Quotes for Someone Going Through a Hard Time That Don't Say Cheer Up
Jump to the 52 lines
The short answer
The kindest quotes for someone going through a hard time don't demand optimism. Three to start with: "Getting up counts. So does trying to." "Night makes everything louder. It doesn't make it truer." "A hard time is a place you're in, not a person you are." All 52 here were written for this site, so you can copy them into a card, a text, or your phone's lock screen.
A lot of popular quotes assume you have energy to spare. Choose joy. Good vibes only. You’ve got this. On a bad day, those can land like a demand.
That may be more than a matter of taste. In a 2009 paper in Psychological Science, people with low self-esteem who repeated “I’m a lovable person” felt worse than those who didn’t. It’s one paper, and it wasn’t about depression specifically, but it matches what many people say about forced positivity.
The lines below try to do something smaller. They’re sorted by the moment you’re writing for: a friend who feels like a burden, a hard night, someone who needs to laugh. You won’t find a famous name on any of them, because they were written for this page. Use them in a card, a text or a gift for someone you know, with no need to credit us. Please ask first if you’d like to sell them on products.
If you’d like to send something with a quote, we have guides to gifts for someone with depression, gifts for someone with burnout, gifts for someone going through a breakup, gifts for someone who lost their job and gifts for someone who lost a pet.
52 Quotes for Someone Going Through a Hard Time
Written for this site. Copy one as it is, or change it until it sounds like you.
Short Quotes for Someone Going Through a Hard Time
Getting up counts. So does trying to.
You got through the day. It didn't have to be a good one.
Today's goal can be soup.
The dishes can wait. You're what matters here.
Some days the list is one item long. That's still a list.
Slow is still a direction.
One foot, then the other, then lunch.
A bad day is not a verdict.
Hard isn't the same as hopeless.
There's no deadline on feeling better.
Comforting Quotes for Depression and Feeling Like a Burden
Feeling like a burden can be a warning sign. If they've said people would be better off without them, skip these lines. Ask them directly whether they're thinking about suicide, stay with them if you can, and call or text 988 together.
You get to need things. Most of us do it badly.
Being loved doesn't stop on the days you're hard to be around.
You aren't a problem someone is putting up with.
The people who love you aren't keeping score.
Your place here never depended on you being okay.
Needing help is not a bill that comes due later.
Your friends signed up for the whole person, including this part.
The room is better with you in it, even when you're quiet.
I'd rather hear the bad news from you than hear nothing.
Encouraging Quotes for Hard Times in the Middle of the Night
If the night has them saying they don't want to be here, skip these lines. Ask them directly whether they're thinking about suicide, stay with them if you can, and call or text 988 together.
Nothing has to be solved at 3 a.m.
Night makes everything louder. It doesn't make it truer.
This hour is not a reliable narrator.
Things look different in daylight. Wait for it.
It's late, and everything feels final. It isn't.
Morning won't fix it, but it will give you better odds.
If it feels this big right now, call someone. I vote me, at any hour.
Drink some water. Turn on a lamp. See what's still true after that.
Quotes to Send to a Friend Going Through a Hard Time
Nobody's expecting a better version of you on Saturday. Bring this one.
I like you on the bad days too.
Save the brave face for your boss. I've seen the other one.
I'm not waiting for the old you. I like this one too.
Text me the ugly version. I can take it.
Skip the highlights. Send me the blooper reel.
I'd take a boring hour on your couch over most people's best stories.
Your hard year doesn't change what I know about you.
Tell me which kind of friend you need today. I keep several in stock.
Your seat at my table has been saved, and nobody's asking when you'll use it.
Encouraging Quotes for Someone Going Through a Tough Time
I was there for some of your worst days. I'd still bet on you.
This chapter has terrible pacing. Keep reading.
Nobody climbs out on a schedule, but people do climb out.
Asking for help is a strong move, and I'll say so to anyone.
Hope can be small enough to fit in a Tuesday.
You picked up the phone on a day like that. I noticed.
You can't see the whole road from here. Tomorrow morning is far enough.
A hard time is a place you're in, not a person you are.
Keep the appointment. Keep the plant. Keep me on speed dial.
Funny Quotes to Bring Someone Up on a Bad Day
This year owes you an apology and possibly a fruit basket.
If bad days were a sport, you'd own a very annoying trophy.
On a scale of one to this year, how are you?
I can't fix it, but I can be extremely petty on your behalf.
Your only task today is to outlast this one stupid Wednesday.
I'd fight this year for you, but it looks bigger than me. I'll hold your coat.
Quotes for a Friend Going Through a Hard Time: Cards to Save
Save an image for a text or a post, or pin it for later.
Quotes for Someone Going Through a Hard Time That Can Sting
Everything happens for a reason.It asks them to find meaning in something that may not have any.
This is hard, and it doesn't have to mean anything.
Just choose happiness.It implies they're choosing this.
You didn't choose this, and you can hate it as much as you like.
Good vibes only.It tells them which moods are invited and which should stay home.
All your moods are welcome here.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.Many people don't come out of a hard time feeling stronger. They come out tired.
You don't have to come out of this stronger. Getting through it is enough.
God never gives you more than you can handle.If they feel they can't handle it, this says they're wrong about their own life. It's also a poor fit unless you share their faith.
This is a lot for anyone. I'm staying close.
Stay positive.It adds a second job on top of the hard time: managing how everyone else feels about it.
You can be as gloomy as you like around me.
Gifts That Carry a Quote for Someone Going Through a Hard Time
Some links here may earn us a commission, at no extra cost to you. How we choose.
Custom Engraved Quote Necklace
Up to 100 characters on a silver pendant, so a short line can go with them through the day. Check the order form for what wording it accepts.
- Skip it if
- Silver isn't their metal, or this line feels too private to wear where others can see it.
Personalized Soft Photo Throw Blanket
A photo and up to 25 characters of text on a soft throw, for someone you can't be with in person. Most lines on this page are too long for it, so keep it to a few words.
- Skip it if
- You don't know which picture they'd want in front of them right now.
Quotes for People Going Through a Hard Time: Common Questions
What to say to a friend who is going through something?
Say you've noticed, say you're around, and don't ask them to explain. "I don't need the details. Do you want company or space this week?" works for almost anything. Then keep showing up a few weeks later, when other people have stopped.
What to say when you comfort someone?
Less than you think. Repeat back what they told you, say it sounds hard, and resist the urge to fix it or compare it to something else. If you pick a quote for someone going through a hard time, add one sentence of your own so it sounds like you.
What to say to someone going through a hard time?
Pick a line that doesn't promise a happy ending. "A bad day is not a verdict" is honest and short. Lines that claim everything will work out can feel untrue on a hard day, and people stop trusting them.
What are some short quotes for a depressed person?
Try "There's no deadline on feeling better." It's short, it asks nothing of them, and it doesn't promise anything it can't deliver. A quote won't treat depression, but it can be one small sign that they're not alone in it. Depression is treatable, and a doctor or therapist is a good place to start.
What to text someone going through a hard time?
One line that needs no answer, then another a week later. "Your hard year doesn't change what I know about you" works on an ordinary morning, and "Tell me which kind of friend you need today" works when you're ready for a reply. Sending a second one matters more than picking the perfect first one.
What to say to someone who wants to die?
Set the quotes aside. Take it seriously, ask them directly whether they're thinking about suicide, stay with them if you can, and don't promise to keep it a secret. Call or text 988 together, and call 911 if they're in immediate danger. Crisis lines also take calls from people who are worried about someone else.