Michelle Obama: Quotes to Live By was a gift to myself. It’s a small book, containing a collection of over 170 quotations.

And my copy is full of sticky notes. 

Here are some of the quotations that stood out to me:

“Every single child has boundless promise, no matter who they are, where they come from, or how much money their parents have. We’ve got to remember that.”
– National Arts and Humanities
Youth Program Awards, November 2016

“I never cut class. I loved getting As. I liked being smart. I liked being on time. I thought being smart is cooler than anything in the world.”
– Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School, London, April 2009

“We can’t afford not to educate girls and give women the power and the access that they need.”
– Mulberry School for Girls Skype conversation, June 2015

“Women in particular need to keep an eye on their physical and mental health because … we don’t have a lot of time to take care of ourselves. We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own to-do list.”
– Real Health magazine interview, November 2007

“You can’t make decisions based on fear and the possibility of what might happen.”
– 60 Minutes interview, February 2007

“You don’t come up with the right answer if everyone at the table looks the same and thinks the same and has the same experience.”
– White House screening of Hidden Figures, December 2016

“In those darkest moments, you will have a choice: do you dwell on everything you’ve lost, or do you focus on what you still have and find a way to move forward with passion, with determination, and with joy?”
– Oregon State University commencement, June 2012

“What matters are the true friends you make, the activities you throw yourself into, the books you read, the skills and knowledge you acquire. Those experiences — the ones that make you stronger, smarter, and braver — are what really matter.”
– People Magazine essay, October 2014