“Most collectors collect tangibles. As a quotation collector, I collect wisdom, life, invisible beauty, souls alive in ink.” – Terri Guillemets

Happy International Women’s Day, which celebrates the achievements of women while pointing out that inequalities still exist. You may have noticed that I begin every blog post with a relevant quote by a woman. Frankly, such quotes are sometimes hard to find. Women are wise, but perhaps their wisdom has not always been recognized.

International Women’s Day 2011 http://www.flickr.com/photos/garlandcannon/5510654897/

The theme for the 2014 International Women’s Day is Inspiring Change. Here are 18 inspiring quotes by women.

1. “One should never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.” – Helen Keller

2. “Keep on beginning and failing. Each time you fail, start all over again, and you will grow stronger until you have accomplished a purpose…not the one you began with perhaps, but one you’ll be glad to remember.” – Anne Sullivan

3. “All that is necessary to break the spell of inertia and frustration is this: Act as if it were impossible to fail. That is the talisman, the formula, the command of right-about-face which turns us from failure towards success.” – Dorothea Brande

4. “Don’t wait for a light to appear at the end of the tunnel, stride down there and light the bloody thing yourself.” – Sara Henderson

5. “You were born to fly, so spread your angel wings and be what you came here to be, do what you came here to do. The time is now, and the world is waiting.” – Sherri Lane

6. “Your future is found in your daily routine. Successful people do daily what others do occasionally!” – Paula White

7. “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” – St. Catherine of Siena

8. “No matter how we have ignored our dreams, our dreams remain, and we will have no peace until we act on them.” – Julia Cameron

9. “All the arts we practice are apprenticeship –– the big art is our life.”– M. C. Richards

10. “Believing something is one thing. But the best things only come when you decide to be living it.” – Ann Voskamp

11. “If you wait for inspiration to get started, you’ll never get it done. Just get started. Inspiration will come once you begin moving forward.” – Valorie Burton

12. “If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down.” – Mary Pickford

13. “The terrorists thought that they would change our aims and stop our ambitions but nothing changed in my life except this: Weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born.” – Malala Yousafzai

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 14. “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.” – Mary Anne Radmacher

15. “Be happy in the moment, that’s enough.  Each moment is all we need, not more.” – Mother Teresa

16. “The clock is ticking fast. Burn the candle large.” – Diane Sawyer

17. “We should never, ever give up. . . . You’re never too old to chase your dream.” – Diane Nyad

18. “This life is yours. Take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well. Take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly. Take the power to walk in the forest and be a part of nature. Take the power to control your own life. No one else can do it for you. Take the power to make your life happy.” – Susan Polis Schutz

Please share your favorite quotes by women.  How will you celebrate International Women’s Day?