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40 Quotes About Change That Will Make You Optimistic About the Future

If you're looking for words of encouragement and inspiration, these quotes about change will light a motivating spark from within.

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Get inspired by these powerful quotes about change

There’s no doubt change can be intimidating. Everyone has habits and routines they’re comfortable in, and the thought of trying something out of your comfort zone can feel overwhelming. It’s tempting to keep things as they are for the sake of familiarity.

However, it’s essential that we look at the possibilities that come from change. Change can bring peace and awareness, as well as catapult us into a future we only once dreamed of. Change helps us understand our circumstances, come to terms with what’s done, and truly grow. We could all use some inspiration to make changes, though, which is where these quotes about change come into play. These uplifting and life-changing quotes will inspire you to break out of your shell and start a new chapter. After reading these quotes about change, bookmark these quotes about life being short for more motivation.

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Nathaniel Branden Change Quotesrd.com

1. “The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.”—Nathaniel Branden. Read these patience quotes if you need inspiration for peaceful persistence.

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Barack Obama Change Quotesrd.com

2. “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”—Barack Obama. This is definitely one of those quotes that fill you with confidence about the future.

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Mahatma Gandhi Change Quotesrd.com

3. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”—Mahatma Gandhi. This can also double as a good graduation quote to share with an upcoming graduate.

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Gilda Radner Change Quotesrd.com

4. “Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next.”—Gilda Radner. Don’t forget to bookmark these gratitude quotes that make you feel truly blessed.

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Margaret Mead Change Quotesrd.com

5. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”—Margaret Mead. A truly inspiring quote about teamwork and change.

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Rumi Change Quotesrd.com

6. “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”—Rumi. Read these inspiring self-love quotes that make you feel like a million bucks.

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Gail Sheehy Change Quotesrd.com

7. “If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living.”—Gail Sheehy. This is a quote that inspires you to be yourself and grow as needed.

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Roy T Bennett Change Quotesrd.com

8. “You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.”—Roy T. Bennett. This is one of those hopeful quotes about change that really inspires action. 

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Maya Angelou Change Quotesrd.com

9. “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”—Maya Angelou. One of her most inspiring quotes!

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Andy Warhol Change Quotesrd.com

10. “They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”—Andy Warhol. Talk about a strong quote that motivates change. 

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Taylor Swift Change Quotesrd.com

11. “This is a new year. A new beginning. And things will change.”—Taylor Swift 

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Jfk Change Quotesrd.com

12. “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”—John F. Kennedy

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Madonna Change Quotesrd.com

13. “No matter who you are, no matter what you did, no matter where you’ve come from, you can always change, become a better version of yourself.”—Madonna

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Winston Churchill Change Quotesrd.com

14. “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”—Winston Churchill

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Bob Dylan Change Quotesrd.com

15. “There is nothing so stable as change.”—Bob Dylan

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Harrison Ford Change Quotesrd.com

16. “We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance.”—Harrison Ford

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Haruki Murakami Change Quotesrd.com

17. “When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”—Haruki Murakami

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Steve Jobs Change Quotesrd.com

18. “Things don’t have to change the world to be important.”—Steve Jobs

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Socrates Change Quotesrd.com

19. “Let him who would move the world first move himself.”—Socrates

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Leo Tolstoy Change Quotesrd.com

20. “True life is lived when tiny changes occur.”—Leo Tolstoy

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Aristotle Change Quotesrd.com

21. “Change in all things is sweet.”—Aristotle

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Hellen Keller Change Quotesrd.com

22. “A bend in the road is not the end of the road…unless you fail to make the turn.”—Helen Keller

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Norman Vincent Peale Change Quotesrd.com

23. “Change your thoughts and you change your world.”—Norman Vincent Peale

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Robin Sharma Change Quotesrd.com

24. “Change is hardest at the beginning, messiest in the middle and best at the end.”—Robin Sharma

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H Jackson Brown Jr Change Quotesrd.com

25. “Remember that life’s big changes rarely give advance warning.”—H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

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Richad Bach Change Quotesrd.com

26. “A tiny change today brings a dramatically different tomorrow.”—Richard Bach

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Carol Burnett Change Quotesrd.com

27. “Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.”—Carol Burnett

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Alain De Botton Change Quotesrd.com

28. “Anyone who isn’t embarrassed of who they were last year probably isn’t learning enough.”—Alain de Botton

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Simone De Beauvoir Change Quotesrd.com

29. “Change your life today. Don’t gamble on the future, act now, without delay.”—Simone de Beauvoir

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Stephen King Change Quoterd.com

30. “A change is as good as a rest.”—Stephen King

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Stephen Covey Change Quotesrd.com

31. “There are three constants in life…change, choice and principles.”—Stephen Covey

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Jimmy Dean Change Quotesrd.com

32. “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”—Jimmy Dean

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Randy Pausch Change Quotesrd.com

33. “We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the game.”—Randy Pausch

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Rosanne Cash Change Quoterd.com

34. “The key to change…is to let go of fear.”—Rosanne Cash

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Marv Levy Change Quotesrd.com

35. “If you don’t change with the times, the times are going to change you.”—Marv Levy. Read more quotes about time that will make you grateful for every second.

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Kate Winslet Change Quotesrd.com

36. “The good and bad things are what form us as people…change makes us grow.”—Kate Winslet 

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Alexandria Ocasio Cortez Change Quotesrd.com

37. “Change takes courage.”—Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

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Cheryl James Change Quoterd.com

38. “Change is not an event, it’s a process.”—Cheryl James 

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Sean Higgins Change Quotesrd.com

39. “Every day the clock resets. Your wins don’t matter. Your failures don’t matter. Don’t stress on what was, fight for what could be.”—Sean Higgins

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Heraclitus Change Quotesrd.com

40. “Nothing endures but change.”—Heraclitus

Read on for some more words of encouragement to help motivate you on a tough day.

Kelly Kuehn
Kelly Kuehn is an associate editor for Reader’s Digest covering entertainment, trivia and history. When she’s not writing you can find her watching the latest and greatest movies, listening to a true-crime podcast (or two), blasting ‘90s music and hiking with her dog, Ryker, throughout the Finger Lakes.