45 mottos to help you live your best life (and how to write your own)
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA
Explore a list of the 45 best mottos to uplift your mood, boost motivation, and guide intention. Plus, how to create a life motto that feels truly your own.
When you think of the idea of a “life motto,” your brain might immediately go to “live, laugh, love.” And while it is, of course, important to live, to laugh, and to love, there’s more to a life motto than a generic phrase you see in home decor stores worldwide. Mottos can be surprisingly powerful words or phrases to get you through the ups and downs of life. And they can be anything your heart desires.
A motto isn’t about repeating something to yourself and pretending everything is fine when it isn’t, but rather a guide to help you navigate the unknown. Mottos can be phrases that can help you pause, breathe, and remember what actually matters, like an internal compass to guide you when the world around you is spinning out of control.
The best mottos aren’t always one-size-fits-all — they should be personal and deeply meaningful to you. Instead of giving you a list of polished, unattainable slogans, we’re here to offer up a collection of real, honest mottos that have helped many navigate stressful events, shift perspective, and stay grounded during the times and trials of being a person on this planet. Let’s explore.
15 best mottos to reframe or boost your mood
Some days, the vibe is just not working for you. Maybe your brain is throwing a tantrum, your emotions are way too loud, and you need something to drown out the mental noise taking up too much space. When you need a mood boost, try one of these 15 mottos.
1. This, too, is part of it.
2. Feelings aren’t facts.
3. Breathe first.
4. Not every thought is worth my energy.
5. I’ve done tough things before.
6. I don’t have to like this to survive it.
7. Mood is not momentum.
8. I’m allowed to be a work in progress.
9. It’s okay if all I did today was exist.
10. No feeling is final.
11. Right now, I’m safe.
12. My worst moments don’t define me.
13. I can be struggling and still be worthy of care.
14. Even small steps count.
15. I’m allowed to pause.
Read more: How to feel better: 9 simple ways to shift a low mood
15 best mottos about setting intentions and staying grounded in your values
Intentions aren’t only meant to be set once a year on New Year’s Day or weekly during savasana. They’re for that random Tuesday morning when you feel like a hamster running circles on a wheel or for quiet nights when you’re wondering if your daily routine is supporting your life’s purpose. Intentions are for reconnecting with who you are and can be set at any time.
Some of the mottos below may help you get back on track when you feel like everything has gone haywire.
1. Align before you act.
2. Lead with staying present.
3. Who do I want to be in this moment?
4. Less proving. More being.
5. My pace is valid.
7. Simplicity is strength.
8. Stay rooted, not rigid.
9. Intention over impulse.
10. Choose what you carry.
11. Don’t hustle for your worth.
12. Start with stillness.
13. What matters most right now?
14. Integrity over image.
15. Be the kind of person your past self needed.
Read more: The power of setting intentions & how to set mindful ones
15 best mottos for motivation, work, and getting unstuck
Motivation is fickle. Some days, you have it. Some days, you don’t. These mottos are here to help you start where you are, take the next step, and maybe even be a little kinder to yourself while doing it.
High motivation will come again. In the meantime, try these:
1. Better is better.
2. Good enough is still good.
3. One thing at a time.
4. Action first, motivation second.
5. You don’t have to feel ready to begin.
6. I can pause without guilt.
7. Your worth is not your output.
8. Focus on the next right step.
9. My pace still counts.
10. Clarity comes through action.
11. You can restart at any moment.
12. You’ve figured things out before.
13. Micro moves lead to momentum.
14. Discomfort is part of growth.
15. Momentum over magic.
Read more: How to motivate yourself: 12 tips for when you lack motivation
How to create a motto that fits your season of life
Hearing the right words at the right time can be powerful. But something that’s even more powerful is finding the words yourself. A life motto isn’t a tattoo you have to commit to forever. It’s a sticky note for your soul — a phrase that reflects what you need right now, in this chapter, on this day, in this messy, miraculous moment of your life.
Here’s a practical guide to help you create a motto that fits your life.
Start with a question: What do you need right now?
Your motto should reflect what you’re craving and what you need, not what sounds impressive. Check in with yourself and see what you’re longing for.
Are you burnt out and need permission to slow down?
Feeling stuck and need a little fire?
Caught in people-pleasing and need a boundary boost?
In a season of grief, growth, transition, or uncertainty?
Try these: If you’re feeling overwhelmed and depleted, try something like, “I’m allowed to rest,” or “I choose peace over pressure.”
💙 Practice this Emotions Check-in guided exercise, led by Prof. Megan Reitz, to help you reflect on how you’re feeling each day.
Use your own language (skip the guru-speak)
If it doesn’t sound like something you’d say, you won’t use it. Your motto should feel familiar to you and in a language and way of speech you understand.
Are you casual and snarky? Great. Let it be cheeky, like, “One meltdown at a time.”
Are you gentle and introspective? Go with something soft, like “Breathe, and begin again.”
Do you swear like a sailor? Some mottos just hit harder with a little profanity, like, “Keep effing going,” etc. You get it.
Write 5–10 drafts, then read them out loud
Your motto isn’t for an audience. It’s for you. Ask yourself the following questions:
Does my motto make me feel more centered or connected?
Is it something I’d want to remember in a tough moment?
Does it feel grounding or performative?
Make it short, simple, and portable
You’re not writing an epic poem or mission statement for a national organization. You’re writing something your brain can remember at 3:07pm when you’re three minutes from crashing out. Keep it under 10 words and use simple language.
Try these:
“I don’t have to do it all today.”
“Soft is strong.”
“Keep what matters. Let the rest go.”
Try one on for a week (and let it evolve)
You aren’t marrying our mottos — you’re dating them! Try it on like a jacket. Use it during stressful moments. Whisper it to yourself when you’re anxious. See if it helps you pause, shift, or breathe your way through. (Here are five ways to ground yourself when you’re feeling anxious.)
You might find that it fits perfectly, it changes over time, or that you need different ones for different moods.
A tip: You’re allowed to change your mind. “I can do anything I set my mind to,” might have been your mantra during grad school, but maybe now it’s, “I don’t need to prove anything.”
Save mottos that resonate (even if they’re not yours yet)
When you hear or read something that hits just right, save it. It might not be your motto now, but it might be perfect later.
Create your own “motto bank” to withdraw from when you feel like you could use some extra help. One may even come in handy for a friend one day.
Make it visible so you actually use it
Once you’ve landed on a motto that clicks, make it part of your day-to-day.
Try setting it as your phone background, writing it on your bathroom mirror, scribbling it on a sticky note at your desk, saying it to yourself when you wake up, or making it your go-to line when anxiety kicks in. Your motto is most powerful when it’s accessible. Let it show up for you before the panic does.
Your motto doesn’t need to fix your life
Having a motto or two isn’t about making yourself more productive, positive, or perfect. It’s about being intentional. Having a phrase that nudges you back to yourself when everything else feels like noise can be a lifesaver.
A good motto won’t make the hard stuff disappear. But it can remind you that you’re not powerless in the middle of it. And sometimes, that’s exactly what we need.
💙 Browse our collection of Calm Journals to help you set intentions, check in with how you’re feeling, and live your best life.
Best mottos in life FAQs
What’s the difference between a motto and an affirmation?
Think of a motto as a compass and an affirmation as a pep talk. A motto grounds you and reminds you of who you are, what matters, and how you want to move through the world. An affirmation is usually more about encouragement and self-belief, like, “I am enough,” or, “I deserve joy.”
Mottos help guide your choices. Affirmations help fuel your self-worth. Both are useful. They just serve different roles in your mental toolkit — one’s the north star, the other’s the hype squad.
Can mottos actually improve my mental health?
Surprisingly, yes, but mottos aren’t magic. They’re a form of intentional self-talk, which research has shown can help reduce stress, improve focus, and increase emotional regulation. Think of them as thought interrupters, like tiny mental reboots when your brain is spiraling.
A motto won’t replace therapy, but can offer a moment of calm in chaos. And in a world always demanding more, even a small moment of grounded clarity is a win.
How do I know if a motto is working?
It’s working if it helps you pause and nudges your thoughts in a slightly kinder direction.
If it gives you a second of clarity when you’re knee-deep in stress, doubt, or decision fatigue, it’s likely doing its job.
How do I use a motto in daily life?
There’s no one-size-fits-all here. Some people repeat their motto like a mantra in meditation. Others write it on a sticky note and slap it on the fridge. You can say it to yourself in the mirror, text it to a friend when they’re spiraling, or mentally whisper it before you answer that work email you’re dreading.
The key is visibility and timing. Keep it somewhere you’ll see it, and use it in moments when you tend to go off-course, like when you’re stressed, procrastinating, overwhelmed, or when that negative voice in your head starts yelling at you. (Explore these eight ways to quiet your inner critic.)
Can I change my motto over time?
Please do. Mottos are seasonal creatures. The one that got you through a breakup might not serve you in the era of rediscovery and reinvention. The one that anchored you during burnout might feel irrelevant once you’ve reclaimed some joy.
Let your motto evolve as you do. Update it when your needs shift, your values deepen, or the words stop hitting the same way. You’re not stuck with it forever.
Calm your mind. Change your life.
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