There’s something special about a person who knows—and shows—how unique they are. Whether it’s an eccentric sense of style or a mind full of unusual ideas that challenge the norm, they don’t hold back. You can see their confidence from across the room, and it’s an aura we should all aspire to radiate.
So without caring what other people think, start telling your story the way it was meant to be told. Embrace all your distinctive quirks, and don’t forget that your opinion of yourself is what matters most.
These 30 inspiring quotes will help you stay true.
Quotes about embracing who you are
- “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” —Oscar Wilde
- “I think the reward for conformity is that everyone likes you except yourself.” —Rita Mae Brown
- “Where’s your will to be weird?” —Jim Morrison
- “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” —Steve Jobs
- “Your self-worth is determined by you. You don’t have to depend on someone telling you who you are.” —Beyoncé
Encouraging quotes about being yourself
- “If you follow your star, you cannot fail to reach a glorious port.” —Dante Alighieri, Inferno
- “Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” —Coco Chanel
- “Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we’ll ever do.” —Brené Brown
- “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” —Dolly Parton
- “You’re always with yourself, so you might as well enjoy the company.” ―Diane von Furstenberg
- “Be yourself. The world worships the original.” ―Ingrid Bergman
Individuality quotes
- “I think everybody’s weird. We should all celebrate our individuality and not be embarrassed or ashamed of it.” —Johnny Depp
- “Some people say you are going the wrong way, when it’s simply a way of your own.” —Angelina Jolie
- “Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you were born to stand out?” ―Ian Wallace
- “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” ―Bernard M. Baruch
- “Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.” —Bertrand Russell
- “You can be hurt, not by what others think of you, but by what you think of what they think or you think they think of you.” —Mokokoma Mokhonoana
Inspiring quotes about being your authentic self
- “Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is you-er than you.” ―Dr. Seuss
- “Always be a first-rate version of yourself and not a second-rate version of someone else.” ―Judy Garland
- “To shine your brightest light is to be who you truly are.” ―Roy T. Bennett
- “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” ―George Eliot
- “We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light.” ―Mary Dunbar
- “Be faithful to that which exists within yourself.” ―André Gide
Quotes that celebrate your uniqueness
- “I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art.” ―Madonna
- “Don’t sell yourself short; you are your best asset.” ―Matshona Dhliwayo
- “You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.” —Eleanor Roosevelt
- “The hardest challenge is to be yourself in a world where everyone is trying to make you be somebody else.” ―E. E. Cummings
- “If life is a stage and you are your own agent, then don’t hesitate to play the character you wish to play.” ―Richelle E. Goodrich
- “Don’t you ever let a soul in the world tell you that you can’t be exactly who you are.” ―Lady Gaga
This article was updated June 2024. Photo by View Apart/Shutterstock.com
