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.” — Oscar Wilde
“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.” — Unknown
“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.” — Unknown
“You are not required to set yourself on fire to keep others warm.” — Unknown
“The better you feel about yourself, the less you feel the need to show off.” — Robert Hand
“Don’t waste your energy trying to change opinions. Do your thing, and don’t care if they like it.” — Tina Fey
“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.” — Karl Lagerfeld
“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.” — Maya Angelou
“Put yourself at the top of your to-do list every single day and the rest will fall into place.” — Unknown
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” — Lucille Ball
“Work on being in love with the person in the mirror who has been through so much but is still standing.” — Unknown
“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.” — Brené Brown
“The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself.” — Steve Maraboli
“To fall in love with yourself is the first secret to happiness.” — Robert Morley
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
“Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.” — Christopher Germer
“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
“You are very powerful, provided you know how powerful you are.” — Yogi Bhajan
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” — Oprah Winfrey
“Put yourself first. Make decisions on what you need and what will make you happy.” — Unknown
“By putting yourself first, you teach others how to respect you.” — Unknown
“Your time is way too valuable to be wasting on people that can’t accept who you are.” — Turcois Ominek
“Self-care means giving yourself permission to pause.” — Cecilia Tran
“You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” — Buddha
“Caring for yourself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation.” — Audre Lorde
“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.” — Will Smith
“The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely.” — Carl Jung
“The things that make me different are the things that make me.” — Winnie the Pooh
“Don’t rely on someone else for your happiness and self-worth. Only you can be responsible for that.” — Stacey Charter
“Learning to love yourself is like learning to walk – essential, life-changing, and the only way to stand tall.” — Kamal Ravikant
Motivational Quotes on Prioritizing Yourself
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha
“Do not wait for someone else to come and speak for you. It’s you who can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzai
“Putting yourself first is not selfish. It’s vital for your well-being and happiness.” – Unknown
“Self-care is how you take your power back.” – Lalah Delia
“Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.” – Unknown
“Your time is way too valuable to be wasting on people that can’t accept who you are.” – Turcois Ominek
“Sometimes you need to take a break from everyone and spend time alone to experience, appreciate, and love yourself.” – Robert Tew
“You cannot be truly humble unless you take care of yourself first.” – Bryant McGill
“Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.” – Brené Brown
“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
“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.” – Audre Lorde
“It’s not your job to be everything to everyone.” – Unknown
“If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.” – Banksy
“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” – John Steinbeck, “East of Eden”
“You cannot pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.” – Unknown
“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.” – Karl Lagerfeld
“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.” – Mandy Hale
“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.” – Unknown
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” – Lucille Ball
“When you say ‘yes’ to others, make sure you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself.” – Paulo Coelho
“Don’t be afraid to lose people. Be afraid of losing yourself by trying to please everyone around you.” – Unknown
“You owe yourself the love that you so freely give to other people.” – Alexandra Elle
“Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort.” – Deborah Day
“Your greatest responsibility is to love yourself and to know you are enough.” – Unknown
“Self-love is not selfish; you cannot truly love another until you know how to love yourself.” – Unknown
“Be faithful to that which exists within yourself.” – André Gide
“Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer serves you, grows you, or makes you happy.” – Unknown
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.” – William Shakespeare, ‘Henry V’
“Be faithful to that which exists within yourself.” - André Gide
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha
“Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” – Brené Brown
“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.” – Brené Brown
“Put yourself at the top of your to-do list every single day and the rest will fall into place.” – Unknown
“You’re always with yourself, so you might as well enjoy the company.” – Diane Von Furstenberg
“If you have the ability to love, love yourself first.” – Charles Bukowski
“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.” – Shannon L. Alder
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“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.” – Unknown
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” – Lucille Ball
“You yourself are the main character in your story. Make sure you love the protagonist.” – Sarah Morgan
“The hardest challenge is to be yourself in a world where everyone is trying to make you be somebody else.” – E.E. Cummings
“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.” – Tina Fey
“By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before.” – Edwin Elliot
“Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
“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.” – Kim McMillen
“I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art.” – Madonna
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde
“Lighten up on yourself. No one is perfect. Gently accept your humanness.” - Deborah Day
“If you’re searching for that one person that will change your life, take a look in the mirror.” – Unknown
“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.” – William James
“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde
“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.” – Lucille Ball
“You deserve your own love and affection just as much as anybody else.” – Buddha
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde
“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.” – Original
“When you start loving yourself, the world starts loving you.” - Original
“Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.” - Katie Reed
“You have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” – Louise L. Hay
“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.” – Karl Lagerfeld
“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” – Nora Ephron
“Talk to yourself like someone you love.” – Brené Brown
“Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin, as self-neglecting.” – William Shakespeare
“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.” – Brené Brown
“No other love, no matter how genuine it is, can fulfill one’s heart better than unconditional self-love.” – Edmond Mbiaka
“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.” – Rob Liano
“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.” – Shannon L. Alder
“Self-care is how you take your power back.” - Lalah Delia
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde
“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anyone.” – Maya Angelou
“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.” – Original
“Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“If you have the ability to love, love yourself first.” – Charles Bukowski
“The more you love yourself, the less nonsense you’ll tolerate.” – Original
“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.” – Dieter F. Uchtdorf
“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.” – Christine Arylo
“Stop comparing yourself to others. You have your own victories and successes to celebrate.” – Original
“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.” – Eleanor Brownn
“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.” – Oscar Wilde
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation.” – Audre Lorde
“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.” – Alexandra Elle
“It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.” - Mandy Hale
“The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself.” – Steve Maraboli
“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.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“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
“The better you feel about yourself, the less you feel the need to show off.” – Robert Hand
“Self-worth comes from one thing – thinking that you are worthy.” – Wayne Dyer
“Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.” – Christopher Germer
“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” - Aristotle
“You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress, simultaneously.” – Sophia Bush
“Investing in yourself is the best investment you will ever make.” - Unknown
“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.” – Unknown
“In order to love who you are, you cannot hate the experiences that shaped you.” - Andrea Dykstra
“I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art.” – Madonna
“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.” – Karl Lagerfeld
“When I loved myself enough, I began leaving whatever wasn’t healthy.” – Kim McMillen
“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.” – Unknown
“Loving yourself isn’t vanity. It’s sanity.” – Katrina Mayer
“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” – Coco Chanel
“When you say ’yes’ to others make sure you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself.” – Paulo Coelho
“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.” – Unknown
“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.” – Brené Brown
“Your time is way too valuable to be wasting on people that can’t accept who you are.” – Turcois Ominek
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.” – Audre Lorde
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Lamott
“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.” – Oscar Wilde
“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.” – Karl Lagerfeld
“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.” – Etty Hillesum
“Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.” – Katie Reed
“It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.” – Mandy Hale
“If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.” – Banksy
“You have to believe in yourself when no one else does – that makes you a winner right there.” – Venus Williams
“Take time to do what makes your soul happy.” – Unknown
“Self-care is how you take your power back.” – Lalah Delia
“Sometimes you need to take a break from everyone and spend time alone to experience, appreciate, and love yourself.” – Robert Tew
“Self-care means giving yourself permission to pause.” – Cecilia Tran
“The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself.” – Steve Maraboli
“You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress simultaneously.” – Sophia Bush
“If you don’t love yourself, you’ll always be chasing after people who don’t love you either.” – Mandy Hale
“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.” – Unknown
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” – Lucille Ball
“Keep good company, read good books, love good things and cultivate soul and body as faithfully as you can.” – Louisa May Alcott
“Take care to get what you like or you will be forced to like what you get.” – George Bernard Shaw
“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” – Abraham Lincoln
“You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” – Bindi Irwin
“Do something today that your future self will thank you for.” – Sean Patrick Flanery
“Nurturing yourself is not selfish – it’s essential to your survival and your well-being.” – Renée Peterson Trudeau
“Self-care is not a waste of time; self-care makes your use of time more sustainable.” – Unknown
“When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough to make room for it in your life.” – Jean Shinoda Bolen
“You are your best thing.” – Toni Morrison
“Be enough for yourself first. The rest of the world can wait.” – Unknown
“Make yourself a priority. At the end of the day, you’re your longest commitment.” – Unknown
“Taking care of yourself is the most powerful way to begin to take care of others.” – Bryant McGill
Inspirational Quotes on Learning to Put Yourself First
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde
“Do not wait for someone else to validate your existence; be your own light.” – Unknown
“You owe yourself the love that you so freely give to others.” – Alexandra Elle
“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” – Nora Ephron
“The better you feel about yourself, the less you feel the need to show off.” - Robert Hand
“Your time is way too valuable to be wasting on people that can’t accept who you are.” – Turcois Ominek
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha
“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.” – Karl Lagerfeld
“The real difficulty is to overcome how you think about yourself.” – Maya Angelou
“Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.” – Brené Brown
“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” – Rumi
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“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
“Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.” – Katie Reed
“Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think.” – Benjamin Disraeli
“You do not find the happy life. You make it.” – Camilla Eyring Kimball
“Loving yourself isn’t vanity. It’s sanity.” - Katrina Mayer
“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.” – Brené Brown
“When you say ‘yes’ to others, make sure you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself.” – Paulo Coelho
“The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself.” – Steve Maraboli
“Self-love is not selfish; you cannot truly love another until you know how to love yourself.” – Unknown
“You were born to be real, not to be perfect.” – Unknown
“The more you know yourself, the less you let things outside of you control your inner peace.” – Maxime Lagacé
“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.” – Hey Fran Hey
“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.” - Unknown
“One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.” – Shannon L. Alder
“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.” – Rumi
“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.” – Unknown
“Invest in yourself first. Expect nothing from no one and be willing to work for everything.” – Tony Gaskins
“In a world that is trying to make you conform, the greatest act of courage is to be yourself.” – Unknown
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.
