Henri Nouwen Quotes

The greatest lesson I have learned in life is that I am enough simply because I have been given life. Growing up, I constantly found myself trying to please others because I wanted to be included and validated. I expended myself completely.

Everything that makes us who we are is A-O.K.

Accept that you are enough. You don't need to be anything that you are not.

Just maybe I was worthy of love.

Our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self acceptance.

If you don't embrace who you are and accept who you are, you won't be able to live a happy life.

I wish they would only take me as I am.

Fame won't make you feel any better about yourself.

Eventually somebody will want me, and there will be a role that is mine.

I don't want anyone to ever say that I don't belong where I am.

I love who I am.

My whole journey has been about self-acceptance.

I wasn't truly comfortable with myself until I was about 30. I spent so much time and energy wondering if I wasn't worthy, and trying to find people to validate me, instead of validating myself.

Being understood is not the most essential thing in life.

You are who you are, and you should love that person.

You've got to be fine with who you are.

At the heart of personality is the need to feel a sense of being lovable without having to qualify for that acceptance.

I exist as I am, that is enough.

I'm lucky to be in a space where I've been accepted for who I am and celebrated for who I am.

I think life is about growing into yourself and getting to like that person.

I grew up on the ragged edge of self-acceptance, where I was holding on to it, but it was easy to fall off. But as I found my way inside myself, I've been able to accept my own hair, my own shape.

I didn't need the belt to validate me.

Total, unconditional acceptance of yourself is the first step in building a positive self-image.

I don't do anything to be lovable. I have no control.

Don't allow anybody to make you feel that you're nobody.