Quote of the day: “If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be,” by .
The above quote by famous American poet, writer, and civil rights worker Maya Angelou talks about finding your own path in life. It warns about the dangers of trying to force oneself into society’s idea of what is acceptable or ideal. She is trying to highlight that when people spend too much time trying to conform, they tend to suppress their individuality, curiosity and natural self. The quote is simply encouraging readers to recognise their natural talent and individuality over pretending to be someone else to please others.
What does it mean
The quote serves as a reminder that we often discover our potential only when we step outside our comfort zones. Trying something unfamiliar, taking a different path or refusing to follow conventional expectations can bring out our inner talent or strength that one might not even know.
If we continue to choose what feels safe or what is considered “normal”, we may never give ourselves the opportunity to find out what we may be truly capable of or what we actually want to do in life.
Why it is relevant today
It is important in today’s digital age, where people are constantly exposed to carefully curated versions of people online. Often people feel the pressure to look a certain way, follow a particular career path, achieve success at a certain age or live according to socially accepted standards. Angelou’s words challenge the same notion by saying that our uniqueness should not be sacrificed simply to gain acceptance.
More quotes by Maya Angelou:
-“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
-“What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. Don’t complain.”
-“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
-“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”
-“I don’t trust people who don’t love themselves and tell me, ‘I love you.’ … There is an African saying which is: Be careful when a naked person offers you a shirt.”
-“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”
-“Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time.”
-“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”
-“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”
-“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I’ll rise!”
