100 Stress Quotes To Calm You Down & Cheer You Up

While living a stress-free life is probably impossible, there are things we can do to help deal with stress and everyday struggles.

Here is a collection of 100 insightful and motivational stress quotes to serve as a quick energy boost.

Let’s dive in!

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10 Best Stress Quotes

1. “Stress acts as an accelerator: it will push you either forward or backward, but you choose which direction.” — Chelsea Erieau

Image of a worried woman representing the best stress quote.

2. “You cannot always control what goes on outside, but, you can always control what goes on inside.” — Wayne Dyer

3. “The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” — Elbert Hubbard

4. “It is not others’ expectations and intentions but the perception we have of them that serves as the stressor.” ― Gabor Maté

5. “Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it.” ― Jane Wagner

6. “Stress is caused by being ‘here’ but wanting to be ‘there’.” — Eckhart Tolle

7. “Stress should be a powerful driving force, not an obstacle.” ― Bill Phillips

8. “Everybody knows what stress is and nobody knows what it is.” — Hans Selye

9. “More smiling, less worrying. More compassion, less judgment. More blessed, less stressed. More love, less hate.” ― Roy T. Bennett

10. “One simple mindset reset that can help us face and find the good in the stress in our lives is to view it as an opportunity to learn and grow.” — Kelly McGonigal

Quotes About Stress To Understand It Better

1. “Try not to think about living stress-free. Stress is a necessary part of life.” — Christopher Kilby

2. “Rule number one is, don’t sweat the small stuff. Rule number two is, it’s all small stuff.” — Robert Eliot

3. “Some stress is necessary in our lives when we want to stimulate creativity, or to promote learning.” — Christian J. Borg

4. “The truth is that stress doesn’t come from your boss, your kids, your spouse, traffic jams, health challenges, or other circumstances. It comes from your thoughts about your circumstances.” — Andrew Bernstein

5. “It’s not the events of our lives that shape us, but our beliefs as to what those events mean.” — Tony Robbins

6. “Rather than being a sign that something is wrong with your life, feeling stressed can be a barometer for how engaged you are in activities and relationships that are personally meaningful.” — Kelly McGonigal

7. “The research literature has identified three factors that universally lead to stress: uncertainty, the lack of information and the loss of control.” — Gabor Maté

8. “Stress is the trash of modern life–we all generate it, but if you don’t dispose of it properly, it will pile up and overtake your life.” — Danzae Pace

9. “It’s important to note that stress is a natural part of life and is part of being human. Sometimes, it can help motivate you to get something done. Other times, it can take a toll on your mental and physical health. In other words, stress is a normal human reaction and key for survival, but too much stress can be detrimental.” — Sanam Hafeez

10. “Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it.” — Kahlil Gibran

11. “You may not be able to change the situation that caused your stress, but you can change your reactions. Looking for the silver lining, seeing humor in your predicament, or regarding the situation as a test of your faith are all ways that you can manage your emotions and get through even the most stressful hassle.” — Susan Krauss Whitbourne

12. “Long-term stress increases the risk for mental health problems such as depression, burnout, anxiety, sleep problems, and substance use disorders.” — Sanam Hafeez

13. “The word stress – like success, failure, or happiness – means different things to different people and, except for a few specialized scientists, no one has really tried to define it although it has become part of our daily vocabulary.” — Christopher Kilby

14. “The nature of stress is not always the usual stuff that people think of. It’s not the external stress of war or money loss or somebody dying, it is actually the internal stress of having to adjust oneself to somebody else.” — Gabor Maté

15. “Each moment of worry, anxiety or stress represents lack of faith in miracles, for they never cease.” ― T.F. Hodge

16. “You may also be experiencing stress because you are angry with someone. Practicing forgiveness and learning to release negative emotions can release pressure and allow you to move forward.” — Sanam Hafeez

17. “The mind can go either direction under stress—toward positive or toward negative: on or off. Think of it as a spectrum whose extremes are unconsciousness at the negative end and hyperconsciousness at the positive end. The way the mind will lean under stress is strongly influenced by training.” ― Frank Herbert

18. “For those habituated to high levels of internal stress since early childhood, it is the absence of stress that creates unease, evoking boredom and a sense of meaninglessness. People may become addicted to their own stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, Hans Selye observed. To such persons stress feels desirable, while the absence of it feels like something to be avoided.” ― Gabor Maté

19. “If you really want to escape the things that harass you, what you’re needing is not to be in a different place but to be a different person.” ― Lucius Annaeus Seneca

20. “Stress, anxiety, and depression are caused when we are living to please others.” — Paulo Coelho

21. “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your own estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” — Marcus Aurelius

22. “But to free herself from such stress she would have to accept the painful reality that only her own choices, based on childhood perceptions, render her incapable of asserting her needs.” ― Gabor Maté

23. “Stress is like spice – in the right proportion, it enhances the flavour of a dish. Too little produces a bland, dull meal; too much may choke you.” — Donald Tubesing

24. “The concept of “mental health” in our society is defined largely by the extent to which an individual behaves in accord with the needs of the system and does so without showing signs of stress.” ― Theodore J. Kaczynski

25. “Once you accept, truly accept that stuff will happen to you and there is nothing you can do about it. Stress miraculously leaves your life.” — Srikumar Rao

Stress Quotes To Help You Cope With It

1. “You must learn to let go. Release the stress. You were never in control anyway.” ― Steve Maraboli

2. “Remember, even if you can’t control the event causing the stress, you do have some control over your response to it.” — Mindy Greenstein

3. “Stress isn’t always harmful. Once you appreciate that going through stress makes you better at it, it can be easier to face each new challenge.” — Kelly McGonigal

4. “Don’t rush into problem-solving mode. Whenever you feel the need to go faster, think of that as signal to slow down.” — Barbara Markway

5. “Try to think about stress as a motivator to act, as extra fuel that you can call upon to get through your day, as energy that you can harness.” — Christopher Kilby

6. “My most effective stress relief comes from speaking with friends, but only the ones I know have my best interests at heart.” — Susan Newman

7. “My body needs laughter as much as it needs tears. Both are cleansers of stress.” ― Mahogany SilverRain

8. “Coping with stress depends on high levels of mastery, self-esteem, and/or social support that can reduce the impacts of stressors on health and well-being.” — Jennifer Walinga

9. “It isn’t the mountain ahead that wears you out; it’s the grain of sand in your shoe.” — Robert W. Service

10. “When we lean into our fears by deliberately seeking out our stressors and not avoiding them or escaping them, they often lose their power.” — Russell Morfitt

11. “Enjoy the pressure. Enjoy the stress. Enjoy being uncomfortable. And don’t shy away from it, embrace it.” — Gary Woodland

12. “It can be true that going through something stressful can make you sick or depressed, and it can also be true that the same stressful experience can ultimately make you stronger, more compassionate and more resilient over time.” — Kelly McGonigal

13. “There is no such thing as a stress-free life. No evidence has ever been presented which suggests that a stress-free life can ever be achieved. Stress can be managed, relieved and lessened, but never eliminated.” — Gudjon Bergmann

14. “Journaling is a simple yet powerful tool that allows for internal thoughts, worries, and concerns to become externalized onto a page. This can help you gain greater insight into your feelings, thoughts, and motivations as well as provide an emotional holding space for difficult material.” — Jor-El Caraballo

15. “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” — William James

16. “I promise you, the gym has taken away so much of my stress. It has helped calm me down. When I’m fidgety and I just feel like everything is closing in, I go to the gym.” — Khloe Kardashian

17. “It’s not stress that kills us, it’s our reaction to it.” — Hans Selye

18. “If you are having a stressful day, learn to say no and delegate a few tasks to someone else. It is OK to say no; it means you know your value, and it helps you prioritize things that matter.” — Haley Perlus

19. “When experiencing day-to-day stress I find it helpful to focus my attention on my immediate surroundings. For example, I may focus on the particular colors and shapes of objects in my environment. Doing this can help shift attention away from “hot” thoughts to “cool” (emotionally neutral) thoughts, to induce a calmer mental state.” — Scott McGreal

20. “If I’m really stressed out or going through a hard time, dance is definitely my escape. It’s a way for me to express myself through my movement.” — Larsen Thompson

21. “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.” — Maya Angelou

22. “Being in control of your life and having realistic expectations about your day-to-day challenges are the keys to stress management, which is perhaps the most important ingredient to living a happy, healthy and rewarding life.” — Marilu Henner

23. “A positive attitude may not solve all our problems but that is the only option we have if we want to get out of problems.” — Subodh Gupta

24. “If you are lucky enough to never experience any sort of adversity, we won’t know how resilient you are. It’s only when you’re faced with obstacles, stress, and other environmental threats that resilience, or the lack of it, emerges: Do you succumb or do you surmount?” — Maria Konnikova

25. “Learn to read symptoms not only as problems to be overcome but as messages to be heeded.” ― Gabor Maté

Quotes About Relaxing To Help You Avoid Stress

1. “Just when you feel you have no time to relax, know that this is the moment you most need to make time to relax.” ― Matt Haig

Relaxation quote about the importance of relaxing.

2. “Calmness is the cradle of power.” — Josiah Gilbert Holland

3. “Make sure that you schedule some “me-time” for self-care. It will reduce your stress, increase your productivity, and boost your happiness!” — Amy Przeworski

4. “The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.” — Sydney J. Harris

5. “Don’t sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty things.” — George Carlin

6. “Avoiding stress includes taking control of your surroundings, whether that is leaving an area that is causing stress or planning ahead to avoid situations that aggravate or stress you out.” — Sanam Hafeez

7. “My daily habits help the most, to both prevent and manage stress. These include: morning exercise, scripture study, meditation, and prayer; putting foods in my body that give me energy; and getting to bed in time to get a good night’s sleep (when my kids will let me!).” — Christina Hibbert

8. “Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” — John Lubbock

9. “When you find yourself stressed, ask yourself one question: Will this matter in 5 years from now? If yes, then do something about the situation. If no, then let it go.” — Catherine Pulsifer

10. “If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” ― Amit Ray

11. “To experience peace does not mean that your life is always blissful. It means that you are capable of tapping into a blissful state of mind amidst the normal chaos of a hectic life.” — Jill Botte Taylor

12. “Your calm mind is the ultimate weapon against your challenges. So relax.” — Bryant McGill

13. “When I take a break, even just a brief one, the creative energy flows in. Only then do I have anything of value to share with others. Once I recognized this, I stopped feeling guilty about taking time for myself.” ― Holly Mosier

14. “When you become aware that your stress level is high, immediately slow down whatever you’re doing by about 25%. Whether thinking, surfing the Internet, cleaning the house, doing errands – change your pace so that you’re now moving in slow motion. You’ll feel the stress slide right off your body and out of your mind.” — Toni Bernhard

15. “Don’t believe every worried thought you have. Worried thoughts are notoriously inaccurate.” — Renee Jain

16. “Reestablishing a routine can help reduce stress after trauma, because a regular routine helps minimize anxiety. Structure provides comfort and gives you a sense of control, and also helps improve your focus and productivity.” — Haley Perlus

17. “Sometimes you’re not aware of the stress that’s racing through your body. That’s why it’s important to know what your personal signals are and to regularly check in with yourself to see how you’re feeling.” — Pia Linden

18. “Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

19. “Mental health awareness doesn’t mean fighting stress, anxiety, depression and other everyday mental health issues, rather it means consciously modulating the habits that intensify those issues. Once you are in control of your habits, instead of checking your habits, you would automatically be in a much better shape, both mentally and physically. ” — Abhijit Naskar

20. “Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.” — Winnie the Pooh

Stress Quotes To Improve Your Wellbeing

1. “Happiness is a choice. You can choose to be happy. There’s going to be stress in life, but it’s your choice whether you let it affect you or not.” — Valerie Bertinelli

2. “Your mindset matters. It affects everything – from the business and investment decisions you make, to the way you raise your children, to your stress levels and overall well-being.” — Peter Diamandis

3. “When you are exhausted you may have a tendency to push yourself harder when you need to recognize that tendency and do opposite action.” — Nancy Rappaport

4. “Learn to sit quietly, and listen to yourself. Listening to yourself helps you to get to know yourself. Knowing yourself is the first step to managing yourself, and your stress” — Lynne Soraya

5. “Reframing an issue and looking at the positives rather than focusing on the negatives can be helpful and make you happier.” — Sanam Hafeez

6. “Much of the stress that people feel doesn’t come from having too much to do. It comes from not finishing what they’ve started.” — David Allen

7. “Training gives us an outlet for suppressed energies created by stress and thus tones the spirit just as exercise conditions the body.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger

8. “One reason that how you think about stress matters is because it changes how you respond to stress. Viewing stress as harmful leads people to cope in ways that are less helpful, whether it’s getting drunk to “release” stress, procrastinating to avoid stress, or imagining worst-case scenarios.” — Kelly McGonigal

9. “I realized that when I was working out, I didn’t have any anxiety. It was never about losing weight. I thought, If I can make my body physically strong, and I can feel that and see that, then maybe one day I can make my emotions and my mind physically strong.” — Adele

10. “There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea.” — Bernard-Paul Heroux

11. “Singing is kind of like stress relief and everything just kind of makes sense when I’m doing this.” — Rose

12. “One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was from a horse master. He told me to go slow to go fast. I think that applies to everything in life. We live as though there aren’t enough hours in the day but if we do each thing calmly and carefully we will get it done quicker and with much less stress.” — Viggo Mortensen

13. “We are just as productive with too much stress (due to anxiety) as we are with no stress at all (due to lack of motivation), rather we need that sweet spot, we need just enough stress to keep us going.” — Christopher Kilby

14. “I go outside. There’s something about natural light that’s tremendously soothing to me. Any weather will do, except maybe pouring rain. But sun, clouds, snow…all good. I try to be mindful of my surroundings, noticing the trees against the sky, grackle on a lawn, the patterns of clouds. It just takes the edge of.” — Sophia Dembling

15. “If the problem can be solved why worry? If the problem cannot be solved worrying will do you no good.” ― Shantideva

16. “We can easily manage if we will only take, each day, the burden appointed to it. But the load will be too heavy for us if we carry yesterday’s burden over again today, and then add the burden of the morrow before we are required to bear it.” — John Newton

17. “In times of stress, the best thing we can do for each other is to listen with our ears and our hearts and to be assured that our questions are just as important as our answers.” — Fred Rogers

18. “There is a tonic strength, in the hour of sorrow and affliction, in escaping from the world and society and getting back to the simple duties and interests we have slighted and forgotten. Our world grows smaller, but it grows dearer and greater. Simple things have a new charm for us, and we suddenly realize that we have been renouncing all that is greatest and best, in our pursuit of some phantom.” — William George Jordan

19. “There is only the present moment. If you fill your cup with past regret and future anxiety, there is no room for anything else; you only end up robbing yourself of the joy found in every breath with which you are blessed. Empty your cup – if you are safe in the present moment nothing can hurt you unless you allow it.” — Michael J. Formica

20. “You do what you love, that makes you happy, and that gives you your meditation.” — Angelina Jolie

Final Words

I hope these stress quotes have helped you to understand stress better and inspired you to use it to your advantage.