27 Inspirational Quotes That Will Give You Hope and Strength During Hard Times

There are joys in life but there are also sorrows. Sometimes these sorrows are of the every day kind — sad, but survivable. Other sorrows affect us so profoundly, so significantly and indelibly that we instinctively know life will never be the same. We wonder how we can make it through another day.

I have been through such times. I have also walked with children, adults, and families through such times. That is how I know that hope can be found in even the most difficult seasons of life. At the most painful moments in our lives, when everything is peeled away and stripped bare, when it seems that nothing is left, I know that there is hope.

Even the smallest amount can make the greatest difference. Hope and resilience are what help us set goals and affect change, to persevere in the face of life challenges and thrive.

So no matter what you’re going through, know that you are not alone. You’ll get through this.

Below are 27 hope quotes to give you strength and inspiration during hard times.

1. Out of difficulties grow miracles.

   — Jean de la Bruyère

2. There is an alchemy in sorrow. It can be transmuted into wisdom, which, if it does not bring joy, can yet bring happiness.
   — Pearl S. Buck

3. You are full of unshaped dreams. You are laden with beginnings…There is hope in you…
   — Lola Ridge

4. Whether you’ve seen angels floating around your bedroom or just found a ray of hope at a lonely moment, choosing to believe that something unseen is caring for you can be a life-shifting exercise.

   — Martha Beck

5. We must accept infinite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. 
   — Martin Luther King, Jr.

6. I don’t think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains. 
   — Anne Frank

7. A lesson for all of us is that for every loss, there is victory, for every sadness, there is joy, and when you think you've lost everything, there is hope.
   — Geraldine Solon

8. There is some good in this world, and it's worth fighting for.
   — J.R.R. Tolkien

9. Hope never abandons you; you abandon it.
   — George Weinberg

10. We always kept in our hearts the most noble, beautiful feeling that sets human beings apart: Hope.
    — Manel Loureiro

11. Hope. It’s like a drop of honey, a field of tulips blooming in the springtime. It’s a fresh rain, a whispered promise, a cloudless sky, the perfect punctuation mark at the end of a sentence. And it’s the only thing in the world keeping me afloat.
    — Tahereh Mafi

12. Everything that is done in this world is done by hope.
    — Martin Luther

13. If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream.

    — Martin Luther King Jr.

14. There is a saying in Tibetan, ‘Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.’ No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that’s our real disaster.
    — Dalai Lama XIV

15. The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof.
    — Barbara Kingsolver

16. To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something.
    — Howard Zinn

17. We need never be hopeless because we can never be irreperably broken.”
    — John Green

18. We can never give up longing and wishing while we are thoroughly alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger after them.

    —George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss

19. To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget.

    —Arundhati Roy, The Cost of Living

20. Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.

    ― Rachel Carson, Silent Spring

21. You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.

    ― Maya Angelou, Letter to My Daughter

22. “There is neither happiness nor misery in the world; there is only the comparison of one state with another, nothing more. He who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience supreme happiness. We must have felt what it is to die, Morrel, that we may appreciate the enjoyments of life. 
    " Live, then, and be happy, beloved children of my heart, and never forget, that until the day God will deign to reveal the future to man, all human wisdom is contained in these two words, 'Wait and Hope.” 
    ― Alexandre Dumas

23. But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.
    ― Martin Luther King, Jr.

24. “It's going to be all right, sir," Harry said over and over again, more worried by Dumbledore's silence than he had been by his weakened voice. "We're nearly there ... I can Apparate us both back ... don't worry ..."
    "I am not worried, Harry," said Dumbledore, his voice a little stronger despite the freezing water. "I am with you.” 
    ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

25. to love life, to love it even
    when you have no stomach for it
    and everything you've held dear
    crumbles like burnt paper in your hands,
    your throat filled with the silt of it.
    When grief sits with you, its tropical heat
    thickening the air, heavy as water
    more fit for gills than lungs;
    when grief weights you like your own flesh
    only more of it, an obesity of grief,
    you think, How can a body withstand this?
    Then you hold life like a face
    between your palms, a plain face,
    no charming smile, no violet eyes,
    and you say, yes, I will take you
    I will love you, again. 
    ― Ellen Bass

26. A star falls from the sky and into your hands. Then it seeps through your veins and swims inside your blood and becomes every part of you. And then you have to put it back into the sky. And it's the most painful thing you'll ever have to do and that you've ever done. But what's yours is yours. Whether it’s up in the sky or here in your hands. And one day, it'll fall from the sky and hit you in the head real hard and that time, you won't have to put it back in the sky again.
    ― C. JoyBell C.

27. To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.
    ― G.K. Chesterton

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Victoria Chialy Smith, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist providing individual therapy to children, teens, and adults. Our practice provides Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness based therapies, and other premier evidence-based treatments, and serves the Falls Church, McLean, Great Falls, Vienna, Arlington, Alexandria, and the greater Washington DC region. Call, email, or schedule an appointment with us online today. We’re happy to help!

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26 Depression Resources for Kids, Teens, and Parents

It’s hard to know what to do when your child is feeling depressed — how to find out what’s going on, where to turn, who to go to for help. It’s natural to feel overwhelmed, wanting to support them but not quite sure how.

Below are some resources that may be helpful to kids and teens experiencing depression and their parents.

Associations

Anxiety and Depression Association of America — Anxiety and Depression in Children

Depression and Bipolar Association of America

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry - Depression Resource Center

National Alliance on Mental Illness - Guide to What Families Need to Know About Adolescent Depression

Organizations

Many of these organizations are dedicated to the transforming the lives of children and teens living with depression, providing education, guides, and support.

Child Mind Institute — Depression: Helpful guides, Ask An Expert, and Stories of How Kids and Teens Coped with Depression

National Institute of Mental Health — Teen Depression

Balanced Mind Parent Network: Information for parents raising children with mood disorders to answers, support, and stability

HealthLink BC - Depression in Children and Teens

The Whole Child: Great guides which are developmentally categorized by age group

Teen Mental Health.org - Depression

The Jed Foundation: accessible resources to support mental health and reduce stigma in teens and young adults. started by parents who lost their youngest son Jed to suicide.

Families for Depression Awareness

Research Studies and Clinical Trials

NIMH Research Studies (Enrolling Nationally): Studies to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illness

Hotlines and Crisis Resources

If you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255: Provides 24/7 free and confidential support

National Safe Place: Provides access to immediate help and supportive resources for young people in crisis through a network of qualified agencies, trained volunteers and businesses

Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386: Crisis Intervention and suicide prevention for LGBT youth

PRS CrisisLink Hotline and Textline : 703-527-4077 or Text "CONNECT" to 855-11: Free confidential line open 24/7 serving Northern Virginia and Washington DC, staffed with crisis line workers who care and can connect you to referrals

Books

• Conquer Negative Thinking for Teens: A Workbook to Break the Nine Thought Habits That Are Holding You Back by Mary Alvord and Anne McGrath

• Don't Let Your Emotions Run Your Life for Teens: Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills for Helping You Manage Mood Swings, Control Angry Outbursts, and ... with Others (Instant Help Book for Teens) by Sheri van Dijk

• How To Get Unstuck From The Negative Muck: A Kid's Guide To Getting Rid Of Negative Thinking by Lake Sullivan PhD

• Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman, Joan Declaire

• How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish

• How to Talk so Teens Will Listen and Listen so Teens Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish

• The Highly Sensitive Child: Helping Our Children Thrive When The World Overwhelms Themby Elaine Aron

Helpful Articles

Can Preschoolers Be Depressed? (NY Times)

A Teenager’s Guide to Depression by HelpGuide.org

What resources have you found helpful for your child or teen? If you have any other resources that might be helpful for others, let us know in the comments below!

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Victoria Chialy Smith, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist providing individual therapy to children, teens, and adults. Our practice provides Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness based therapies, and other premier evidence-based treatments, and serves the Falls Church, McLean, Great Falls, Vienna, Arlington, Alexandria, and the greater Washington DC region. Call, email, or schedule an appointment with us online today. We’re happy to help!

28 Anxiety Resources for Adults

We all experience anxiety, but sometimes it can become overwhelming and begin to interfere with your daily functioning and quality of life. It can be difficult to find resources to help. Here, we list websites, books, organizations, apps, and videos for valuable information and support.

Organizations

These organizations provide invaluable information on anxiety and how to cope with them. They also provide listings of resources you may find helpful.

Anxiety and Depression Association of America

https://adaa.org/

American Psychological Association

http://www.apa.org/topics/anxiety/index.aspx

National Institute of Mental Health

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml

National Alliance on Mental Illness

https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Anxiety-Disorders

Websites

These websites provide helpful information, handouts, and resources on anxiety and learning to cope with it.

Anxiety BC

https://www.anxietybc.com/

Anxiety.org

https://www.anxiety.org/

Anxiety Boss

https://anxietyboss.com/

PsychCentral

https://psychcentral.com/disorders/anxiety/

Blogs and Community

Websites and forums featuring individuals writing about their journeys toward overcoming anxiety.

The Mighty - Anxiety

https://themighty.com/topic/anxiety/

Thought Catalog - Anxiety

https://thoughtcatalog.com/tag/anxiety/

Healthy Place: Anxiety Schmanxiety

https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/anxiety-schmanxiety

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Director’s Messages.

Offers the latest news on mental health research and a nice overview

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/director/messages/index.shtml

Psych Central: Fearless: Breaking Anxiety Down

https://blogs.psychcentral.com/fearless/

Reddit/Anxiety

https://www.reddit.com/r/Anxiety/

Mindfulness Exercises for Anxiety (Online)

Mindfulness Exercises

https://mindfulwaythroughanxiety.com/exercises/

22 Mindfulness Exercises for Adults

https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/mindfulness-exercises-techniques-activities/

Anxiety Apps

Headspace

https://www.headspace.com/how-it-works

Breathe2Relax

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/breathe2relax/id425720246?mt=8

Calm

https://www.calm.com/

Books for Anxiety

These books are often recommended to patients by psychologists who treat anxiety, and are written by clinical experts in the field.

The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook

Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life by Steven Hayes and Spencer Smith

ACT Made Simple: An Easy to Read Primer on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Russ Harris and Steven Hayes

The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety by John Forsyth and Georg Eifert

Mastery of Your Anxiety by Michelle Craske and David Barlow

Mastery of Your Anxiety and Panic by David Barlow

Videos

15 Best TED Talks for Anxiety, Stress, and Fear

Clinical Trials

Opportunities to participate in clinical trials and NIH funded studies to better understand anxiety and develop effective treatments.

National Institute of Mental Health - Clinical Trials

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/trials/anxiety-disorders.shtml

What resources have you found helpful in managing your anxiety? If you have any other resources that might be helpful for others, let us know in the comments below!

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Victoria Chialy Smith, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist providing individual therapy to children, teens, and adults. Our practice provides Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness based therapies, and other premier evidence-based treatments, and serves the Falls Church, McLean, Great Falls, Vienna, Arlington, Alexandria, and the greater Washington DC region. Call, email, or schedule an appointment with us online today. We’re happy to help!

3 Ways to Grow from Pain

“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”

— Rumi

Life is beautiful but it is also hard — painfully so. We lose our loved ones. We try and we fail. We struggle. We experience disappointment. We lose hope. 

Suffering is an inevitable part of life, touching each of us in different ways. Some of us may be new to it, struggling to know what to do with the pain in what had otherwise been a quiet, peaceful existence. Others may find themselves more embittered and hardened. When working through darkness, it can be difficult to see how we will ever survive it.

But hope and life again are possible. I know this from my life as a clinical psychologist working with survivors of car accidents, cancer, health crises, and depression. But I also know it from personal experience. The pain is real, but it doesn't have to defeat you. It's not easy, and it may be one of the most challenging seasons of your life to work through, but when you get through it—and you will—it can make you even more strong and beautiful. 

The question is, how? How is it that some people experience heartbreak and tragedy and make it out stronger and wiser? How do you transcend the pain and turn it into something good, something whole, something beautiful?

In other words, how do you turn garbage into flowers?

“You are the gardener, and you have in your hands the power to transform garbage into flowers, into fruit, into vegetables... The same thing is true of your happiness and your sorrow. Sorrow, fear, and depression are all a kind of garbage.  These bits of garbage are part of real life, and we must look deeply into their nature.”

— Thich Nhat Hanh

As Thich Nhat Hanh indicates in the quote above, you have the ability to choose what to do with the pain. Although the pain serves as a catalyst for growth, it itself does not lead to growth.  Instead, how we respond to pain an suffering can make all the difference. We must garden and transform it.

1. Embrace it

It's natural to run from the pain and avoid it. But sometimes avoiding and resisting emotions can make them worse. Like a Chinese finger trap, we can get caught in them, and they can intensify.

It can help to spend time reflecting on your emotions and processing the event. What if you turned toward your pain and examined it with compassion and curiosity? What if life can be worth living even with suffering in it? What if multiple things could be true at once—that darkness and light can coexist in life?

2. Find meaning

When we experience difficult times, our fundamental sense of meaning is shattered. Everything we thought we knew has shifted. We may feel as if life is meaningless.

“Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.”

— Viktor E. Frankl

A fundamental aspect of experiencing a difficult, traumatic event then, is making sense of the loss, and working to find meaning and purpose from your pain and suffering. Oftentimes, this search to make sense of the suffering, can lead to significant spiritual growth and strengthened faith. Finding meaning and purpose and reflecting on lessons learned through pain can provide comfort, lead to a greater sense of control, and renewed hope. Participate in activities that bring you joy and solace. Volunteer to help others who may be going through similar journeys.

3. Get support

When going through a difficult time, some of us may want to spend time alone from others. But the opposite — spending time with others who can support you — is important. It's okay to be vulnerable and need others. Let others know how they can help support you. Accept their flowers and meals. Find someone to walk beside you.

 It will take time and effort, but over time this storm in your life will pass. There is hope through embracing pain, finding meaning from it, and getting support. 

What type of suffering and pain have you been experiencing? What has helped you cope with it? I would love to hear your thoughts. Share your comments here.

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in McLean, Falls Church, arlington, and Vienna

Victoria Chialy Smith, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist providing individual therapy to children, teens, and adults. Our practice provides Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness based therapies, and other premier evidence-based treatments, and serves the Falls Church, McLean, Great Falls, Vienna, Arlington, Alexandria, and the greater Washington DC region. Call, email, or schedule an appointment with us online today. We’re happy to help!