Quotes By Author: Nayyirah Waheed

“creativity keeps the world alive, yet, everyday we are asked to be ashamed of honoring it, wanting to live our lives as artists. i’ve carried the shame of being a ‘creative’ since i came to the planet; have been asked to be something different, more, less my whole life. thank spirit, my wisdom is deeper than my shame, and i listened to who i was. i want to say to all the creatives who have been taught to believe who you are is not enough for this world, taught that a life of art will amount to nothing, know that who we are, and what we do is life. when we create, we are creating the world. remember this, and commit.”

“if we must both be right.we will lose each other.”

“never trust anyone who says they do not see color. this means to them,you are invisible.”

“No’ might make them angry but it will make you free.”

“Desire is the kind of thing thateats youandleaves you starving.”

“Just because someone desires you, it does not mean that they value you.Read it over.Again.Let those words resonate in your mind.”

“younot wanting mewasthe beginning of mewanting myselfthank you”

“Someone can be madly in love with you and still not be ready. They can love you in a way you have never been loved and still not join you on the bridge. And whatever their reasons you must leave. Because you never ever have to inspire anyone to meet you on the bridge. You never ever have to convince someone to do the work to be ready. There is more extraordinary love, more love that you have never seen, out here in this wide and wild universe. And there is the love that will be ready.”

“If someone does not want me it is not the end of the world. But if I do not want me, the world is nothing but endings.”