30 Norman Cousins Quotes On Life, Peace, & Laughter

Norman Cousins is best known for his influential work on the relationship between the mind and the body, particularly in the context of health and healing. Here is the list of the best Norman Cousins quotes about life, death, hope, healing, medicine, and more.

Norman was an American political journalist, professor, author, and advocate for world peace. Apart from peace, he also wrote and spoke about different ways of improving physical health.

He is an iconic name when it comes to the field of health, wellness, and the profound connection between the mind and body. He’s a man who showed how being strong, optimistic, and having a burst of good laughter can make a huge difference in your life.

Being the editor of the Saturday Review, he released several articles spreading his ideas about peace and health. However, his life took an unexpected tragedy when he was diagnosed with a rare disease called spondylitis.

But his illness did not discourage him or his positivity, instead, he started his journey of self-healing through the power of laughter. He started watching comedies and realized that laughter alleviated his pain and improved his overall well-being.

His recovery challenged conventional medical norms and revolutionized the way people think about the connection between health and emotions.

He wrote a book, “Anatomy of an Illness“, where he shared his experience with a life-threatening illness, reflecting the significance of laughter, optimism, and the healing ability of the human mind.

Norman’s life demonstrated that the human mind combined with humor and hope can conquer even the most dangerous challenges in life.

These inspirational quotes by Norman Cousins about humor, healing, and education will inspire you to never give up and will remind you of the importance of a peace-loving world.

Top 10 Norman Cousins Quotes

1. “He who keeps his cool best wins.” — Norman Cousins                                                     

   
2. “Life is an adventure in forgiveness.” — Norman Cousins                                                            

   

3. “History is a vast early warning system.” — Norman Cousins
4. “Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences.” — Norman Cousins                      

   

5. “Your heaviest artillery will be your will to live. Keep that big gun going.” — Norman Cousins                 

   

6. “The eternal quest of the individual human being is to shatter his loneliness.” — Norman Cousins
7. “Hearty laughter is a good way to jog internally without having to go outdoors.” — Norman Cousins
8. “A library is the delivery room for the birth of ideas, a place where history comes to life.” — Norman Cousins
9. “Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.” — Norman Cousins                                                                                                                                                       

   

10. “People are never more insecure than when they become obsessed with their fears at the expense of their dreams.” — Norman Cousins

Best Quotes By Norman Cousins

1. “Don’t defy the diagnosis, try to defy the verdict.” — Norman Cousins
2. “Laughter is a powerful way to tap positive emotions.” — Norman Cousins
3. “My reason nourishes my faith and my faith my reason.” — Norman Cousins
4. “Drugs are not always necessary but belief in recovery is.” — Norman Cousins
5. “The tragedy of life is not death but what we let die inside of us while we live.” — Norman Cousins
6. “It is reasonable to expect the doctor to recognize that science may not have all the answers to problems of health and healing.” — Norman Cousins
7. “The individual is both capable of both great compassion and great indifference. He has it within his means to nourish the former and outgrow the latter.” — Norman Cousins
8. “It makes little difference how many university courses or degrees a person may own. If he cannot use words to move an idea from one point to another, his education is incomplete.” — Norman Cousins
9. “The human body experiences a powerful gravitational pull in the direction of hope. That is why the patient’s hopes are the physician’s secret weapon. They are the hidden ingredients in any prescription.” — Norman Cousins

Famous Norman Cousins Quotes

1. “Assume responsibility for the quality of your own life.” — Norman Cousins
2. “Never deny a diagnosis, but do deny the negative verdict that may go with it.” — Norman Cousins
3. “You are younger today than you will ever be again. Make use of it for the sake of tomorrow.” — Norman Cousins
4. “Of all the gifts bestowed by. nature on human beings, hearty laughter must be close to the top.” — Norman Cousins
5. “Respect for the fragility and importance of an individual life is still the mark of an educated man.” — Norman Cousins
6. “If there is a conflict between the easy drift of prosperity and the ordeal of peace, the ordeal of peace comes first.” — Norman Cousins
7. “The capacity for hope is the most significant fact of life. It provides human beings with a sense of destination and the energy to get started.” — Norman Cousins
8. “Laughter serves as a blocking agent. Like a bullet-proof vest, it may help protect you against the ravages of negative emotions that can assault you in disease.” — Norman Cousins
9. “Where is the indignation about the fact that the United States and Soviet Union have accumulated thirty thousand pounds of destructive force for every human being in the world?” — Norman Cousins

Conclusion

What are your favorite Norman Cousins quotes and sayings listed above? If there is a quote that we’ve missed then let us know in the comments section what your thoughts are.

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