35 Inspirational Quotes for a Bad Day (Because We All Have Them)

We all have those days. The kind that makes you want to stay in bed, cancel everything, and start over tomorrow. But sometimes, all it takes is the right sentence to shift your perspective, or at least help you hang on a little longer. These 35 quotes are for those moments—when you’re tired, overwhelmed, or just done. May one of them land where you need it most.

1. “This too shall pass.” – Persian proverb
   Four simple words, but they remind me that nothing lasts forever—not even the worst days.
2. “You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress at the same time.” – Sophia Bush
   It helps to remember I don’t have to be perfect to be valuable.
3. “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’” – Mary Anne Radmacher
   This one always helps me breathe through the hard days instead of trying to conquer them.
4. “Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.” – Victor Hugo
   I repeat this to myself like a mantra when everything feels heavy.
5. “Some days are just bad days, that’s all. You have to experience sadness to know happiness.” – Dita Von Teese
   Sometimes I forget that bad days aren’t failures—they’re just part of being human.
6. “When you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill
   Blunt. Fierce. And honestly, great survival advice.
7. “You have been assigned this mountain to show others it can be moved.” – Mel Robbins
   A reminder that my struggles might have meaning beyond just me.
8. “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” – J.K. Rowling
   I come back to this one when I feel like I’m starting from scratch.
9. “Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” – Nelson Mandela
   A powerful way to reframe failure and frustration.
10. “Sometimes when things are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place.” – Unknown
    Feels cliché until it becomes true.
11. “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” – Rumi
    I love how this makes pain feel less like a flaw and more like a passage.
12. “You are stronger than you think.” – A.A. Milne
    I don’t always believe this, but I try to.
13. “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” – Japanese proverb
    It’s the persistence that matters, not the perfection.
14. “No rain, no flowers.” – Unknown
    I remind myself of this when I’m tired of the storm.
15. “Breathe. You’re going to be okay. You’ve gotten through so much already.” – Unknown
    Some days I just need this exact sentence to function.
16. “Stars can’t shine without darkness.” – D.H. Sidebottom
    I like the way this flips the script on tough days.
17. “A bad day doesn’t mean a bad life.” – Unknown
    This is the quote I scribble in the margins when I’m struggling.
18. “The comeback is always stronger than the setback.” – Unknown
    I hold onto this when I feel like I’ve lost momentum.
19. “Don’t let a bad day make you feel like you have a bad life.” – Unknown
    A softer way of saying “step back and zoom out.”
20. “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” – Robert H. Schuller
    I don’t always feel tough—but I’ve made it this far.
21. “You don’t have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you.” – Dan Millman
    One of the best reminders for anxious minds.
22. “Be gentle with yourself. You’re doing the best you can.” – Unknown
    This one feels like a hug in quote form.
23. “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” – Leonard Cohen
    Even my mess can be part of something beautiful.
24. “It’s just a bad day, not a bad life.” – Mary Engelbreit
    A simple mantra that helps me reset my entire mindset.
25. “You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself.” – Timber Hawkeye
    I return to this when I feel out of control.
26. “Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.” – John Greenleaf Whittier
    Sometimes I don’t need to push—I just need a pause.
27. “You are enough. Even when you feel broken.” – Unknown
    My favorite reminder on the days I don’t feel like much at all.
28. “It’s okay to not be okay.” – Jessie J
    Popular for a reason. It takes the pressure off pretending.
29. “Don’t give up on a bad day.” – Unknown
    This one feels like a hand reaching out when I’m ready to stop.
30. “The days that break you are the days that make you.” – Unknown
    Growth rarely feels graceful while it’s happening.
31. “Your current situation is not your final destination.” – Unknown
    I love how this creates a sense of hope and motion.
32. “You are not a burden. You are a human having a hard time.” – Unknown
    I’ve needed this more times than I can count.
33. “You’ve survived 100% of your worst days so far.” – Unknown
    Statistically speaking, you’re doing amazing.
34. “Keep going. Everything you need will come to you at the perfect time.” – Unknown
    For when I need patience—but also hope.
35. “Be proud of how you’ve been handling things.” – Morgan Harper Nichols
    A beautiful, quiet truth I often forget to acknowledge.

Final Thoughts

Bad days are part of the package deal of being alive. You’re allowed to feel stuck, tired, sad, annoyed, or all of the above. But if even one of these quotes softened the edge of your day, let that be enough. Save this list. Come back to it. And remember: you’ve made it through every bad day before this one. You’ll make it through this one too.