Sometimes, life throws curveballs that leave us scratching our heads. In moments of confusion or frustration, a simple phrase can help us accept and move on: “It is what it is.” These words carry a sense of peace and surrender, reminding us that not everything is within our control.
This article rounds up some of the best “It is what it is” quotes. Each one offers wisdom, comfort, and a bit of humor. Whether you need a lift or a new perspective, these quotes have got you covered. Let’s dive in and find the one that speaks to you.
Understanding It Is What It Is Quotes
“Accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be.” – Sonia Ricotti
“Sometimes you just have to accept that some people are shitty humans and stop wasting your time trying to change them.” – Unknown
“The only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying; the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving.” – Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love
“We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.” – Joseph Campbell
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality.” – Lao Tzu
“It is what it is, but it will become what you make of it.” – Unknown
“Growth begins when we start to accept our own weakness.” – Jean Vanier
“If things start happening, don’t worry, don’t stew, just go right along and you’ll start happening too.” – Dr. Seuss
“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.” – Philip K. Dick
“You can’t change what’s going on around you until you start changing what’s going on within you.” – Unknown
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” – Alan Watts
“Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.” – Paulo Coelho
“Everything that happens happens as it should, and if you observe carefully, you will find this to be so.” – Marcus Aurelius
“Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise.” – Victor Hugo, Les Misérables
“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” – Leonard Cohen
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Whatever the situation, just take it as it is: just be with it.” – Unknown
“We are troubled, but we have hope; frustrated, but we get back up.” – Unknown
“You can’t always control what happens, but you can control how you react.” – Unknown
“What appears to be the end is often the start of a new beginning.” – Unknown
“The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.” – Ernest Hemingway
“Sometimes the best thing you can do is not think, not wonder, not imagine, not obsess. Just breathe, and have faith that everything will work out for the best.” – Unknown
“Reality leaves a lot to the imagination.” – John Lennon
“This too, shall pass.” – Unknown
“we all just want someone that chooses us. Over everyone else, under any circumstances.” – Unknown
“Sometimes we create our own heartbreaks through expectation.” – Unknown
“You must learn to let go. Release the stress. You were never in control anyway.” – Steve Maraboli
“When it is all finished, you will discover it was never random.” – Unknown
“Everything in life that we really accept undergoes a change. So suffering must become love. That is the mystery.” – Katherine Mansfield
“By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before.” – Edwin Elliot
“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” – Sam Levenson
“Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.” – Dalai Lama
Wisdom in It Is What It Is Quotes
“Sometimes you just have to accept things as they are and move on. It’s not giving up, it’s growing up.” – Unknown
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” – Robert Frost
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” – Viktor E. Frankl
“Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” – Lao Tzu
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow.” – Lao Tzu
“You must let go of the life you planned in order to make room for the life that is waiting for you.” – Joseph Campbell
“I accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be.” – Anonymous
“It is what it is. Accept it and move on. It’s easy to get stuck in the past, but you can’t change it.” – Anonymous
“What we have to learn is to accept what the universe dishes out and just keep moving forward.” – Harvey Fierstein
“It’s not the events of our lives that shape us, but our beliefs as to what those events mean.” – Tony Robbins
“At some point, you have to let go of what you thought should happen and live in what is happening.” – Anonymous
“Don’t waste your energy trying to change opinions. Do your thing, and don’t care if they like it.” – Tina Fey
“Accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be.” – Sonia Ricotti
“You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” – Alan Watts
“Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” – John Wooden
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” – Marie Curie
“It is what it is, but you have the power to turn it into an ‘it is what you make it’ scenario.” – Anonymous
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.” – Albert Einstein
“To love what you do and feel that it matters, how could anything be more fun?” – Katharine Graham
“In this world, there are things you can control and things you cannot. Learn to make the distinction and let go of the rest.” – Anonymous
“No matter how much suffering you went through, you never wanted to let go of those memories.” – Haruki Murakami
“The art of life is a constant readjustment to our surroundings.” – Kakuzo Okakura
“You cannot control the wind, but you can adjust your sails.” – Dolly Parton
“When you accept rather than expect, you’ll have fewer disappointments.” – Unknown
“What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“It is what it is. Sometimes you just have to chalk it up and carry on.” – Anonymous
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” – Dr. Seuss
“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” – Maya Angelou
“Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” – John Lennon
“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
Everyday Life and It Is What It Is Quotes
“Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.” – William James
“Sometimes you just have to accept things for what they are and move on.” – Unknown
“Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” – Charles R. Swindoll
“Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be.” – Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” – Alan Watts
“You cannot control everything that happens to you; you can only control the way you respond to what happens. In your response is your power.” – Anonymous
“Life is full of unexpected twists and turns. It is what it is.” – Unknown
“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.” – Philip K. Dick
“The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.” – Ernest Hemingway
“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.” – Randy Pausch
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” – Epictetus
“Things change. And friends leave. Life doesn’t stop for anybody.” – Stephen Chbosky
“Let go of the past so that God can open the door to your future.” – Joel Osteen
“It is what it is. Don’t stress over what you can’t change.” – Anonymous
“Reality leaves a lot to the imagination.” – John Lennon
“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” – Haruki Murakami
“Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if it’s less good than the one you had before.” – Elizabeth Edwards
“it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“No matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.” – Maya Angelou
“C’est la vie! That’s just how things are, and life goes on.” – Unknown
“Wherever you are, be all there.” – Jim Elliot
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
“Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward.” – Victor Kiam
“Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day.” – Alice Morse Earle
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” – Buddha
“The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost
“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” – Vivian Greene
“The only way to deal with the unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” – Albert Camus
“What’s done is done; what’s gone is gone. One of life’s lessons is always moving on.” – Anonymous
“You are not a product of your circumstances, but a product of your decisions.” – Stephen Covey
Famous It Is What It Is Quotes
“It is what it is. You are what you it. There are no mistakes.” – Tom Robbins
“Sometimes you just have to accept things as they are and move on. It is what it is.” – Unknown
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. It is what it is.” – Buddha
“Life is about accepting the good and the bad. It is what it is.” – Unknown
“In times of trial, we must remember that it is what it is and we must forge ahead.” – Oscar Wilde
“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away. It is what it is.” – Philip K. Dick
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on. It is what it is.” – Robert Frost
“To be content means that you realize you contain what you seek. It is what it is.” – Alan Cohen
“The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think. It is what it is.” – Horace Walpole
“Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune. It is what it is.” – William James
“You can’t change what has already happened; you can only move forward. It is what it is.” – Unknown
“True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us. It is what it is.” – Socrates
“Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation; it means understanding that something is what it is and that there’s got to be a way through it.” – Michael J. Fox
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. It is what it is.” – Alan Watts
“Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans. It is what it is.” – John Lennon
“Happiness can exist only in acceptance. It is what it is.” – George Orwell
“In accepting the worst, we are not losing out but gaining the freedom and peace of mind. It is what it is.” – Lao Tzu
“Every moment of life is the essence of its beauty. It is what it is.” – Marcus Aurelius
“You cannot find peace by avoiding life. It is what it is.” – Virginia Woolf
“What will be, will be. Our task is to remain peaceful amidst the chaos. It is what it is.” – Unknown
“Life’s under no obligation to give us what we expect. It is what it is.” – Margaret Mitchell
“Accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be. It is what it is.” – Sonia Ricotti
“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly. It is what it is.” – Buddha
“The trick is to enjoy life. Don’t wish away your days, waiting for better ones ahead. It is what it is.” – Marjorie Pay Hinckley
“Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear. It is what it is.” – George Orwell
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. It is what it is.” – Lao Tzu
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. It is what it is.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Strength is the ability to accept the world exactly how it is. It is what it is.” – Unknown
“When nothing is certain, anything is possible. It is what it is.” – Margaret Drabble
“You’ve got to accept the world as it is, and we have to live in the moment. It is what it is.” – Michelle Obama
“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts. It is what it is.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Motivational It Is What It Is Quotes
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” – Lao Tzu
“To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring.” – George Santayana
“Whatever happens, take responsibility.” – Tony Robbins
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” – Alan Watts
“The art of life is a constant readjustment to our surroundings.” – Kakuzo Okakura
“There’s nowhere you can be that isn’t where you’re meant to be.” – John Lennon
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” – Epictetus
“What we face may look insurmountable. But I learned something from all those years of training and competing. I learned something from all those sets and reps when I didn’t think I could lift another ounce of weight. What I learned is that we are always stronger than we know.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger
“Sometimes you have to let life turn you upside down so you can learn how to live right side up.” – Unknown
“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” – Charles Darwin
“Happiness can exist only in acceptance.” – George Orwell
“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” – Abraham Lincoln
“You can’t control the wind, but you can adjust your sails.” – Yiddish Proverb
“A bend in the road is not the end of the road… unless you fail to make the turn.” – Helen Keller
“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” – Rumi
“The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.” – Nathaniel Branden
“Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” – Charles R. Swindoll
“Maturity is the ability to live in the present, moment to moment, accepting what comes and not needing it to be otherwise.” – David Richo
“Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation; it means understanding that something is what it is and that there’s got to be a way through it.” – Michael J. Fox
“it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln
“It is what it is, but it will become what you make of it.” – Pat Summitt
“Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge.” – Eckhart Tolle
“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” – William Faulkner
“Adaptability is about the powerful difference between adapting to cope and adapting to win.” – Max McKeown
“It is what it is. You are what you it. There are no mistakes.” – Tom Robbins
“Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.” – Bernice Johnson Reagon
“The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be.” – Marcel Pagnol
“It’s not about perfect. It’s about effort. And when you bring that effort every single day, that’s where transformation happens. That’s how change occurs.” – Jillian Michaels
“Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” – John Wooden
“Resistance creates suffering. Stress happens when your mind resists what is. The only problem in your life is your mind’s resistance to life as it unfolds.” – Dan Millman
“The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” – Socrates
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” – Viktor Frankl
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” – Robert Frost
Philosophical It Is What It Is Quotes
“It is what it is, but it will become what you make of it.” – Unknown
“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.” – Philip K. Dick
“Accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be.” – Sonia Ricotti
“Life is ten percent what happens to us and ninety percent how we respond to it.” – Charles R. Swindoll
“The world is not what it seems, just as the sea is not what it seems to the land-dweller.” – Unknown
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” – Alan Watts
“It is what it is, not what it should have been, not what will it be. Just as it is.” – Unknown
“Wisdom begins in wonder.” – Socrates
“The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.” – Oprah Winfrey
“Something has ended. This is a new beginning.” – Charles Bukowski
“What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.” – Charles Bukowski
“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” – Socrates
“Reality leaves a lot to the imagination.” – John Lennon
“It is what it is, but it can become what you make it.” – Unknown
“We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are.” – Anaïs Nin
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” – Robert Frost
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” – Socrates
“When you realize nothing is lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” – Lao Tzu
“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.” – Søren Kierkegaard
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” – Oscar Wilde
“It is what it is; you are where you are; your life is your own to shape.” – Unknown
“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” – William Faulkner
“No matter where you go, there you are.” – Confucius
“What we call reality is an agreement that people have arrived at to make life more livable.” – Louise Nevelson
“There are no facts, only interpretations.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.” – Marcus Aurelius
“The only thing that is constant is change.” – Heraclitus
“It is what it is until you make it something different.” – Unknown
“Be still and the world will reveal itself to you.” – Lao Tzu
“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” – Confucius
“The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Humor in It Is What It Is Quotes
“Life is like a box of chocolates – sometimes you get the chewy caramel, and other times you get the one with the surprise nut. It is what it is.” – Forrest Gump
“When everything’s coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane. It is what it is.” – Steven Wright
“My life has a superb cast, but I can’t figure out the plot. It is what it is.” – Ashleigh Brilliant
“You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need. It is what it is.” – The Rolling Stones
“Today me will live in the moment, unless it’s unpleasant, in which case me will eat a cookie. It is what it is.” – Cookie Monster
“I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying. It is what it is.” – Oscar Wilde
“Some days you’re the dog, some days you’re the hydrant. It is what it is.” – Unknown
“It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them. It is what it is.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. It is what it is.” – Will Rogers
“Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow just as well. It is what it is.” – Mark Twain
“Humor is just another defense against the universe. It is what it is.” – Mel Brooks
“I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food. It is what it is.” – W.C. Fields
“Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak. It is what it is.” – Alan Dundes
“Insanity is hereditary; you get it from your children. It is what it is.” – Sam Levenson
“The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat. It is what it is.” – Lily Tomlin
“The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces. It is what it is.” – Will Rogers
“Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won’t expect it back. It is what it is.” – Oscar Wilde
“Why do they call it rush hour when nothing moves? It is what it is.” – Robin Williams
“If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving definitely isn’t for you. It is what it is.” – Steven Wright
“A day without sunshine is like, you know, night. It is what it is.” – Steve Martin
“I’m writing a book. I’ve got the page numbers done. It is what it is.” – Steven Wright
“Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes. It is what it is.” – Jim Carrey
“Well-behaved women seldom make history. It is what it is.” – Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
“I used to be indecisive, but now I’m not so sure. It is what it is.” – Unknown
“Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward. It is what it is.” – Kurt Vonnegut
“Reality continues to ruin my life. It is what it is.” – Bill Watterson
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe. It is what it is.” – Albert Einstein
“If you think nobody cares if you’re alive, try missing a couple of car payments. It is what it is.” – Earl Wilson
“The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs… one step at a time. It is what it is.” – Joe Girard
“Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died. It is what it is.” – Erma Bombeck
“A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. It is what it is.” – Steven Wright
“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt. It is what it is.” – Abraham Lincoln
Last Words
Wrapping up, “It is what it is” quotes remind us of the power in accepting life as it comes. They teach us to let go of stress and focus on what we can control. These quotes help us see that sometimes, the best thing we can do is acknowledge reality and move forward.
Whether you’re dealing with small daily struggles or facing bigger challenges, these quotes offer a simple yet profound way to cope. Keep them in mind the next time you need a bit of wisdom or comfort. They might just provide the perspective you need to find peace in any situation.
