Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) was an American humanitarian and diplomat. She was the first lady from 1933 until 1945, longer than any other president’s wife. She was an active advocate for human and civil rights and an early icon of the women’s rights movement.
Born in New York City to a prosperous family, Eleanor was the niece of President Theodore Roosevelt. In 1905, she married Franklin D. Roosevelt, her fifth cousin (once removed.) After he developed poliomyelitis in 1921, Eleanor helped him deal with the ailment and became his confidante and adviser. She assumed many of his public duties when he served first as governor of New York and then as president.
As her husband’s “eyes and ears,” Eleanor oversaw government officials as well as American troops before and during World War II. She also campaigned for improved employment opportunities for women and minorities.
Eleanor served a U.S. representative to the General Assembly of the United Nations (1945–53, 1961–62.) As chairperson of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, she helped draft the Declaration of Human Rights (1948.)
Roosevelt was a prolific writer; she wrote a syndicated and influential newspaper column for over twenty years. She also wrote It’s Up to the Women (1933,) This Troubled World (1938,) The Moral Basis of Democracy (1940,) and India and the Awakening East (1953.) She is also noted for her autobiographies This Is My Story (1937,) This I Remember (1949,) and On My Own (1958.)
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Do not be afraid of mistakes, providing you do not make the same one twice.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Topics: Failures, Mistakes
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by each experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, “I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.” You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Topics: Fear, Feelings
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Topics: Attitude, Beauty, Future, Belief, Dreams, Tomorrow, The Future, Believe
The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Topics: Courage, Acceptance, Life, Doing Your Best, Effort
If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Topics: Living, Life, Nature
There is nothing to regret — either for those who go or for those who are left behind.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
A little simplification would be the first step toward rational living, I think.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Topics: Simplicity
When you ceased to make a contribution you begin to die.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
A mature person is one who does not think only in absolutes, who is able to be objective even when deeply stirred emotionally, who has learned that there is both good and bad in all people and in all things, and who walks humbly and deals charitably with the circumstances of life, knowing that in this world no one is all-knowing and therefore all of us need both love and charity.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long run it is easier. We do not have to become heroes over night. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Topics: Heroes
To handle yourself, use your head;
To handle others, use your heart.
Anger is only one letter short of danger.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Topics: Confidence, Acceptance, Realization, Awareness, Character, Emotions, Inferiority
One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And, the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Topics: Confidence, Self-reliance, Philosophy, Choice, Responsibility
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look at fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along”. You must do the think you think you cannot do.”
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Topics: Live, Fear, Anxiety, Confidence, Courage, Experience, Discovery
The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Topics: Success, Living, Life, Nature
Do one thing every day that scares you.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Topics: Kindness, Giving, Work, Living, Service
With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Topics: Strength
Every time you meet a situation, though you think at the time it is impossibility and you go through the tortures of the damned, once you have met it and lived through it, you find that forever after you are freer than you were before.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Do what you feel in your heart to be right—for you’ll be criticized anyway. You’ll be damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Topics: Courage, Art, Individuality, Critics, Criticism
Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
A stumbling block to the pessimist is a stepping-stone to the optimist.
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Topics: Attitude, Perception
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