Whenever, I am having a tough day, there is always a quote from her that I can refer to get me back on track. Maya Angelou’s wise words can be applied to many situations in life. “Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it.” “If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.”ġ0. “Do the best you can until you know better. “You alone are enough, you have nothing to prove to anybody.”Ĩ. “Be present in all things, and thankful for all things.”ħ. And I have never seen this one before.”Ĥ. “Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.”ģ. “Nothing can dim the light that shines within.”Ģ. Below are ten of her most inspirational quotes that have left an impact on me.ġ. I admire that with simplicity, she is still able to create meaningful lessons and stories. I love that her words speak to me, and that I can easily apply them to my life. Her simple yet powerful way with words have taught me how to live each day to the fullest, how to focus on the things that matter most, and how to work hard for what I want. As I grew up, I continued to immerse myself in her poems and novels, taking away something special from every one of them. I rise, I rise, I rise.įrom that moment on, I had accomplished two things: conquered a fear of public speaking and discovered my love of Maya Angelou. Even though at that time I didn’t understand every part of poem, I could feel the power of the words pulsing through me. I pushed through the poem, my voice getting stronger and more confident line by line. For a brief second I looked away from the spot, and discovered many faces smiling back at me encouragingly. I focused on a spot on the back wall as the words flowed from my memory. I couldn’t believe I was doing it speaking in front of a group of people. As I started the first line, my voice wavered. I stood on stage, my legs wobbling beneath me uncontrollably. Here I was, having to live one of my worst nightmares.
Having to stand up, front and center, before a large group of people was something I feared. I had always been a shy child who feared any unwanted attention. I was a young girl, and had been assigned to read “Still I Rise” as a part of a summer camp program. I can clearly remember the day I recited a Maya Angelou poem in front of my church.