Allow these tough love quotes to remind us that we need to be firm with our loved ones, but also understanding and compassionate.
Amidst the storm clouds of a relationship, tough love is often the light at the end of tunnel. Tough love is often thought of as a negative term, but it can actually be a very beneficial part of any relationship.
It can help to restore balance in a relationship when things have gone off the rails, and it can also help to encourage growth and development in the relationship. The key is to use tough love in a constructive way, and to always remember that the goal is to help the other person grow and become stronger.
That’s why we compiled some inspiring tough love quotes to help remind us that we need to be patient and understanding with our loved ones. These quotes also will help us understand that love is not always easy, but it is always worth it.
Tough love quotes
These tough love quotes can either be motivating or discouraging, depending on how they’re interpreted. Some people might see them as a sign that the person giving the quote is tough and uncompromising, while others may see them as a form of emotional support. Regardless of how people view them, tough love quotes are powerful tools for improving relationships.
“I know what it’s like to be told you’re not good enough. I also know what it’s like to be told you’re the best thing ever. Believe me, I’ve been there.”
Shane Koyczan
“What we get by achieving our goals is not as important as what we become by achieving our goals.”
Zig Ziglar
“People who care about you will tell you when you’re wrong and they’ll support you even when you don’t deserve it.”
Shane Koyczan
“Love is not about getting what you want, it’s about wanting what the other person wants.”
Tina Fey
“Tough love is not a sign of weakness or lack of compassion; instead, it is a display of strength and determination.”
Shane Koyczan
“There aren’t really many compliments flying around with me and my friends. It’s a lot of tough love. But you know, that love is there and if you need to have a serious conversation you just gotta wait for the right time to do it.”
Mark Wahlberg
“Tough love can be the best thing that ever happened to someone because it will force them to grow and become stronger.”
Shane Koyczan
“If you can’t accept criticism, you will never be able to improve.”
Shane Koyczan
“Those who love too much do not possess love, they possess pity.”
Michel de Montaigne
“When we first sort of break in or bust into the house, if you will, there’s some tough love.”
Thom Filicia
Quotes about tough love
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of how much love a person needs. What works for one person might not work for another, and what might be appropriate for one relationship might not be appropriate in another. However, there are some tough love quotes to help you deal with difficult situations:
“Tough love is the love that helps us to become who we were meant to be.”
Sharon Stone
“If you love deeply, you’re going to get hurt badly. But it’s still worth it.”
C. S. Lewis
“It’s good to learn early that every show is a family – complete with dysfunctional relationships, tough love, and plenty of occasion for forgiveness.”
Kristin Chenoweth
“Tough love is knowing when to let go and knowing when to hold on.”
Tony Robbins
“An acquaintance merely enjoys your company, a fair-weather companion flatters when all is well, a true friend has your best interests at heart and the pluck to tell you what you need to hear.”
E.A. Bucchianeri
“Because the whole world loves to tell us what we can’t do, that we aren’t good enough. The people in your own house should be on your side. It’s the people who never learn the word impossible who make history, because they’re the ones who keep trying.”
Leigh Bardugo
“You realize that tough love is also tough on the lover.”
Julian Barnes
“Tough love and brutal truth from strangers are far more valuable than Band-Aids and half-truths from invested friends, who don’t want to see you suffer any more than you have.”
Shannon L. Alder
“If you truly loved someone you won’t become their enemy. You will become their guardian angel.”
Shannon L. Alder
“Tough love is not a love language.”
Shane Koyczan
Inspiring tough love quotes
For some people, love is a feeling they only experience in their dreams. For others, it’s something that they work so hard to maintain and protect. But for those who have experienced true love, tough love may be the best thing for them. Tough love quotes can help someone learn to grow and become stronger. Check out these tough love quotes that will inspire you:
“I am tough, and sometimes I tell it like it is. Tough love can work wonders.”
Bikram Choudhury
“Words ride on the energy of tone, its warmth or coldness; think of tone as the music of how words are expressed. You want this music to be soulful, whether you’re giving sweet talk or tough love.”
Judith Orloff
“One cannot prevent abuse through discipline, when abuse and discipline feel exactly the same.”
Joyce Rachelle
“It can’t be done for you; it must be done by you.”
Frank Sonnenberg
“Pain is weakness leaving your body.”
Charles Martin
“Once someone’s hurt you, it’s harder to relax around them, harder to think of them as safe to love.”
Skylar Blue
“Over the years I’ve grown more comfortable with making people uncomfortable because that is when growth can happen. You need a little conflict. You need a little tension. And that is part of my calling. A little tough love goes a long way!”
Mark Batterson
“Never allow yourself to become a choice in any relationship. The moment you do is when you have reduced your loved one’s affections to a daily biological question: Should I take a dump here or wait till I get home?”
Shannon L. Alder
“Sometimes, the people that love you the most turn out to be the people you will trust the least.”
Shannon L. Alder
“Love is a verb, not a noun.”
Lena Dunham
Positive tough love quotes
Tough love quotes can be a great way to encourage someone when they need it, but they can also be harsh. Here are some insightful tough love quotes that will help you give the best possible advice or criticism.
“I’m a disciplinarian. I’m the tough love pet owner. I believe in very well-behaved animals.”
Jamie Lee Curtis
“Tough love is just the right phrase: love for the rich and privileged, tough for everyone else.”
Noam Chomsky
“Love isn’t about rules. It’s a feeling. You know when it’s there and when it’s not, and it can be brought on by different things for different people. That’s truth. One’s truth leads to God. Some people see it in kindness, others in tough love, like you’re showing me. Someone’s truth is in what they love.”
A.D. Aliwat
“When someone is hard on you it may have very little to do with you.”
Bryant McGill
“How can I shut down if you don’t open up?”
Ana Claudia Antunes
“This is what is hardest: to close the open hand because one loves.”
Friedrich Nietzsche
“Yeah, well, love is a fickle thing, isn’t it? One minute you have it, the next it’s gone…or someone is trying to say you can’t be together because you live in different zip codes.”
Jen Calonita
“I want to emphasize how important it is to maintain a collaborative relationship even when you’re setting boundaries. Your response must always be expressed in the form of strong, yet empathic, limit-setting boundaries–that is, tough love.”
Chris Voss
“When we first sort of break-in or bust into the house, if you will, there’s some tough love.”
Thom Filicia
“It’s good to learn early that every show is a family –complete with dysfunctional relationships, tough love, and plenty of occasion for forgiveness.”
Kristin Chenoweth
Best tough love quotes
These tough love quotes can be a helpful tool for those who need to set boundaries with their loved ones. They remind the person receiving the tough love that they are being treated like an adult and that they need to take responsibility for their actions.
“The greatest gift a parent can give a child is unconditional love. As a child wanders and strays, finding his bearings, he needs a sense of absolute love from a parent. There’s nothing wrong with tough love, as long as the love is unconditional.”
George W. Bush
“Your job as a parent is to listen. And to dole out as much love as you can. That includes tough love.”
Christie Brinkley
“Private charity can apply ’tough love’ but government charity can’t.”
James Cook
“Hope is important. It allows you to survive. But there’s a point where tough love is required if you want to change. Action is necessary. It allows you to live.”
Brittany Burgunder
“What’s the difference between tough love and acting like a jerk?”
Ricki Lake
“Stop breaking your heart. Learn to love people for who they are and not how you imagined them to be.”
Kierra C.T. Banks
“Tough love doesn’t mean being cruel; it means being honest and persistent.”
Barbara DeAngelis
“The best way to deal with anger is to express it in constructive ways.”
Paulo Coelho
“By not standing firm and by not exercising tough love, we often cause the figurative death of others and sometimes ourselves, our goals, our destiny.”
Diana Wynne Jones
“People with rigid boundaries, who have challenges opening up, tend to require longer than the average person to build trust, rapport, and emotional safety.”
Megan Bruneau
Final though
The tough love quotes can be incredibly inspiring and motivating when used correctly. However, be sure to use them sparingly and for the right reasons, or else they could backfire and make the situation worse. So, always use love and care when giving tough love, but don’t forget to allow for flexibility and forgiveness as well.
We hope that you enjoy tough love quotes as much as we do. Did you find your favorite one? Tell me in the comment section below.
Finally, we would like to remind you that there is no shame in seeking professional help if your relationship is not working. There are many excellent resources out there designed to help couples improve their communication and relationship dynamics. Remember, the light of love will always lead you in the right direction.
If you are looking for encouragement and words of wisdom on how to improve your marriage, be sure to check out our website for more great quotes about relationships. Check out these collection: life partner quotes | love and trust quotes | love and beloved quotes | unconditional love quotes.