These inspiring 5 Maya Angelou Quotes will give you hope in recovery.
Are you in active recovery, or struggling to take that first leap? Do you feel stagnant and discouraged? I know you’ll have days that are easy and days that are hard. Famed poet, writer, activist, and dancer Maya Angelou can help us all, no matter where we stand in our journey. She was a brilliant, uplifting woman that will continue to inspire forever. There are five Maya Angelou quoted I find especially meaningful for those of us striving to be clean and sober.
1. “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”
Even in recovery, life isn’t always rosy and smooth sailing. Work will stress you out, friendships may test and disappoint you, your health may raise concerns and relationships may falter. Even grief may confront us while we’re already navigating rocky waters. These events are beyond our control and might threaten us as triggers, but you can rise above them. Embrace your recovery tools like journaling, exercise, meditation, and support groups to remain calm, steady and grateful to be alive. Recovery makes us into capable warriors and lovers of life; with that mindset, we can overcome anything.
2. “Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency.”
Becoming and staying clean and sober require quite a few virtues. The first ones that come to my mind are self-control, self-respect, patience, and persistence. This is one of the Maya Angelou quotes that states that courage is essential ingredient to all of these traits. You showed courage by taking that daunting leap into recovery. You are brave when you are honest about your shortcomings and when you make amends. It takes so much courage to truly open up, confront yourself and release your grip on toxic coping mechanisms. You ARE brave, and I hope that by acknowledging your own acts of courage, it will compel you to keep making the right choices.
3. “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
Your life is a lush, malleable story. You can shape it and share it. By revealing the wounds, pits, stitches and triumphs in your story, you open up to healing. Best of all, you invite others to feel safe and valued enough to write and share their own stories. The more light we shine on addiction, the more we can banish the stigma, fear and shame that pushes people away from recovery.
4. “Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.”
Whether you’re 20 days or 20 years sober, you can be an encouragement and inspiration to other people who need to hear about your addiction, what prompted you to change or how you handled rehab. You can show them what genuine recovery looks like. They need to hear how you handle down days and what you do for fun. As you speak at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, share inspirational quotes on your social media page, or encourage friends to persevere as they make healthy choices, take Maya Angelou’s advice and be a bright and hopeful person who illuminates the lives of others.
5. “As soon as healing takes place, go out and heal somebody else.”
I find that stability and happiness in recovery is best reinforced by offering it to others. Fellowship works for this very reason. When you offer hope to another, that hope shines back on you. So when you’re ready and willing, become an AA sponsor, moderate a productive online recovery forum or find other unique ways to nurture the world around you.
I share these Maya Angelou quotes because I know how challenging recovery can be. You need all of the hope, inspiration, and motivation you can get. Are there any other quotes that you cherish as fuel for your recovery?
Morningside Recovery Believes in Maya Angelou Quotes
At Morningside Recovery, we believe people can find inspiration for recovery anywhere. Maya Angelou quotes are an amazing source of inspiration and empowerment for many of our clients. These quotes help them engage in our rehab programs, addiction therapy services, and substance abuse treatment plans. To learn more about Morningside Recovery, call us today at 855-631-2135.