Maya Angelou Quotes {Part 1}

My adoration for Maya Angelou grew even greater when I read that her primary residence was a cheery yellow color. Really? A yellow house? You know me, and that just made me pretty “happi”. 🙂 Maya Angelou was full of inspiration and shared it on a daily basis in her adult years prior to her death earlier today, Wednesday May 25, 2014 at the age of 86. Weather you knew of Maya or not, surely you have heard one of her quotes. Maya Angelou was an American author and poet. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, and several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning more than fifty years. {Wikipedia}

In honor of Maya Angelou and her life, I wanted to share some of her amazing quotes in a 2 part series. The first of which I will share some of Mayas famous one liner quotes, and the second some of her other great quotes and bits of wisdom.

Maya Angelou stated this:

“I would like to be known as an intelligent woman, a courageous woman, a loving woman, a woman who teaches by being.”

Her life was lived as such to fulfill this dream. Here are 24 of her famous, inspirational one liner quotes:

Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.
While one may encounter many defeats, one must not be defeated.
The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them.
If I am not good to myself, how can I expect anyone else to be good to me?
When you know better you do better.
Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it!
The need for change bulldozed a road down the center of my mind.
Never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option.
I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t laugh.
No one can take the place of a friend, no one.
Success is loving life and daring to live it.
Live as though life was created for you.
Ain’t nothin’ to it, but to do it.
To those who are given much, much is expected.
Nothing will work unless you do.
It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.
I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.
The problem I have with haters is that they see my glory, but they don’t know my story.
Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art.
When you learn, teach, when you get, give.
Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet.
I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.
When you wish someone joy, you wish them peace, love, prosperity, happiness… all the good things.
You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.

Here is a printable version of these quotes by Maya Angelou:

Click here for download——–>> JPEG or PDF

I picked a couple of my favorites to share as individual prints too!

Click here for download——–>> JPEG or PDF

If you enjoyed this post you may like a similar post with quotes from Mother Teresa HERE.

Some awesome Mother Teresa Quotes and free printables! :)

Be Inspired!

Maya Angelou quotes {part2} is now up with many more amazing quotes and free printables!

Enjoy!

Jillene

Comments

Amy Martin says
May 29, 2014 at 10:29 am
Ahhh, so glad you compiled all of these. I was looking up her quotes just yesterday. I watched a CNN report on her and had no idea what a hard younger life she had lived. Raped by her mother’s boyfriend at 7 yrs old. She told and he was kicked to death. She did not speak one word for 5 years thinking her voice killed him. She had a baby at 16, worked in a burlesque club and than in her 20’s her mother told her you are the most amazing woman i have ever known. She said she thought, well i better start living my life that way because maybe i have something amazing to give to the world. It changed her whole direction. Those 5 years she did not speak she sat in the back of her mothers general store and read all the classics and wrote. She had finally found her voice and grateful she was able to share those things she learned with the rest of the world. We are all capable of changing our own direction and overcoming the things life has dealt us and moving forward with our heads held high and something to share with the world. That is what i learned from her. My favorite quote from her is “When someone shows you who they are believe them!” So good! I will be printing these, thank you!
- Jillene says
  May 29, 2014 at 7:27 pm
  Ahhhhh Amy Thank you for sharing that! I never read about her younger childhood. that tells exactly why she became who she was. I am working on part 2 right now and have another page full of quotes. I love every one of her quotes, especially the thought provoking ones. She will definitely be remembered for generations to come! xoxo ~Jillene