Michelle Obama

My number one daily habit is to give myself permission to be happy. It’s physical and mental; it’s my diet, physical activity, and emotional state. That’s all tied together.

For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change. And I have been desperate to see our country moving in that direction.

When you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you. You reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.

[on Donald Trump] I can’t believe that I’m saying that a candidate for president of the United States has bragged about sexually assaulting women.

Whether you come from a council estate or a country estate, your success will be determined by your own confidence and fortitude.

Tweeting and social media – that is a powerful weapon that we just hand over to little kids. You know, a ten-year-old. Yo, tell it like it is. And it’s like, no you don’t. You need to think and spell it right and have good grammar.

It is just good practice to do a situational scan and have situational awareness when you are out in the world.

Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.

Insanity in individuals is something rare – but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.

Think about all of the times, situations, and circumstances where you have gotten caught up in making your self right rather than happy… The harder you fight to win, the bigger you lose.

I think everyone has their own set of problems, and sometimes I feel I’m in the middle of the biggest challenge of my life just trying to maintain normalcy in a kind of crazy lifestyle.

Warm summer sun, shine kindly here. Warm southern wind, blow softly here. Green sod above, lie light, lie light. Good night, dear Heart, Good night, good night.

I grew up not understanding what was true and what was not true. It gave me a sense of unreality.

I am not prejudiced in any way.

Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art. Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.

The more you know, the more you realise how much you don’t know — the less you know, the more you think you know.

You generate the results in your life that you believe you deserve.

Let us not forget: I didn’t just wake up First Lady… I mean, I went to law school, I practised law, I worked for the city, I ran a nonprofit (and) I was an executive at a hospital. I’ve been in the world. I’ve worked in every sector, and you don’t do that without coming up against some stuff. You know, having your feelings hurt, having people say things about you that aren’t true… Life hits you, so over the course of living, you learn how to protect yourself in it. You learn to take in what you need and get rid of the stuff that’s clearly not true.

I grew up in athletics, where people keep score.

Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself; but talent instantly recognizes genius.

Keep on going and the chances are you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I have never heard of anyone stumbling on something sitting down.