23 Meghan Markle Quotes That Will Inspire the Hell Out of You

Updated on 3/5/2021 at 7:30 PM

Personally, I could listen to Meghan Markle talk all day. Not only is she eloquent and extremely poised, but she is also full of wisdom — and let's be real: we could all learn a thing or two from her. From crucial life lessons to the importance of fighting for women's rights, the Duchess of Sussex has been dropping gems long before she even met Prince Harry. Ahead, see Meghan's most empowering quotes. Who knows? They may inspire you to take that giant leap of faith you've been contemplating for so long.

On Life

"Do the things you enjoy within reason. Know your body and what works for you and you'll be fine."
"As you get older, you become more comfortable in your skin and comfortable in saying no to things . . . I've also learned that saying no is just as valuable as saying yes. It's something that, I think, comes with age and really having a sense of your self-worth. And then you make choices based on that."
"Building a strong team around you and being able to really communicate well with them is part of what's going to bring you a higher level of success."
"Take things with a grain of salt, and find balance within your life. On your lunch break, leave to go and get some fresh air. You don't need to make your life your job. I have to find that balance for myself, as well . . . I think you have to make time for yourself so that work doesn't become the end-all be-all."
"It's not enough to just survive something, right? That's not the point of life. You've got to thrive, you've got to feel happy."

"You need to know that you're enough — a mantra that has now ingrained itself so deeply within me that not a day goes by without hearing it chime in my head. That five pounds lost won't make you happier, that more makeup won't make you prettier, that the now iconic saying from Jerry Maguire, 'You complete me,' frankly, isn't true. You are complete with or without a partner. You are enough just as you are."
"Don't give it five minutes if you're not going to give it five years."
"We just need to be kinder to ourselves. If we treated ourselves the way we treated our best friend, can you imagine how much better off we would be?"
"You draw your own box. You introduce yourself as who you are. . . . You create the identity you want for yourself."
"I encourage and empower each of you to really stand in your truth, to stand for what is right — to continue to respect each other."

On Women's Rights

"Everyone should be afforded the opportunity to receive the education they want, but more importantly, the education they have the right to receive. And for women and girls in developing countries, this is vital."
"When girls are given the right tools to succeed, they can create incredible futures, not only for themselves, but also for those around them."
"Yes, women's suffrage is about feminism, but feminism is about fairness."
"I find that when you strip all the layers away, as people, and especially as women, we can find deep connection with each other, and a shared understanding."
"Every girl has potential. She has promise. She has the right to learn, the right to be heard, the right to play, and to discover. The right to be exactly who she is."

"With fame comes opportunity, but it also includes responsibility — to advocate and share, to focus less on glass slippers and more on pushing through glass ceilings. And, if I'm lucky enough, to inspire."
"You can be a woman who wants to look good and still stand up for the equality of women."
"I think the biggest part of being a girl boss in the office, at home, or anywhere you go is just knowing your value . . . it's important to flex your intellectual prowess, even if you're wiggling around in a pencil skirt."
"Women who had the strength to really stand up for something that they knew needed to be done is the best example of no matter how small you might feel, how low you may feel on the ladder or the totem pole, no matter what color you are, no matter what gender you are, you have a voice and you certainly have the right to speak up for what is right."

On Her Philanthropic Efforts

"If there was a wrong, if there is a lack of justice, and there is an inequality, then someone needs to say something. And why not me?"
"Reflecting on where I came from helps me to appreciate and balance what I have now. I was born and raised in Los Angeles. My mother was a free-spirited clinical therapist, and I had the most hardworking father, a television lighting director by trade. My mum raised me to be a global citizen, with eyes open to sometimes harsh realities."
"I've never wanted to be a lady who lunches; I've always wanted to be a woman who works."
"In a world that can seem so aggressive, confrontational, and dangerous, you should know that you have the power to change it."