Life gets busy. We spend so much time caring for others, often at our own expense. When was the last time you put yourself first? It might feel selfish, but it’s not. Self-care is essential.
In this article, we share the best quotes to remind you to prioritize yourself. These words can inspire you to make your well-being a daily habit. Let’s give yourself the same love and attention you give to others.
Empowering Put Yourself First Quotes
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”
“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.”
“Self-care is not a selfish act; it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer to others.” — Parker Palmer
“Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.”
“You are not required to set yourself on fire to keep others warm.”
“The better you feel about yourself, the less you feel the need to show off.”
“Don’t waste your energy trying to change opinions. Do your thing, and don’t care if they like it.”
“Don’t sacrifice yourself too much, because if you sacrifice too much, there’s nothing else you can give and nobody will care for you.”
“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.”
“Put yourself at the top of your to-do list every single day and the rest will fall into place.”
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.”
“Work on being in love with the person in the mirror who has been through so much but is still standing.”
“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.”
“The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself.”
“To fall in love with yourself is the first secret to happiness.”
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
“Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.”
“When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.”
“You are very powerful, provided you know how powerful you are.”
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”
“Put yourself first. Make decisions on what you need and what will make you happy.”
“By putting yourself first, you teach others how to respect you.”
“Your time is way too valuable to be wasting on people that can’t accept who you are.”
“Self-care means giving yourself permission to pause.”
“You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
“Caring for yourself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation.”
“Do not chase people. Be yourself, do your own thing and work hard. The right people who belong in your life will come to you and stay.”
“The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely.”
“The things that make me different are the things that make me.”
“Don’t rely on someone else for your happiness and self-worth. Only you can be responsible for that.”
“Learning to love yourself is like learning to walk – essential, life-changing, and the only way to stand tall.”
Motivational Quotes on Prioritizing Yourself
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
“Do not wait for someone else to come and speak for you. It’s you who can change the world.”
“Putting yourself first is not selfish. It’s vital for your well-being and happiness.”
“Self-care is how you take your power back.”
“Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.”
“Your time is way too valuable to be wasting on people that can’t accept who you are.”
“Sometimes you need to take a break from everyone and spend time alone to experience, appreciate, and love yourself.”
“You cannot be truly humble unless you take care of yourself first.”
“Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.”
“When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.”
“Self-preservation is an act of political warfare.” – Audre Lorde
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”
“It’s not your job to be everything to everyone.”
“If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.”
“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.”
“You cannot pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.”
“Don’t sacrifice yourself too much, because if you sacrifice too much, there’s nothing else you can give, and nobody will care for you.”
“Make yourself a priority. At the end of the day, you’re your longest commitment.” – Unknown
“It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.”
“You are not required to set yourself on fire to keep other people warm.” – Unknown
“The more you love yourself, the less nonsense you’ll tolerate.”
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.”
“When you say ‘yes’ to others, make sure you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself.”
“Don’t be afraid to lose people. Be afraid of losing yourself by trying to please everyone around you.”
“You owe yourself the love that you so freely give to other people.”
“Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort.”
“Your greatest responsibility is to love yourself and to know you are enough.”
“Self-love is not selfish; you cannot truly love another until you know how to love yourself.”
“Be faithful to that which exists within yourself.”
“Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.”
“Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer serves you, grows you, or makes you happy.”
Quotes on Self-Love and Putting Yourself First
“To fall in love with yourself is the first secret to happiness.” - Robert Morley
“Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin, as self-neglecting.”
“Be faithful to that which exists within yourself.”
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
“Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.”
“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.”
“Put yourself at the top of your to-do list every single day and the rest will fall into place.”
“You’re always with yourself, so you might as well enjoy the company.”
“If you have the ability to love, love yourself first.”
“The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself.” - Steve Maraboli
“One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.”
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
“You are enough just as you are.” - Meghan Markle
“Self-love is asking yourself what you need – every day – and then making sure you receive it.”
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.”
“You yourself are the main character in your story. Make sure you love the protagonist.”
“The hardest challenge is to be yourself in a world where everyone is trying to make you be somebody else.”
“Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.” - Brené Brown
“Do your thing and don’t care if they like it.”
“By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before.”
“Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.”
“When I loved myself enough, I began leaving whatever wasn’t healthy. This meant people, jobs, my own beliefs and habits – anything that kept me small. Now I see it as self-loving.”
“I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art.”
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”
“Lighten up on yourself. No one is perfect. Gently accept your humanness.”
“If you’re searching for that one person that will change your life, take a look in the mirror.”
“Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.” - Unknown
“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”
“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.”
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” - Coco Chanel
Putting Yourself First in Relationships: Quotes
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.”
“You deserve your own love and affection just as much as anybody else.”
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” - Sharon Salzberg
“Don’t neglect yourself in the process of taking care of others.”
“When you start loving yourself, the world starts loving you.”
“Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.”
“You have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.”
“Don’t sacrifice yourself too much, because if you sacrifice too much there’s nothing else you can give and nobody will care for you.”
“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.”
“Talk to yourself like someone you love.”
“Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin, as self-neglecting.”
“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.”
“No other love, no matter how genuine it is, can fulfill one’s heart better than unconditional self-love.”
“Loving yourself isn’t vanity; it’s sanity.” - Katrina Mayer
“Self-respect, self-worth, and self-love, all start with self. Stop looking outside of yourself for your value.”
“The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself.”
“One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.”
“Self-care is how you take your power back.”
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anyone.”
“You need to love yourself. Love yourself so much to the point that your energy and your aura reject anyone who doesn’t know your worth.”
“Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.”
“If you have the ability to love, love yourself first.”
“The more you love yourself, the less nonsense you’ll tolerate.”
“Self-love is the source of all our other loves.” - Pierre Corneille
“Never give up on anyone. And that includes not giving up on yourself.”
“A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.” - Mark Twain
“Be kind to yourself. It’s hard to be happy when someone is mean to you all the time.”
“Stop comparing yourself to others. You have your own victories and successes to celebrate.”
“When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.” - Jean Shinoda Bolen
Encouraging Quotes for Putting Your Needs First
“Self-care is not selfish. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.”
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” - Buddha
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation.”
“Do something today that your future self will thank you for.” - Sean Patrick Flanery
“You owe yourself the love that you so freely give to other people.”
“It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.”
“The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself.”
“Put yourself at the top of your to-do list every single day, and the rest will fall into place.” - Unknown
“You must do the things you think you cannot do.”
“When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.”
“The better you feel about yourself, the less you feel the need to show off.”
“Self-worth comes from one thing – thinking that you are worthy.”
“Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.”
“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” - Aristotle
“You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress, simultaneously.”
“Investing in yourself is the best investment you will ever make.”
“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.”
“In order to love who you are, you cannot hate the experiences that shaped you.”
“I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art.”
“Don’t sacrifice yourself too much, because if you sacrifice too much there’s nothing else you can give, and nobody will care for you.”
“When I loved myself enough, I began leaving whatever wasn’t healthy.”
“Our first and last love is self-love.” - Christian Nestell Bovee
“Putting yourself first does not mean you don’t care about others. It means you are smart enough to know you can’t help others if you don’t help yourself first.”
“Loving yourself isn’t vanity. It’s sanity.”
“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.”
“When you say ’yes’ to others make sure you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself.”
“Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
“The more you love yourself, the less nonsense you’ll tolerate.”
“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.”
“Your time is way too valuable to be wasting on people that can’t accept who you are.”
Quotes about Self-Care and Putting Yourself First
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”
“Don’t sacrifice yourself too much, because if you sacrifice too much there’s nothing else you can give and nobody will care for you.”
“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.”
“Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.”
“It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.”
“If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.”
“You have to believe in yourself when no one else does – that makes you a winner right there.”
“Take time to do what makes your soul happy.”
“Self-care is how you take your power back.”
“Sometimes you need to take a break from everyone and spend time alone to experience, appreciate, and love yourself.”
“Self-care means giving yourself permission to pause.”
“The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself.”
“You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress simultaneously.”
“If you don’t love yourself, you’ll always be chasing after people who don’t love you either.”
“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.”
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.”
“Keep good company, read good books, love good things and cultivate soul and body as faithfully as you can.”
“Take care to get what you like or you will be forced to like what you get.”
“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”
“You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.”
“Do something today that your future self will thank you for.”
“Nurturing yourself is not selfish – it’s essential to your survival and your well-being.”
“Self-care is not a waste of time; self-care makes your use of time more sustainable.”
“When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough to make room for it in your life.”
“You are your best thing.”
“Be enough for yourself first. The rest of the world can wait.”
“Make yourself a priority. At the end of the day, you’re your longest commitment.”
“Taking care of yourself is the most powerful way to begin to take care of others.”
Inspirational Quotes on Learning to Put Yourself First
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”
“Do not wait for someone else to validate your existence; be your own light.”
“You owe yourself the love that you so freely give to others.”
“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.”
“The better you feel about yourself, the less you feel the need to show off.”
“Your time is way too valuable to be wasting on people that can’t accept who you are.”
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
“Don’t sacrifice yourself too much, because if you sacrifice too much there’s nothing else you can give and nobody will care for you.”
“The real difficulty is to overcome how you think about yourself.”
“Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.”
“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.”
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
“When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.”
“Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.”
“Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think.”
“You do not find the happy life. You make it.”
“Loving yourself isn’t vanity. It’s sanity.”
“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.”
“When you say ‘yes’ to others, make sure you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself.”
“The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself.”
“Self-love is not selfish; you cannot truly love another until you know how to love yourself.”
“You were born to be real, not to be perfect.”
“The more you know yourself, the less you let things outside of you control your inner peace.”
“Sometimes the hardest part of the journey is believing you’re worthy of the trip.” - Glenn Beck
“The only person who determines your worth is you.”
“You don’t have to be everything to everyone. When you prioritize yourself, you become the best version of what you can be for those who truly matter.”
“One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.”
“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”
“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.”
“Invest in yourself first. Expect nothing from no one and be willing to work for everything.”
“In a world that is trying to make you conform, the greatest act of courage is to be yourself.”
To Conclude
To wrap things up, taking time for yourself is not selfish; it’s essential. These quotes remind us that self-care is a key part of leading a happy and balanced life. By putting yourself first, you build the strength needed to support those around you.
Reflect on these quotes and let them inspire you to value your own needs and well-being. Whether you are facing a tough day or just need a little motivation, these words can help you stay focused on what truly matters: your own happiness and health.
