Finding inspiring quotes for dark times — and what gets darker than a global pandemic — can be a bit of a challenge. It’s hard to find the words to get you through day after day of quarantine with no clear direction of where we’ll all be in the next six months.
But we’re going to try.
In the following article, we’ll be turning to different personalities from today and history to give us their best thoughts on what it means to get inspired. Let’s begin!
1. “I don’t think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains.” — Anne Frank
If anyone had a reason to focus on misery, it was Anne Frank, who shared these thoughts while writing in her journal during World War II. She would ultimately die inside of a concentration camp. To still put out thoughts like this when her future was so uncertain and present so miserable, it speaks to the incredible power of hope.
2. “You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life.” — Anonymous
While it is not clear who said this one, the sentiment is true and very easy to follow if you’ve ever come through a hard time in your life. Remember that you may not get out of it today or tomorrow, but the current times will eventually fade or transform into a new normal that you’re capable of handling.
3. “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” — Albus Dumbledore
Harry Potter knew some dark times, but he also had some wise teachers to get him through. Any time you find yourself in a room full of darkness, slow down, put your hands out in front of you, shuffle your feet ever-so-lightly to keep from stubbing your toes, and keep working the walls until you find that switch!
4. “Sometimes it takes 10 years to get to that one year that will change your life. Keep going.” — @iamFearlessSoul
A 10-to-1 trade-off may not seem fair. However, there’s a lot of truth in the fact that continuing to persevere may set up some of the best years of your life. Look at any late-in-life bloomer such as Jerry Stiller, who didn’t find his signature role of Frank Costanza until the latter portion of his life. He appeared in 26 episodes of the landmark sitcom and stole almost every scene he was in. For years to come, people will be mimicking his “Serenity Now!” Before that role, he was met with limited spurts of success.
5. “In a dark time, the eye begins to see.” — Theodore Roethke
The quote seems contradictory in a way, but there is great wisdom in it. Think about what your eyes do in a room or environment filled with light. They tend to zone out after a while and there is much happening around you that you’re not aware of. Not the case in the dark! You realize you need all your senses and focus to see clearly, and that extra mindfulness helps you gain more clarity than you would otherwise.
6. “In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.” — Francis Bacon
Mr. Bacon understood something about contrasts. How does one know good if there is no evil? How does one know easy without the hard? You don’t have to be happy about what we’re going through in these dark times, but you do need to recognize there is another side of the coin entirely, and it’s up to you to flip it. Are you in a place to pull that off?
7. “I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.” — Douglas Adams
This quote, scribed by the author of A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, is a wonderful reminder that we can come out the other side of darkness and the unexpected with a more fulfilling state of existence. You just can’t dwell on the past or the misery of the present. You instead need to be open to opportunities that might come your way as a result of your setbacks. Not always easy to do, but necessary!
8. “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” — Christopher Reeve
A very special quote considering that it comes from Superman himself! Reeve certainly faced his share of hardship in the years following his iconic role. Having been paralyzed from the neck down after an equestrian accident, he continued to inspire and provide hope to others in similar circumstances. The paralyzed version of Reeve was actually much more of a hero than the character he played because he inspired others. The lesson here is clear. You’ve already got the tools to be a hero. Just look for the places where you can do the most good.
9. “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” — Dale Carnegie
When the human brain puts its mind to something, it can accomplish great things. When many human brains get together working to the same purpose, there are virtually no limits. Look at the progress that has been made on Coronavirus despite the way it seized our way of life suddenly and without much warning. We’re now at a place where there has been successful vaccine testing (thanks Moderna) and the real possibility of a vaccine by next year. We’ve also learned valuable lessons about the spread of it, and that will keep future outbreaks from not being as cataclysmic.
That may not seem like progress, but considering where we were two months ago, we’ve come a long way. We just have to persevere and put our collective talents together. And we have to help each other through emotionally as well.
10. “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt
The former President of the United States guided America through both the Great Depression and World War II. He did this while afflicted with polio, which, at the time, there was no cure for. President Roosevelt had many occasions where he would need to heed his own advice. And he did just that. It got the country through a lot of rough times. But it also didn’t work for everyone. He had to find the best solution he could for the times, but inequalities did not mean every group of people came out of those rough patches at the same time. They had to tie their own knots as well.
The lesson: keep going. Don’t expect a one-size-fits-all solution. Always be adjusting your efforts to fit the times. Hardships do not find people equally, but they can be overcome.
We Hope These Inspiring Quotes for Dark Times Help
These hand-selected inspiring quotes for dark times are some of our favorites, and we hope they are some of yours as well. If you’ve found any good ones that you wouldn’t mind sharing with us, please do so in the comments section below. Otherwise, keep pressing on, and thank you for reading!
Aric Mitchell's work appears regularly here at 4tests.com and across the web for sites, such as The Inquisitr and Life'd. A former high school teacher, his passion for education has only intensified since leaving the classroom. At 4tests, he hopes to continue passing along words of encouragement and study tips to ensure you leave school ready to face an ever-changing world.
