66 Funny Inspirational Quotes About Life and Happiness to Make You Smile

Let’s be real: the world is weird, your coffee is lukewarm again, and your to-do list is longer than your patience. That’s where funny inspirational quotes about life and happiness come in. These little gems deliver truth, humor, and perspective all at once. They remind you that it’s okay to laugh at the chaos—and sometimes because of it.

Below are quotes to get you smiling again. We’ve grouped them by vibe, mood, and life’s oddly specific moments. Pick one, two, or ten—whatever gets you to laugh, breathe, and remember: happiness doesn’t always look serious.

Quotes for When Life Gets Weird (Because It Will)

Because life is weird. You make plans and then life giggles. This set of quotes is for those times when you’re just trying to make sense of it all—or not. They remind you that embracing the oddity is sometimes the sanest thing you can do.

“Life is like a sewer… what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.” — Tom Lehrer
“If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” — Dalai Lama
“Don’t take life too seriously. You’ll never get out of it alive.” — Elbert Hubbard
“You can’t have everything. Where would you put it?” — Steven Wright
“If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving definitely isn’t for you.” — Steven Wright
“Life is short. Smile while you still have teeth.” — Mallory Hopkins
“Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes.” — Jim Carrey
“I intend to live forever. So far, so good.” — Steven Wright
“The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.” — Lily Tomlin
“Some people graduate with honors, I am just honored to graduate.” — Mr. T
“The road to success is always under construction.” — Lily Tomlin
“There is no sunrise so beautiful that it is worth waking me up to see it.” — Mindy Kaling
“My favorite machine at the gym is the vending machine.” — Caroline Rhea
“Sometimes I pretend to be normal. But it gets boring. So I go back to being me.” — Ain Eineziz

Quotes That Prove Happiness Doesn’t Need a Reason

Not every smile needs a backstory. Sometimes happiness comes from randomness, small wins, or jokes that make zero sense but hit perfectly. These quotes prove you don’t need a perfect life—you just need a moment.

“Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family… in another city.” — George Burns
“The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it’s all that matters.” — Audrey Hepburn
“The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.” — Mark Twain
“Happiness is not having to set an alarm for the next day.” — Jeff Foxworthy
“Sometimes I just want someone to hug me and say, ‘I know it’s hard, but you’re going to be okay. Here’s chocolate and six million dollars.’” — Anonymous
“Happiness. Simple as a glass of chocolate or tortuous as the heart. Bitter. Sweet. Alive.” — Joanne Harris
“A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.” — Phyllis Diller
“I’m not lazy, I’m just very relaxed.” — Lucie Turkel
“Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” — Victor Hugo
“Whoever said money can’t buy happiness didn’t know where to shop.” — Gertrude Stein
“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” — Douglas Adams
“True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.” — Helen Keller

When You Need a Laugh to Get Unstuck

Stuck in a rut? Motivation hiding under your bed? These quotes are for the moments when you need more than a productivity hack—you need to laugh yourself forward. They turn frustration into fuel with just the right amount of sass.

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” — Thomas Edison
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” — Will Rogers
“Why do they call it rush hour when nothing moves?” — Robin Williams
“I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.” — Lily Tomlin
“The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs… one step at a time.” — Joe Girard
“My therapist told me to finish what I start. So far I’ve finished two bags of chips and a chocolate cake.” — Dave Barry
“If you think nobody cares if you’re alive, try missing a couple of car payments.” — Earl Wilson
“By working faithfully eight hours a day you may eventually get to be boss and work twelve hours a day.” — Robert Frost
“Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.” — Margaret Mead
“A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.” — Steven Wright
“Procrastinate now, don’t put it off.” — Ellen DeGeneres
“To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.” — Wilson Mizner
“I’m not great at the advice. Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?” — Chandler Bing
“Sometimes I lie awake at night and ask, ‘Where have I gone wrong?’ Then a voice says to me, ‘This is going to take more than one night.’” — Charles M. Schulz
“Doing nothing is hard; you never know when you’re done.” — Leslie Nielsen
“Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” — Winston Churchill

Wisdom from the Delightfully Offbeat

These quotes come from the ones who don’t follow rules—they rewrite them in crayon. From comedians to rebels, these quirky voices deliver insights wrapped in sarcasm and wit. Because sometimes wisdom wears a clown nose.

“A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.” — Steve Martin
“Follow your passion. It will lead you to your purpose.” — Oprah Winfrey
“I am an early bird and a night owl… so I am wise and I have worms.” — Michael Scott
“Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.” — Oscar Wilde
“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns it on, I go into the other room and read a book.” — Groucho Marx
“If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with nonsense.” — W.C. Fields
“Reality continues to ruin my life.” — Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes)
“I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.” — Noel Coward
“I’m writing a book. I’ve got the page numbers done.” — Steven Wright
“When life gives you lemons, take out the salt and the shot-glasses and fill them up with tequila.” — Teodora Kostova
“Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.” — Mark Twain
“I’m not lazy, I’m on energy-saving mode.” — Phil Harris

Quotes That Turn Your Day Around (Even Just a Little)

Bad mood? Rough morning? General emotional crash? These are your go-to pick-me-ups. Short, funny, and often shockingly true, they’re like a mental reset in one sentence.

“Laughter is an instant vacation.” — Milton Berle
“Happiness is not a goal… it’s a by-product of a life well-lived.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” — Jack London
“Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” — John Lennon
“The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.” — Will Rogers
“Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.” — Alan Dundes
“Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.” — Elbert Hubbard
“Every day may not be good… but there’s something good in every day.” — Alice Morse Earle
“If you think the grass is greener on the other side, try watering your own lawn.” — Neil Barringham
“To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone.” — Reba McEntire
“A good laugh is sunshine in the house.” — William Makepeace Thackeray
“Laughter is the shock absorber that eases the blows of life.” — Unknown

Funny inspirational quotes about life and happiness aren’t just comic relief—they’re emotional CPR. They remind you to take things a little less seriously and a little more playfully. Because you’re allowed to laugh, even when life isn’t perfect. Actually—especially when it’s not.

So the next time your day gets weird, heavy, or just plain blah… scroll, snort, giggle, and go on. You’ve got this.