Discover inspiring and empowering mental health quotes for students and teachers to encourage during challenging times.
School life can be physically and mentally exhausting for both students and teachers. In this blog, we aim to boost your self-love and inspiration by offering some mental health quotes and their meanings. No matter how old or educated you are, these quotes can provide the mental respite you need and remind you of the importance of love and mental nourishment.
You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself.
Thought to have originated from ancient China by scholar Tokusan and Zen Master Ryutan, this mental health quote perfectly captures the importance of self-care. As a student, you are expected to constantly put effort into studies and extra-curricular activities, while as a teacher, educating your students is always portrayed as your number one priority. But this quote proves that if you are to “take care” of things outside yourself, you should always nourish your mental and physical self first.
When you’re saying yes to others, make sure you’re not saying no to yourself.
This simple yet powerful mental health quote was said by the famous author Paulo Coehlo. It perfectly encapsulates the importance of boundaries and how many people, including students and teachers, tend to be people-pleasers, even at the cost of their happiness and comfort. While it is important to help others, make sure you never neglect your own needs.
The worst thing about making a mistake is being afraid to make one.
This is one of the most relatable mental health quotes for students and teachers. Most people in academics are reprimanded for making mistakes, be it in standardized tests or sports activities. However, any good teacher knows that making mistakes is crucial to growing and learning as long as you learn from them. So, take heed of this mental health quote whenever you feel afraid to try something bold and new for fear of failure.
She believed she could, so she did.
This is a positive mental health quote that describes the power of self-confidence. Found in R.S Grey’s Scoring Wilder. What’s more, this single quote shows the miracle of thought put into action and the clear success of achieving “her” goal. What both students and teachers can learn from the powerful quote is that believing you can do something and taking the necessary action is your choice to make.
We have to nourish to flourish.
This fun little sentence is an essential mental health quote for students and teachers. It showcases the importance of self-care and taking care of oneself, especially if we want to succeed in our fields or “flourish.” Easy but effective ways to nourish oneself include doing things like,
- Getting enough rest at night
- Eating healthy foods and food that you love
- Not comparing yourself to others
- Doing things that make you happy
- Celebrating your wins (even the small ones)
And still, I rise
Though only four words long, this is one of the most powerful mental health quotes in literature. Written by Maya Angelou in her famous poem of the same name, the quote talks about mental strength and perseverance. In the poem, Angelou talks of how society expects her to be broken after her many challenges and hardships, yet she chooses to be unapologetically strong and confident. Similarly, many students and teachers face unthinkable hardships, but while it is important to acknowledge your weaknesses, you must not give in to them. Still, you must rise.
Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today, I am wise, so I am changing myself.
Uttered by Rumi, a great Sufi poet and mystic, this mental health quote for students and teachers holds a fundamental lesson. More often than not, most people get extremely concerned about external events, as they should. However, one cannot change the world without taking responsibility for one’s actions and faults. If enough people take the precedent to improve themselves, then it is possible to change the world as a community.
If you feel ‘burnout’ setting in, if you feel demoralized and exhausted, it is best, for the sake of everyone, to withdraw and restore yourself.
This saying by the Dalai Lama is straightforward. Many students and teachers, after working for hours at a time with all their energy, feel burnt out. During these times, the important thing is not to “power through” or “tolerate it.” Instead, this mental health quote clearly states that in times of burnout, the most important thing is to take a step back and allow yourself to rest and restore your energy. To do this, you must completely withdraw from your work and do something relaxing and enjoyable. While this might feel frustrating at first, this is the quickest and healthiest way to get back on track.
Care for your psyche…know thyself, for once we know ourselves, we may learn how to care for ourselves.
Uttered by Socrates in Ancient Greece, this mental health quote stays relevant, even thousands of years later. This mental health quote for students and teachers talks about the importance of knowing our strengths and faults to grow and take care of ourselves properly. Thus, the quote encapsulates how self-reflection is the first step to mental growth.
Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.
This mental health quote by Malcolm S. Forbes touches on an important issue that is not talked about enough among students and teachers. When in a competitive school setting, it is all too natural for students to feel jealous or even awed by students who perform better or are naturally skilled at things that they are not. But, the same students that they envy may also be envious of something you are good at. In both cases, instead of being aware and grateful of one’s strengths, one disregards it to put someone else on a pedestal. Thus, while admiration is nice, you must always be aware of your strengths and weaknesses.
Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.
When Thich Nhat Hanh says this positive mental health quote, he shines a light on one of the most effective mental health techniques – mindfulness. With the help of breathing exercises and complete mindfulness, both teachers and students will learn to control their emotions effectively. By likening feelings to clouds, you are aware of their existence but detached, allowing any negative feelings to “float away” and have almost no impact on your psyche. Actively applying mindfulness to everyday life is a great way to improve your quality of life, especially as an academic.
Self-love is an ocean, and your heart is a vessel. Make it full, and any excess will spill over into the lives of the people you hold dear. But you must come first.
This is another crucial mental health quote about self-love and self-compassion by Beau Taplin, an author whose writings center around self-exploration. Most people tend to believe that practicing self-love is a selfish act that tends to alienate those around you. However, this could not be further from the truth. As Taplin says, self-love is an infinite resource that can be used to nourish your soul. Consequently, the happiness you get from self-love can positively affect the lives of those around you. But your number one priority is yourself – it is not your duty to sacrifice your joy for anyone else.
The perfect man of old looked after himself first before looking to help others.
When Chinese philosopher Chuang Tzu said this important mental health quote, he made an essential point that teachers can gain a lot from it. Many teachers dedicate their lives and youth to their students’ betterment, often ignoring their health. However, this mental health quote explains that to find happiness and peace in old age means prioritizing health and happiness in one’s early years. So, let this be your reminder that the best way to look out for your students as a teacher is to allow yourself joy and health first.
Promise me you’ll always remember — you’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
As children, Winnie The Pooh has often relaxed and soothed us. This carries on to our adulthood, with this positive mental health quote by the character Christopher Robin reminding us that we are much better than we give ourselves credit for. As students and teachers, we often underestimate our talents and hold ourselves to an impossible standard. This mental health quote reminds us that even if we do not believe in ourselves, there is someone who does, whether it is your parents, a teacher, or even a beloved fictional character.
Tears fall for a reason, and they are your strength, not weakness.
From the heartwarming children’s book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy, this line is powerful when looking at mental health quotes. Often, tears and crying are stigmatized, especially for boys, as it is seen as a sign of weakness and an inability to be strong. However, it is important to see tears as not an inconvenience but a sign to get out of the situation that causes you sorrow. So, if you feel like you’re on the verge of tears after a particularly exhausting day or after studying for too long, it is your body telling you to stop and relax. Nothing is worth the cost of your mental well-being.
Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.
As young students, if there is one thing that one must nurture, it is creativity and joy. Thus, this mental health quote for students (and teachers) by activist and author Maya Angelou is an ideal reminder never to let your light or your soul diminish. No matter how much you neglect it, the spark that motivates you to focus on achieving your dreams is always there, no matter how small. You must feed the flame, no matter what challenges or circumstances life throws at you.
We’re all just walking each other home.
This profound and perhaps existential mental health quote by Ram Dass is not reserved for students and teachers, although it is one that we must abide by even during school. It is no secret that all of us are destined for death, no matter how or when we get there. Thus, this quote that calls death “home” is a reminder that our time on earth is limited, and we should use this time to provide each other love and companionship, and not animosity. While it is easy to forget this as a student whose whole life seems to revolve around grades and competition, we should all learn to take a step back and embrace community.
The worst enemy of creativity is self-doubt.
Sylvia Plath, known to be one of the greatest American poets, makes a very clear statement with this mental health quote. Most people, if not all, suffer from self-doubt, and this can often get in the way of your creativity and self-expression. This is very true in the case of students who are only beginning to navigate their way through an often judgmental society. However, it is during this period that we must be accepting of ourselves and each other to let creative expression shine. Doubts that start with “what if?” are only natural, but to live by these words would be the death of soul and joy.
Final Words
These quotes talk about everything from self-love to existentialism. This makes them more important than ever for exhausted and burnt-out students and teachers alike. Yet, the most important thing to remember from all these quotes is that without love and an unapologetic will to express oneself, you would only be sacrificing the most essential part of your identity: your soul. So revisit these mental health quotes when you feel down or need some extra motivation to let your true self shine.
