Change is inevitable and the way we deal with it helps us either grow or get stuck in awful situations that seem to have no way out.

Moving on when change happens is hard, but it’s a necessity. Whether you’re mourning the loss of a loved one, going through a painful breakup or a job failure, deep down you hope for better days — and they are yet to come.

Some people say we don’t really move on from negative life events, but rather move forward with them. And maybe this approach is more realistic since we can’t erase what happened, but we can change our attitude towards it. Everything stays with us and we simply learn to live with the memories we have.

A lot of people who’ve lost their spouse refuse to move on because they’d feel guilty about it. What would others say if they were to fall in love again? What others say doesn’t matter. If you can choose to be happy (and you always can), you should allow yourself to be nothing but that. Don’t hold on to the pain because it will hold you back.

Here are 120 moving on quotes to help you keep your eyes on the road in front of you:

Quotes about moving on in life

It’s easy to tell someone to move on when something happens to them. We throw those words like we’ve never faced difficulty and we don’t remember how hard it was for ourselves to move on.

We are not born with some sort of “kit” for every situation we have to face later in life. In order to move on, we have to understand where we stand, make a decision to change our situation, and then find ways to adapt to the new.

Depending on what you’re going through, moving on might take more time than you expect, but you’ve got this!

Here are our top quotes about moving on in life:

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.

ALBERT EINSTEIN (more Albert Einstein quotes)

You must make a decision that you are going to move on. It won’t happen automatically. You will have to rise up and say, ‘I don’t care how hard this is, I don’t care how disappointed I am, I’m not going to let this get the best of me. I’m moving on with my life.

JOEL OSTEEN

Vitality shows in not only the ability to persist but the ability to start over.

F. SCOTT FITZGERALD

It’s hard to be clear about who you are when you are carrying around a bunch of baggage from the past. I’ve learned to let go and move more quickly into the next place.

ANGELINA JOLIE (more Angelina Jolie quotes)

We must be willing to let go of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.

JOSEPH CAMPBELL (more Joseph Campbell quotes)

When you start to abandon your old beliefs or values you may be stuck at the threshold for two or three years. Before moving on, you have to clear away your cherished beliefs.

DICK RAYMOND

Holding on is believing that there’s only a past; letting go is knowing that there’s a future.

DAPHNE ROSE KINGMA

My heart might be bruised, but it will recover and become capable of seeing the beauty of life once more. It’s happened before, it will happen again, I’m sure. When someone leaves, it’s because someone else is about to arrive – I’ll find love again. 

PAULO COELHO

That’s all you can do in this world, no matter how strong the current beats against you, or how heavy your burden, or how tragic your love story. You keep going.

ROBYN SCHNEIDER

Keeping baggage from the past will leave no room for happiness in the future.

WAYNE L. MISNER

Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it.

ANN LANDERS

I had to cease to mourn what could never be and make the most of what was possible. And I would begin doing that by trying to mend the hurts of the past.

CAMERON DOKEY

If I kept saying it; if I kept reaching out. My accident really taught me just one thing: the only way to go on is to go on. To say ‘I can do this’ even when you know you can’t.

STEPHEN KING

It was strange, really. A couple months ago, I had thought I couldn’t live without him. Apparently, I could.

GABRIELLE ZEVIN

If you didn’t love him, this never would have happened. But you did. And accepting that love and everything that followed it is part of letting it go.

SARAH DESSEN

Change has to come for life to struggle forward.

HELEN HOLLICK

If I look back I am lost.

GEORGE R.R. MARTIN

There is love in holding and there is love in letting go.

ELIZABETH BERG

To wander is to be alive.

ROMAN PAYNE

My wish for you is that you continue. Continue to be who you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness.

MAYA ANGELOU

It’s so empowering to say, ‘This isn’t serving me,’ and walk away in peace.

UNKNOWN

People can be more forgiving than you can imagine. But you have to forgive yourself. Let go of what’s bitter and move on.

BILL COSBY

The beautiful journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday.

STEVE MARABOLI

Nothing in the universe can stop you from letting go and starting over.

GUY FINLEY

Moving on quotes for relationships

There are many things in life that will challenge us, but moving on from a relationship is one of the biggest ones we’ll ever have to face. It’s hard to let go of someone that we’ve shared so much with or of someone we are still in love with.

However, when our partners cease to love us, disrespect or abuse us in any way, it’s time to break up with them and move on. It won’t be easy, but you can do it. You are better off alone than in a relationship that can’t be fixed and has no real future.

We hope the following moving on quotes for relationships will inspire you to make the right decision for yourself.

If you bury the pain deep down it will stay with you indefinitely, but if you open yourself to it, experience it, and deal with it head-on, you’ll find it begins to move on after a while.

GREG BEHRENDT

I think that the power is the principle. The principle of moving forward, as though you have the confidence to move forward, eventually gives you confidence when you look back and see what you’ve done.

ROBERT DOWNEY JR. (more Robert Downey Jr. quotes)

Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go.

HERMAN HESSE

Life moves forward. The old leaves wither, die and fall away, and the new growth extends forward into the light.

BRYANT MCGILL

People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.

THICH NHAT HANH

Sometimes the hardest part isn’t letting go but rather learning to start over.

NICOLE SOBON

If you’re going through hell, keep going.

WINSTON CHURCHILL

Sooner or later we’ve all got to let go of our past.

DAN BROWN

When lifes seems hopeless, rearrange things for a dose of dopeness.

KID CUDI

In the process of letting go you will lose many things from the past, but you will find yourself.

DEEPAK CHOPRA

Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward.

VICTOR KIAM

Cry me a river, build a bridge, and get over it.

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE

Change has to come for life to struggle forward.

HELEN HOLLICK

If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.

HENRY FORD

When the world is at your back, and your heart is at your feet…the best way to go on is to just be.

JENNIFER VARNADORE

A bridge can still be built, while the bitter waters are flowing beneath.

ANTHONY LICCIONE

Girls you’ve gotta know when it’s time to turn the page.

TORI AMOS

You’ve got to make a conscious choice every day to shed the old – whatever the old means for you.

SARAH BAN BREATHNACH

There’s an important difference between giving up and letting go.

JESSICA HATCHIGAN

Letting go does not mean you stop caring. It means you stop trying to force others to.

MANDY HALE

Thank God I found the GOOD in goodbye.

BEYONCE KNOWLES

Your time is way too valuable to be wasting on people that can’t accept who you are.

TURCOIS OMINEK

If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. And if they don’t, they never were.

KHALIL GIBRAN

You can live your life angry, bitter, mad at somebody or even guilty, not letting go of your own mistakes, but you won’t receive the good things God has in store.

JOEL OSTEEN

Broken hearts hurt but they will make you strong

UNKNOWN

Last night I lost the world, and gained the universe.

JOYBELL

Forget what hurt you but never forget what it taught you.

UNKNOWN

Sometimes it takes a heartbreak to shake us awake and help us see we are worth so much more than we’re settling for.

MANDY HALE

Every day is a new day, and you’ll never be able to find happiness if you don’t move on.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD

Letting go doesn’t mean that you don’t care about someone anymore. It’s just realizing that the only person you really have control over is yourself.

DEBORAH REBER

Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness.

STEVE MARABOLI

In order to be free, we must learn how to let go. Release the hurt. Release the fear. Refuse to entertain your old pain. The energy it takes to hang onto the past is holding you back from a new life. What is it you would let go of today?

MARY MANIN MORRISSEY

Short moving on quotes

Sometimes a few words can give us the incentive we need to just get up and start doing what we have to do to move on. Short moving on quotes can be exactly what you need to get you motivated to take the first step into changing your life for the better.

We don’t always need a ton of arguments to make the decision of letting go of the past. Words are very powerful and when they are read or said exactly when we need them, they can work wonders.

We’ve handpicked a list of short, but very impactful moving on quotes. Enjoy reading them!

Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

DALAI LAMA

Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.

LYNDON B. JOHNSON

So you keep the wonderful memories, but find yourself moving on.

NICHOLAS SPARKS

Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.

DR. SEUSS (more Dr. Seuss quotes)

You only struggle because you’re ready to grow but aren’t willing to let go.

DREW GERALD

Time doesn’t heal emotional pain, you need to learn how to let go.

ROY T. BENNETT

Life moves on and so should we.

SPENCER JOHNSON

You will evolve past certain people. Let yourself.

MANDY HALE

I’ve been burdened with blame trapped in the past for too long, I’m moving on.

RASCAL FLATTS

I don’t know what lies ahead, but I want to keep going forever…

FUYUMI SORYO

The only real battle in life is between hanging on and letting go.

SHANNON L. ALDER

Sometimes the hardest part isn’t letting go but rather learning to start over.

NICOLE SOBON

The most difficult aspect of moving on is accepting that the other person already did.

FARAAZ KAZI

I will continue my path, but I will keep a memory always.

ROSIE THOMAS

Sometimes you can’t let go of the past without facing it again.

GAIL TSUKIYAMA

You are allowed to let go of all those that do not set you free anymore.

DHIMAN

Say yes, and you’ll figure it out afterward.

TINA FEY

Life is tough, but so are you.

CARMI GRAU

Owning your story is the bravest thing you’ll ever do.

BRENE BROWN

What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.

CHARLES BUKOWSKI

Be messy and complicated and afraid and show up anyways.

GLENNON DOYLE

What’s comin’ will come and we’ll meet it when it does.

J. K. ROWLING

When nothing goes right, go left.

UNKNOWN

The greatest step towards a life of simplicity is to learn to let go.

STEVE MARABOLI

Life goes by fast. Enjoy it. Calm down. It’s all funny.

JOAN RIVERS

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.

HELEN KELLER

Forgiveness means letting go of the past.

GERALD JAMPOLSJY

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

ARTHUR ASHE

Sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith.

MARGARET SHEPARD

There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind.

C. S. LEWIS

Moving on, is a simple thing, what it leaves behind is hard.

DAVE MUSTAINE

Inspirational quotes about moving on

When it comes to moving on, probably most quotes are inspirational at some level, even the ones that are pure tough love. Sometimes the latter can be the most efficient. Of course, we are all different and we mostly need to hear nice and encouraging words when we’re going through difficult times. However, you have to admit that every now and then, a bit of tough love will get you ready for action faster than anything else.

Regardless of what kind of approach you prefer, there’s a great quote for anyone in our list of inspirational quotes about moving on. So read them and pick your favorite one!

The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.

STEVE MARABOLI

The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.

J.P. MORGAN

I demolish my bridges behind me…then there is no choice but to move forward.

FRIDTJOF NANSEN

Why do people persist in a dissatisfying relationship, unwilling either to work toward solutions or end it and move on? It’s because they know changing will lead to the unknown, and most people believe that the unknown will be much more painful than what they’re already experiencing.

ANTHONY ROBBINS (more Tony Robbins quotes)

Don’t dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energy moving forward together towards an answer.

DENIS WAITLEY

The great courageous act that we must all do, is to have the courage to step out of our history and past so that we can live our dreams.

OPRAH WINFREY

You can’t look back you just have to put the past behind you, and find something better in your future.

JODI PICOULT

Forgiveness means letting go of the past.

GERALD JAMPOLSKY

Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.

RAYMOND LINDQUIST

All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.

HAVELOCK ELLIS

When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need.  

TAO TE CHING

You don’t need strength to let go of something. What you really need is understanding.  

GUY FINLEY

Study the past if you would define the future.  

CONFUCIUS

Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.

CONRAD HILTON

Sometimes you have to take a step back to move forward.

ERIKA TAYLOR

Life moves forward. The old leaves wither, die and fall away, and the new growth extends forward into the light.  

BRYANT MCGILL

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.

WALT DISNEY

Grudges are for those who insist that they are owed something; forgiveness, however, is for those who are substantial enough to move on.

CRISS JAMI

Let go of your attachment to being right, and suddenly your mind is more open. 

RALPH MARSTON

You can only lose what you cling to. 

BUDDHA (more Buddha quotes)

If they talk behind your back it stays behind your back.

ELIZABETH ENRIQUEZ

Keep planting and sowing, living and knowing: beautiful things take time, and that is okay.

MORGAN HARPER NICHOLS

You’re imperfect and you’re wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.

BRENE BROWN

Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.

WINSTON CHURCHILL

My mission in life is not merely to survive but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style.

MAYA ANGELOU

There is no passion to be found playing small—in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.

NELSON MANDELA

Let us come alive to the splendor around us, and see the beauty in ordinary things.

THOMAS MERTON

I have found that when you love life, life will love you back.

ARTHUR RUBINSTEIN

If you can dance and be free and not be embarrassed, you can rule the world.

AMY POEHLER

When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need.

TAO TE CHING

Time flies, people change. You’re not always needed. There are times to move forward and places to let go.

UNKNOWN

For what it’s worth it’s never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.

F. SCOTT FITZGERALD

You were never created to live depressed, defeated, guilty, condemned, ashamed, or unworthy. You were created to be victorious.

UNKNOWN