Some words feel like home. They stop you mid-scroll, scribble themselves into your notebook margin, or stick in your head long after youâve read them.
Phrases like âone day at a time,â âbe gentle with yourself,â or even something silly that makes you laugh unexpectedlyâall of them have a way of landing right where you need them.
Iâve always loved the way a single line can feel simple and grounding. Sometimes it makes you laugh, sometimes it makes you cry, and sometimes itâs just exactly what you neededâeven if you didnât know you needed it.
And sometimes, you even make them up yourself. One of my favorites came from those chaotic early years of parenting: âAfter three kids, one more or less doesnât really matter.â With four under the age of three, it truly didnâtâwhether one was off on a playdate or an extra little one was underfoot, the energy in the house didnât shift much at all. Itâs funny, but it stuckâand became one of those personal mantras I still smile at.
đą Why I Collect Quotes
To me, quotes are like wildflowers. You donât always go looking for them, but when you spot one, it feels too lovely to leave behind.
Some are profound and grounding, the kind you tuck into your heart for when life feels heavy. Others are silly or oddly specificâlike my âafter three kidsâ lineâthat make you laugh because they carry a little truth only you really understand.
I love that mix. My âquote gardenâ is full of both kinds:
đź A line in a book that feels like it was written just for me
đź A lyric I hum on repeat without even realizing it
đź A funny phrase from a friend that still makes me smile
Collecting them can be as simple as tucking them away in your memory, or jotting them in a special notebook just for quotes. I just saved one recently that made me laugh so much I turned it into my computer backgroundâit encourages me every time I see it and still makes me grin.
âď¸ How to Keep Them Close
Once you start noticing quotes, youâll want to keep them somewhere easy to revisit. Here are a few cozy ways to do it:
1ď¸âŁ Create a âquote gardenâ page in your journal or planner: write the quote, note where it came from, and add why it spoke to you.
2ď¸âŁ Go digital: Save favorite quotes as your phone lock screen or computer wallpaper (I do thisâit makes me smile every time I open my laptop).
3ď¸âŁ Scatter them where youâll see them: Sticky notes on mirrors, tucked in books, or even on the fridge door can turn ordinary spots into little lifts.
4ď¸âŁ Pass them along: Share quotes with those close to youâpop one in a lunchbox note, send it in a quick card, or simply say it out loud. Passing it on spreads the joy you felt when you first found it.
Soon, youâll have words that feel like old friendsâready to ground you, make you laugh, or just remind you youâre not alone.
đż A PlannerAP Touch
I love the idea of giving these words a proper home. Thatâs why Iâm creating a Quotes & Inspiration section for future PlannerAP pagesâa cozy space just for jotting down the words that stay with you, with a little room to note why they matter.
The upcoming Gentle Planner will also have dedicated quote pages sprinkled throughout, so you always have space to capture those unexpected little wildflowers. Whether itâs a grounding line or something that just makes you laugh, these pages will keep them close and easy to revisit.
đ Freebie: Quote Collector Page
To make it simple (and a little extra fun), I created a printable Quote Collector page! Itâs a sweet, simple layout with space to:
đź Write your favorite quotes exactly as you find them
đź Note where they came from (book, song, or even a conversation)
đź Add a little reflection about why it resonated
Print it, tuck it in your journal, or even pin it on a bulletin board. Itâs a lovely way to start growing your own garden of wordsâone that encourages, comforts, and makes you smile when you need it most.
[Download it here â]
đ¤ Your Turn
Whatâs a quote thatâs stuck with you lately? Write it downâon a page, a sticky note, or even your phone background. Give it a place where youâll see it often, so it can do its quiet work of encouraging or making you smile.
And if you feel like sharing, drop it in the comments below. You never knowâyour favorite words might be exactly what someone else needs to hear today. đź
Sometimes itâs the simplest lines, passed along at just the right time, that make all the difference.
