon enough you’ll have a habit of daily playing.
When you start repeating positive affirmations, you are led by the hope that it will improve your life. Repeat them enough times per day and pretty soon you’ll have a daily habit of saying positive things to yourself.
Hope for your dream to come true, do the right steps toward it, and at some point living the dream will become a natural part of your life!
27. Life stuff happens. You get knocked down, and you get back up. That’s just always been my mentality. I’m not really fazed by anything. It’s in the past. There’s nothing I can really do about it now. You learn from it, and you move on. – Odell Beckham, Jr.
When you seek hope, inspirational quotes like this one send your thoughts in the right direction and help you not give up. What you might see now as the worst thing in your life, will be just a memory one day. Don’t hold on to your pain, and don’t look back into the past. Keep your head to the sunlight, and all shadows will fall behind you.
28. What we are waiting for is not as important as what happens to us while we are waiting. Trust the process. – Mandy Hale
This quote is not just about hope but also about being more present while you are waiting for the good thing to happen. Looking forward to the future is good, but living in the future makes you miss out on your actual life, which is happening right now. Try to find joy in every day, notice the little good things in your life, surround yourself with mood-lifting things and positive people that make you smile!
Allow yourself to enjoy life, even when it’s not perfect.
29. I don’t think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains. – Anne Frank
Anne Frank was a little girl with a short and painful life. She went through a lot and she kept her hope no matter what. She saw the world through the eyes of a child she was, and was able to see the beauty in it even in the toughest of times. Most people would be drowning in their pain and self-pity, ready to give up, but she hold on to her hope and was focusing on the beauty.
She didn’t have a positive outcome but she was strong through the whole journey anyway, and that’s something we can all learn from her.
30. If you’re reading this for direction in a struggle, understand that all of the hurt and disappointments are leading to something. You must learn something during this season to become more resilient and tenacious. Trust the process. – Germany Kent
If life throws lemons at you, learn to make lemonade! In every difficult situation, there is something to learn, and it’s events like this that form your character.
Embrace your power and make the most of every day, even when it’s hard and you don’t want to wake up to see another day of this struggle. Find a reason to want to wake up and move forward, as there is likely something better waiting for you in the future.
31. It isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don’t worry. I say that to myself every morning. It all works out in the end. – Gordon B. Hinckley
Sometimes you have a bad day when everything seems to go wrong, and you get so focused on the negativity that it becomes the only thing you notice. Each little thing irritates you, while on a normal day, you wouldn’t even pay attention to it. You keep reaffirming that it’s a bad day, and so it stays. If only you paused for a moment and made an effort to shift back to positive thinking, you’d probably change your vibration and break the “bad day thing” easily.
We see everything in life through the lens of personal perception, which is not always clear. Sometimes negative thoughts can cloud your vision, multiplying negativity around you. You might see a particular event as the end of the world, even though it’s not worth your tears.
Years from now, you’ll be surprised how important it seemed to you these days. Meanwhile, just keep pushing forward, and let’s see what happens.
32. The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope. – Barack Obama
A former president of the US is a good source of quotes to give hope to someone. It was his job to give hope to the entire nation, so he probably put a lot of thought into choosing the proper words to share.
If you want the world to change, start with your own little act of kindness. If you want your situation to improve, focus on the solution, not the problem. Be proactive, radiate positive vibes, and you’ll become a natural magnet for the good things!
33. We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Life isn’t perfect, and there will always be things that don’t go as planned. We might as well be prepared for them and not allow them to ruin our days if they happen. A person with a healthy mindset can quickly bounce back after being put down by daily struggles, and keeps looking at the bright side hoping for the best.
Final thoughts on hope in hard times
These were my 33 favorite motivational quotes about hope and strength. I hope you found some encouragement and inspiration to keep going! Let me know in the comments which quote gave you the most food for thought!
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