20 Anaïs Nin Quotes to Inspire Self-Discovery

Anaïs Nin was a French-born novelist. In her writing she referred to her journey around self-discovery. I have put together twenty of the quotes that resonate around self-discovery for you to enjoy. Which one of the Anaïs Nin Quotes speaks to you the most?

  1. “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  2. “When you make a world tolerable for yourself, you make a world tolerable for others.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  3. “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  4. “There are only two kinds of freedom in the world; the freedom of the rich and powerful, and the freedom of the artist and the monk who renounces possessions.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  5. “Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  6. “The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  7. “What I cannot love, I overlook. Is that real friendship?” ~ Anaïs Nin
  8. “Each friend represents a world in us, a world not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  9. “We don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  10. “I postpone death by living, by suffering, by error, by risking, by giving, by losing.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  11. “Life is truly known only to those who suffer, lose, endure adversity and stumble from defeat to defeat.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  12. “People living deeply have no fear of death.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  13. “There are very few human beings who receive the truth, complete and staggering, by instant illumination. Most of them acquire it fragment by fragment, on a small scale, by successive developments, cellularly, like a laborious mosaic.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  14. “The dream was always running ahead of me. To catch up, to live for a moment in unison with it, that was the miracle.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  15. “My ideas usually come not at my desk writing but in the midst of living.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  16. “Truth is something which can’t be told in a few words. Those who simplify the universe only reduce the expansion of its meaning.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  17. “I am only responsible for my own heart, you offered yours up for the smashing my darling. Only a fool would give out such a vital organ.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  18. “You don’t find love, it finds you. It’s got a little bit to do with destiny, fate, and what’s written in the stars.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  19. “The secret of joy is the mastery of pain.” ~ Anaïs Nin
  20. “I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.” ~ Anaïs Nin

 

If you are ready to reclaim your courage and take the next step towards your freedom and opening your heart, why not join our Toolkit?

30 Comments

  • Leanne Boyd

    Reply Reply September 15, 2012

    Anais Nin – one of the all-time greats of inspirational and amazing women. Thank you for putting these quotes together from her writing. Her life was as exceptional and interesting as her words for she wrote from the depth of her experiences.
    A little bit of trivia – so admired was Anais Nin that the Cacherel classic fragrance ‘Anais Anais’ was named after her!

    • Jane

      Reply Reply September 15, 2012

      Thanks Leanne for taking the time to comment and share that little bit of trivia. Have a great day, Jane

  • marg thorpe

    Reply Reply September 14, 2012

    The poetry of the language, the depth of the meaning that requires another reading. These quotes are so meaningful, to be mulled over. Maybe I should check out Anais Nin….

    • Jane

      Reply Reply September 14, 2012

      Yes they are so meaningful Marg!

  • Steve Brady

    Reply Reply September 14, 2012

    Jane, thanks so much for making me aware of this author and the quotes. They reflect a depth of wisdom that really resonates with me at this stage in my own journey.

    • Jane

      Reply Reply September 14, 2012

      Thanks so much Steve for taking the time to write – I really appreciate it and I am pleased they resonated with you. Take care, Jane

Leave A Response

* Denotes Required Field