Whether you’re starting a new job, expanding your family or trying a new hair color, change can be scary. We can never be prepared for what the future holds, but we can stay positive about the adventure to come. So whenever you feel overwhelmed or nervous, check out these words of wisdom to keep you hopeful in your next chapter. From Oprah Winfrey to Gandalf, here are 40 quotes about change to help you welcome the new transition with open arms.

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1. “The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.” — Oprah Winfrey

2. “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” — Barack Obama

3. “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.” — James Baldwin

4. “Life will only change when you become more committed to your dreams than you are to your comfort zone.” — Billy Cox

5. “Dreams are the seeds of change. Nothing ever grows without a seed, and nothing ever changes without a dream.” — Debby Boone

6. “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.” — Brené Brown

7. “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” — Wayne Dyer

8. “And that is how change happens. One gesture. One person. One moment at a time.” — The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

9. “We must be impatient for change. Let us remember that our voice is a precious gift and we must use it.” — Claudia Flores

10. “If you’re serious about changing your life, you’ll find a way. If you’re not, you’ll find an excuse.” — You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero

11. “The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.” — Nathaniel Branden

12. “Some changes happen deep down inside of you. And the truth is, only you know about them. Maybe that’s the way it’s supposed to be.” — Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume

13. “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” — Maya Angelou

14. “Some people will always fear change. But we can’t indulge them.” — Allegiant by Veronica Roth

15. “You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.” — Johnny Cash

16. “Can’t say it often enough—change your hair, change your life.” — Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon

17. “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” — John F. Kennedy

18. “If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, and then make a change.” — “Man In The Mirror” by Michael Jackson

19. “Well, I’ve been afraid of changing, ‘cause I built my life around you. But time made me bolder, even children get older and I’m getting older, too.” — “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac

20. “Miracles happen every day, change your perception of what a miracle is and you’ll see them all around you.” — Jon Bon Jovi

21. “Looking back I see I had the flame in me. I’m the wind that’s carrying change.” — “Burning Gold” by Christina Perri

22. “I’ll take a risk. Take a chance. Make a change and breakaway.” — “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson

23. “Change for the better and not for the worse. Let’s stand together and break our curses.” — “Changes” by Ziggy Marley

24. “Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it.” - Rafiki from The Lion King

25. “I am changing, trying every way I can. I’m changing, I’ll be better than I am. But I need a friend, to help me start all over again.” — “I Am Changing” from Dreamgirls

26. “Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.” — Frank Herbert

27. “Change, change your life, take it all. We're gonna stick together, know we'll get through it all.” — “Change Your Life” by Little Mix

28. “Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.” — Stephen Hawking

29. “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” — Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

30. “I have accepted fear as part of life—specifically the fear of change...I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says: turn back.” — Erica Jong

31. “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” — Ferris Bueller from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

32. “This is a new year. A new beginning. And things will change.” — Taylor Swift

33. “To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.” — Henri Bergson

34. “I know what I have to do now, I've got to keep breathing because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?” — Chuck Noland from Cast Away

35. “Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge.” — Eckhart Tolle

36. “If you focus on what you left behind, you will never be able to see what lies ahead.” — Chef Gusteau from Ratatouille

37. “When in doubt, choose change.” — Lily Leung

38. “How many times do I have to teach you? Just because something works doesn’t mean it cannot be improved!” — Shuri from Black Panther

39. “One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world.” — Malala Yousafzai

40. “It doesn’t matter how strong your opinions are. If you don’t use your power for positive change, you are indeed part of the problem.” — Coretta Scott King

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