The Wise and Uplifting Words of J.K. Rowling

Whether it be in her beloved Harry Potter books, the more recent Cormoran Strike series, or even on Twitter, the words of J.K. Rowling will live on forever.

"“Don’t let the muggles get you down.”― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban"

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Fans have spoken out on countless occasions about how the Harry Potter books have helped them overcome dark times in their lives. I even like to think of Rowling’s books as “Light Magic Horcruxes” – objects in which she will live on in forever, but that have an uplifting and positive effect on anyone who comes into contact with them.

In addition to her published words and the words of her characters, Rowling gives some of the best advice around, whether it be on Twitter, in an interview, or commencement speech. Rowling even once wrote a letter to a fan whose family had been murdered in the voice of Dumbledore, sharing words of comfort and wisdom with the young girl, telling her she could and would overcome her pain and suffering.

I have scoured the Internet to find the most uplifting quotes and wisest words of Rowling – including anything she has ever tweeted, said in an interview or public speech, and of course anything from her books – and put them in one place for you to read for whenever you need a little pick-me-up or encouragement.

What I found, unsurprisingly, is that you could fill an entire book with amazing J.K. Rowling quotes, but here are some of my personal favorites:

1.“According to Madam Pomfrey, thoughts could leave deeper scars than almost anything else.” ―Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2. “Some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all—in which case, you fail by default.” ― 2008 Harvard Commencement Address

3. “Is ‘fat’ really the worst thing a human being can be? Is ‘fat’ worse than ‘vindictive’, ‘jealous’, ‘shallow’, ‘vain’, ‘boring’ or ‘cruel’? Not to me.”―2006 post on Rowling’s website, “For Girls Only, Probably”

4. “I definitely know that—that love is the most powerful thing of all and I remember thinking that—God, I’m about to make myself cry but, I remember thinking that when 9/11 happened because those last phone calls were about—the last thing knowingly, that I’m going to say on this earth is ‘I love you.’ What’s more powerful than that? What’s more proof than that? Beyond fear, beyond death.” ―2010 interview with Oprah Winfrey

5. “We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.”―2008 Harvard Commencement Address

6. “Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.” ―Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

7. “The thing about growing up with Fred and George,” said Ginny thoughtfully, “is that you sort of start thinking anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.”―Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

8. “Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.” ―Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

9. “Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery.” ―Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

10. “To hurt is as human as to breathe.” ―The Tales of Beedle the Bard

11. “Time will not slow down when something unpleasant lies ahead.” ―Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

12. “We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.” ―Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

13. “Depression is the most unpleasant thing I have ever experienced. . . . It is that absence of being able to envisage that you will ever be cheerful again. The absence of hope. That very deadened feeling, which is so very different from feeling sad. Sad hurts but it’s a healthy feeling. It is a necessary thing to feel. Depression is very different.” ―2000 interview with The Times (UK)

14. “Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.” –Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

15. “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” –Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

16. “This pain is part of being human… the fact that you can feel pain like this is your greatest strength.” –Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

17. “We must try not to sink beneath our anguish…but battle on.” –Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

18. This Twitter exchange:

19. And this one:

20. And this screenshot of Rowling’s Twitter, just because it shows how awesome she is:

Finally, if these didn’t cheer you up, hopefully this quote will at least make you crack a smile:

"“He can run faster than Severus Snape confronted with shampoo.” –Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"

Is there a specific quote that you find exceptionally inspiring or meaningful? Let us know in the comments!

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