--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes we have to inspire and…" description: "\"“Sometimes we have to inspire and encourage ourselves, through our personal narrative. And we start with what we know.”\" — Deborah L. Parker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/741/deborah-l-parker-32273_encouragement_sometimes-we-have-to-inspire-and-encoura_881144.jpg" --- # Sometimes we have to inspire and encourage ourselves… ![“Sometimes we have to inspire and encourage ourselves, through our personal narrative. And we start with what we know.” quote by Deborah L. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/741/deborah-l-parker-32273_encouragement_sometimes-we-have-to-inspire-and-encoura_881144.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/741/deborah-l-parker-32273_encouragement_sometimes-we-have-to-inspire-and-encoura_881144.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/741/deborah-l-parker-32273_encouragement_sometimes-we-have-to-inspire-and-encoura_881144.jpg) > ““Sometimes we have to inspire and encourage ourselves, through our personal narrative. And we start with what we know.”” [Deborah L. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-l-parker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑inspiration starts with recognizing personal experiences and building on familiar knowledge to motivate growth. **In simple terms:** Inspire yourself by using what you know. Key Takeaway Start with your own story. Themes self‑growth storytelling motivation Mood reflective encouraging Type self‑help inspirational When to use this quote - career change - education - therapy - goal setting Key Concepts personal narrative self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - What part of your story fuels you? - How can you expand beyond familiar knowledge? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on past may hinder new perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Encouragement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouragement/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Personal story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-story/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) ## Related quotes > [True joy comes when you inspire, encourage, and guide someone else on a path that benefits him or her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-joy-comes-when-you-inspire-encourage-and-guide-someone-else-on-a-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can't lead others to places you don't want to go yourself. If you don't feel a burning passion for something, how in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-kouzes/you-can-t-lead-others-to-places-you-don-t-want-to-go-yourself-if-you/) [James M. Kouzes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-kouzes/) > [“True joy comes when you inspire, encourage, and guide someone else on a path that benefits him or her. —ZIG ZIGLAR There are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/true-joy-comes-when-you-inspire-encourage-and-guide-someone-else-on-a/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [The area where we are the greatest is the area in which we inspire, encourage and connect with another human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/the-area-where-we-are-the-greatest-is-the-area-in-which-we-inspire/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Leadership is not just about what you do but what you can inspire, encourage and empower others to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/leadership-is-not-just-about-what-you-do-but-what-you-can-inspire/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [I enjoy hearing from different people who have turned their personal struggles into something that can inspire others and encourage people to push past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-dandridge/i-enjoy-hearing-from-different-people-who-have-turned-their-personal/) [Merle Dandridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-dandridge/) > [No one can make you happy. No one can help you grow in life more than you can. I can love you to death,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/musiq-soulchild/no-one-can-make-you-happy-no-one-can-help-you-grow-in-life-more-than/) [Musiq Soulchild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/musiq-soulchild/) > [I want to inspire and encourage people and intrigue them to want to know what makes me tick, which is ultimately the love of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-hosoi/i-want-to-inspire-and-encourage-people-and-intrigue-them-to-want-to/) [Christian Hosoi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-hosoi/) > [“Inspire, encourage and add life to each day!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-solawetz-4teens/inspire-encourage-and-add-life-to-each-day/) Laurie Solawetz 4TEENS > [Personal narrative is one of the few things where people don't get caught up in fighting over esoteric rhetoric.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasan-minhaj/personal-narrative-is-one-of-the-few-things-where-people-don-t-get/) [Hasan Minhaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hasan-minhaj/) > [“Storytelling, independent of literary rules and grammar conventions, is the ability to build, play, experiment, sculpt, weave with words, sounds, texture and silence is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malebo-sephodi/storytelling-independent-of-literary-rules-and-grammar-conventions-is/) [Malebo Sephodi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malebo-sephodi/) > [“This book is merely a personal narrative, and not a pretentious history or a philosophical dissertation. It is a record of several years of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/this-book-is-merely-a-personal-narrative-and-not-a-pretentious/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [It seems to me, that this, too, is how memory works. What we remember of what was done to us shapes our view, molds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-walker/it-seems-to-me-that-this-too-is-how-memory-works-what-we-remember-of/) [Rebecca Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-walker/) > [Truth, naked, unblushing truth, the first virtue of all serious history, must be the sole recommendation of this personal narrative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/truth-naked-unblushing-truth-the-first-virtue-of-all-serious-history/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [“When I come home and look back through my Book of Books I see a personal narrative I didn’t recognize at the time. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-paul/when-i-come-home-and-look-back-through-my-book-of-books-i-see-a/) [Pamela Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-paul/) ## More by Deborah L. Parker > [“Let faith and hope be the cornerstones for all of your tomorrows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-l-parker/let-faith-and-hope-be-the-cornerstones-for-all-of-your-tomorrows/) [Deborah L. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-l-parker/) > [“Somebody needs to be in charge! They may not always like what you’re doing, but press on!” My late uncle, CSM, US Army (Ret)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-l-parker/somebody-needs-to-be-in-charge-they-may-not-always-like-what-you-re/) [Deborah L. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-l-parker/) > [“Leadership is life-oriented in scope and transferable from one environment to another. Mainly, the goal for any leader should be to move past obstacles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-l-parker/leadership-is-life-oriented-in-scope-and-transferable-from-one/) [Deborah L. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-l-parker/) > [“Right ain't changed in all these years. From my maternal grandmother, Pearl C. Parker”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-l-parker/right-ain-t-changed-in-all-these-years-from-my-maternal-grandmother/) [Deborah L. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-l-parker/) > [“God has given us all our unique story. It's not one that flows easily or pretty, but the story is ours! Find it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-l-parker/god-has-given-us-all-our-unique-story-it-s-not-one-that-flows-easily/) [Deborah L. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-l-parker/) > [“Our stories are timeless and tested. They are about us, a people of tremendous strength.Our songs are full of love and life— and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-l-parker/our-stories-are-timeless-and-tested-they-are-about-us-a-people-of/) [Deborah L. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-l-parker/) > [“Somebody needs to be in charge! They may not always like what you’re doing, but press on!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-l-parker/somebody-needs-to-be-in-charge-they-may-not-always-like-what-you-re-2/) [Deborah L. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-l-parker/) > [“A conquering force sustained the old folks and now centers us. Forming a collective of comeback saints, let us rally behind them and move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-l-parker/a-conquering-force-sustained-the-old-folks-and-now-centers-us-forming/) [Deborah L. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-l-parker/) > [“I had to learn what my grandfather and mother knew about some of this journey’s problems. My job was to sit back and let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-l-parker/i-had-to-learn-what-my-grandfather-and-mother-knew-about-some-of-this/) [Deborah L. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-l-parker/) > [“In this shifting landscape, we may tend to forget “what the old folks say.” Most of us probably now realize that our ancestors did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-l-parker/in-this-shifting-landscape-we-may-tend-to-forget-what-the-old-folks/) [Deborah L. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-l-parker/) > [“Plus I have no doubt that their garden is also where my grandparents dreamed—for a better life of equality for their grandchildren and future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-l-parker/plus-i-have-no-doubt-that-their-garden-is-also-where-my-grandparents/) [Deborah L. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-l-parker/) > [“Do you have a dream? Take it forward with the power to decide and deliver!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-l-parker/do-you-have-a-dream-take-it-forward-with-the-power-to-decide-and/) [Deborah L. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-l-parker/) > [“One’s own history can be the greatest educator”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-l-parker/one-s-own-history-can-be-the-greatest-educator/) [Deborah L. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-l-parker/) > [“Happy 3rd anniversary Navigating Life's Roadways! This book is a charge and blessing from above. Writing it has been on my radar for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-l-parker/happy-3rd-anniversary-navigating-life-s-roadways-this-book-is-a/) [Deborah L. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-l-parker/) [Explore all 15 Deborah L. Parker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-l-parker/) ## More Encouragement quotes > [Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you'll love it up here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/change-your-attitude-and-gain-some-altitude-believe-me-you-ll-love-it/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“Today if anything is trying to hold you back, give no attention to it. Get your hopes up, get your faith up, look up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/today-if-anything-is-trying-to-hold-you-back-give-no-attention-to-it/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [Great people are not people who have never fallen down. Greatness has to do with how you get back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/great-people-are-not-people-who-have-never-fallen-down-greatness-has/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [If You want to be Awesome, You have to kick all the negative and boring people out of your life and arm yourself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajdeep-sarkar/if-you-want-to-be-awesome-you-have-to-kick-all-the-negative-and/) [Rajdeep Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajdeep-sarkar/) > [It isn't bad judgment to make a man believe he is something. He is by nature inclined to it, and a little encouragement is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-langley-bosher/it-isn-t-bad-judgment-to-make-a-man-believe-he-is-something-he-is-by/) [Kate Langley Bosher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-langley-bosher/) > [God's plans are never beyond your reach, sometimes you just have to move closer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lee-riner/god-s-plans-are-never-beyond-your-reach-sometimes-you-just-have-to/) [Justin Lee Riner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lee-riner/) > [Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/instruction-does-much-but-encouragement-everything/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“What would you think if I told you that, yes, your bad choices and decisions have had a part in your ending up under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-andrews/what-would-you-think-if-i-told-you-that-yes-your-bad-choices-and/) [Andy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-andrews/) > [“I have learned that positive encouragement and positive advice is limited to the believers not the masses”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-edgar-alamo/i-have-learned-that-positive-encouragement-and-positive-advice-is/) Herbert Edgar Alamo > [“Intercourse is one thing, Intimacy is everything. Be encouraged”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-e-wagner/intercourse-is-one-thing-intimacy-is-everything-be-encouraged/) [Kerry E. Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-e-wagner/) > [“Don’t be afraid of your struggles, they are making you dangerously strong and wise. They are preparing you for your superpowers. Let them happen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-lee/don-t-be-afraid-of-your-struggles-they-are-making-you-dangerously/) [Melody Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-lee/) > [I really want people to know that I've worked hard, very hard, to get to where I am today.. this didn't just happen overnight.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/i-really-want-people-to-know-that-i-ve-worked-hard-very-hard-to-get/) [Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/) > [If people are kicking you in the behind, at least you're in front of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/if-people-are-kicking-you-in-the-behind-at-least-you-re-in-front-of/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Our words are very powerful, always make sure that you use the right words, which encourages people instead of discouraging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/our-words-are-very-powerful-always-make-sure-that-you-use-the-right/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [When we start focusing on things we can do and don't think so much about the things we can't do, things really start to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/when-we-start-focusing-on-things-we-can-do-and-don-t-think-so-much/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) [Browse all 2,407 Encouragement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouragement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Sometimes we have to inspire and encourage ourselves, through our personal narrative. 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