When you’re low, they’ll take you high: 10 of Michelle Obama’s most stirring quotes

Michelle Obama rules. The First Lady of the United States of America may be stepping out of the White House later this year, but when she entered it in 2008, she also entered our hearts.

With her simplicity, down-to-earth attitude, freshness, humour, and sheer humanity, Michelle Obama just needs to open her mouth to have us crowd in front of her, ready to listen and learn.

Here are 10 of her most inspirational quotes. Print them on your T-shirts, paint them on sheets of paper and paste them on your walls, learn them by heart. Because when you’re down and out, they will lift you up. As Obama famously said at the recent Democratic National Convention: “When they go low, we go high.”

• “You can't make decisions based on fear and the possibility of what might happen.”
• “Do not bring people in your life who weigh you down. And trust your instincts ... good relationships feel good. They feel right. They don't hurt. They're not painful. That's not just with somebody you want to marry, but it's with the friends that you choose. It's with the people you surround yourselves with.”
• “You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world's problems at once but don't ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.”

Also read: I’m with her: Michelle Obama’s passionate speech in support of Hillary Clinton

• “Just do what works for you, because there will always be someone who thinks differently...”
• “We choose to tune out all the noise and strive for excellence in everything we do. No cutting corners, no taking shortcuts, no whining. We give 120% every single time. Because excellence is the most powerful answer you can give to the doubters and the haters. It's also the most powerful thing you can do for yourself. Because the process of striving, and struggling, and pushing yourself to new heights, that's how you develop your God-given talent. That's how you make yourself stronger, and smarter, and more able to make a difference for others.”

• “I never cut class. I loved getting A's, I liked being smart. I liked being on time. I thought being smart is cooler than anything in the world.”
• “Success is only meaningful and enjoyable if it feels like your own.”
• “If my future were determined just by my performance on a standardized test, I wouldn't be here. I guarantee you that.”
• “I am an example of what is possible when girls from the very beginning of their lives are loved and nurtured by people around them. I was surrounded by extraordinary women in my life who taught me about quiet strength and dignity.”

Also read: Michelle Obama inspires for higher education with awesome rap song

• “One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals. And so when I hear about negative and false attacks, I really don't invest any energy in them, because I know who I am.”

Feature image credit: Variety