Funny, Inspirational Quotes About Life And Happiness

We all need a little perspective now and again.

We’re all guilty of taking ourselves too seriously at times. And, while we’re wallowing in the heaviness of our thoughts, the motive for our pursuits is often tiptoeing out the back door. We lose the moment, our sense of humor, and often our sense of purpose in life. Sometimes having little reminders in the form of funny, inspirational quotes about life and happiness can reel us back in.

Yes, those journal-cover, greeting-card, sappy, quippy niblets of wisdom and encouragement can actually help keep our lives on track. We may “blah blah blah” with an eye roll when we hear familiar quotes dropped like original thought, but our brains are actually paying attention. We stash those funny, inspirational quotes about life and happiness like free candy. Their big-truths-in-a-few-words are part fortune cookie, part motivational psychology, part “ain’t life ironic?”

Quite frankly, sometimes we all need to step back and revisit those mantras that help us focus on what’s essential. Keeping a few favorites in the memory bank can be a subconscious source of positivity. It can also be a reminder that we aren’t alone on this crazy journey called ‘life.’

Here are several funny, inspirational quotes about life and happiness to help you clear out the mental cobwebs and focus on your life’s purpose and possibilities.

“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”
Dolly Parton

Of course Dolly would sum up life in one pithy line — and no doubt with a smile and giggle for punctuation. 

Have you ever noticed that those people who gracefully accept the good with the bad are the happiest people? They strive for and look for the best at all times, but they know that life always presents struggles. 

Just as stars need the dark sky to shine, rainbows rely on water to manifest the sun’s colorful gift. And so it is with life. With the right perspective, the dark times just become a backdrop for the good times to really shine.

“The hardest thing to find in life is happiness. Money is only hard to find because it gets wasted trying to find happiness.”
Unknown

This may sound more tragic than funny. But it’s definitely ironic. 

As easy as it is to say that money can’t buy happiness, most of us still focus a good part of our lives on it. We want to make more so we can spend more, usually because there is an emptiness we are trying to fill. 

Sure, money is a vehicle that can help facilitate happiness. But when it becomes so connected to your happiness that you can’t have happiness without it, you will likely come up short on both.

“You never really learn much from hearing yourself speak.”
George Clooney

Look at any relationship that is in a dry spell or downward spiral, and poor communication is usually the underlying issue. 

Whether your struggling relationship is a marriage, “SO romance,” family-of-origin connection, or friendship, communication is key. And one principle, if used to guide your choices, can change everything. Everyone wants to feel heard. Not just verbally “heard,” but deeply, soulfully heard. 

That means practicing active listening. Show genuine interest in what the other person has to say. Ask questions to go deeper into the person’s thoughts and feelings. Pay attention to your body language while reading the information communicated in the other person’s body language. 

As St. Francis said in his famous prayer, seek to understand, not to be understood. If you do that, the reciprocal effort is all but guaranteed to follow.

“If you can do what you do best and be happy, you’re further along than most people.”
Leonardo DiCaprio

Look around you. How many people seem to be truly happy? How many people that you know are doing what they do best and truly want to do? 

Even among the people you would consider to be highly successful, how many are following their hearts? And how many are following the money or a sense of obligation? 

Finding happiness in what you love and do well, regardless of what the world expects, is a holy grail that more people seek than find.

“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss was a master of delivering funny, inspirational quotes about life and happiness. He just had a way of going right to the heart in a way that children inherently understood and adults needed to be reminded of. 

This quote is often used as a condolence for those experiencing grief over death or loss. And, while telling someone to smile instead of cry doesn’t take away the pain, it does plant a seed of gratitude. And gratitude is one of the most healing mindsets available to us.

Remember that it happened. Rejoice that it happened. Plant that seed, even in the midst of your grief — over death, divorce, or disappointment. You will find the healing comes more quickly. And the negative emotions attached to grief — anger, confusion, guilt — will more easily fall away.

“Be happy. It drives people crazy.”
Anonymous

Isn’t it the truth? When everyone around you is being Eeyore, and Tigger comes bouncing into the room, it’s impossible to stay in the doldrums. 

Even if that overdose of positive energy is maddening, you can’t ignore it. And you can’t simply return to what you were doing before Mr. Tiggerific came springing in to ruin your woe-is-me party. 

So go ahead. Stay a step ahead of the crowd on the happiness scale. See if you can’t force at least a crack of a smile. You’ll at least make some eyes roll. And even that is a shift in the right direction.

“Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.”
Guillaume Apollinaire

Funny, inspiring quotes about life and happiness could fill your Pinterest quota. But in the end, they really come down to this one. Don’t forget the very thing you are seeking: happiness! 

Happiness isn’t something to be found. It’s something to be lived. And living is about being in the moment. Cliché as it sounds, this moment is all anyone has. So stop looking for it. It’s right here. Why not be happy in it?

I’m Dr. Karen Finn and I’m a divorce and life coach. Schedule a 30-minute private consultation for support in putting together the pieces so you can begin living your happy life.

Looking for more information about how you can have a happier life? You’ll find what you’re looking for in Building A Happy Life.