When you are going through difficult times, when the news is negative, or when you are simply tired and discouraged, it can be hard to summon optimism.

Here’s 10 quotes with a little inspiration:

1. “No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.” – Helen Keller, author

2. “I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I really was the greatest.” – Muhammad Ali, boxing champion

3. “Just believe in yourself. Even if you don’t, pretend that you do and at some point, you will.” – Serena Williams, tennis champion

4. “Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so.” – Noam Chomsky, linguist and activist

5. “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill, politician

6. “There are really two kinds of optimism. There’s the complacent, Pollyanna optimism that says, ‘Don’t worry – everything will be just fine,’ and that allows one to just lay back and do nothing about the problems around you. Then there’s what we call dynamic optimism. That’s an optimism based on action.” – Ramez Naam, author

7. “Being an optimist doesn’t mean you ignore tragedy and injustice. It means you’re inspired to look for people making progress on those fronts, and to help spread that progress more widely. If you’re shocked by the idea of millions of children dying, you ask: Who is good at saving kids, and how can we help them do more?” -Bill Gates, business person and philanthropist

8. “Look closely at the present you are constructing: it should look like the future you are dreaming.” – Alice Walker, author

9. “Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, ‘I’m possible!’” – Audrey Hepburn, actor

10. “So many of our dreams seem impossible, then they seem improbable, then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.” – Christopher Reeve, actor

Read these quotes whenever you’re searching for that feeling of optimism.

Which quote do you like best? Comment and let me know. And if you’d like more optimism, especially about your music, your Confident Voice teacher can offer that every single lesson. 🙂