Last Updated on November 21, 2022
Nothing can brighten your day like hearing heart-touching stories about real people.
And when your friends, dad, mom, son, daughter, husband, wife, or co-workers are having a bad day, you can share heart-touching stories with them as well to make them feel better.
These stories are a great source of inspiration and life lessons as well so they’re really important, especially for developing minds.
So no matter how sad these stories might be (some may even cause you to cry), know that in the end, all of them will make you smile because of how inspiring they are.
With all of that said, here are a couple of the best real-life inspiring stories that are worth reading and sharing with the people you love.
Table of Contents
Oprah Winfrey
Today, Oprah has a reputation for being one of the best talk show hosts and producers of her generation. On top of those accolades, she’s also a best-selling author, actress, philanthropist, and global icon.
You wouldn’t think that Oprah had such a troubled past. But she did.
When Oprah was a little girl, she grew up only knowing poverty. She was so poor that she would often wear dresses made of potato sacks.
Her mother was only a teenager when she was born. To make matters worse, she was molested as a child by her cousin, uncle, and a family friend. Oprah became pregnant when she was just 14 years old. Her son was born prematurely and died in infancy.
She worked really hard in high school. So much so that she managed to land a job in radio while still in school. She excelled in her field which is why she was already a co-anchor for the local evening news before she even reached her 20s.
Oprah continued to persevere until she found her success on national television. She is known for using her platform to preach mindfulness, self-improvement, and spirituality.
Don’t let your past stop you from reaching your dreams. Continue to pursue your goals with everything you’ve got.
J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling, the author of the famous Harry Potter books, also had a rough time before making it big. Before making it as an author, she was working a temp job as a bilingual secretary.
One day in 1990, the characters Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley came to mind while she was on a delayed train commute. And because she had no pen and paper at the time, she was able to flesh out the characters in her mind before committing them to paper when she got home.
She had already started working on what was going to be the Harry Potter books when tragedy struck later that year. Her mother passed away due to multiple sclerosis. This had a big impact on Rowling and severely affected her writing.
She would also break up with her boyfriend and lose her job not long after.
All of these tragedies put Rowling in a state of fight or flight. She moved to Portugal in 1991 to teach night classes in English as a foreign language while working on the books in the morning.
It was in Portugal that she met a man named Jorge Arantes. The two would later become a couple. And by 1992, Rowling became pregnant but suffered a miscarriage. Still, she and Jorge tied the knot later that year despite the tension left by the incident.
In 1993, Rowling was able to finish the first three chapters of the first Harry Potter book. And she would also give birth to her child, Jessica. Things were finally looking up.
But that wouldn’t last long. Soon after, she fell victim to domestic abuse. Things got so out of hand that Arantes threw Rowling out of their house. Rowling took her kid and belongings (with the help of local police) and went into hiding for two weeks before heading to Scotland where Rowling’s sister lived.
The only thing she had of value was a draft of the first Harry Potter book.
Arantes would follow Rowling to Scotland in 1994 to try and get his daughter back. Rowling fought back with the help of a restraining order that forced Arantes to go back to Portugal.
At this point, Rowling had to rely on Social Security to make ends meet. She described this period of her life as being poor as possible in modern Britain without being homeless. But thanks to a friend that loaned her $900, she was able to move to a flat in Leith. It was here that she finished Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
In 1995, her divorce was finalized and she was finally able to move on with her life with her little girl.
Rowling would later state that the first Harry Potter book saved her life and that all the terrible things she experienced during those five years were reflected in the book.
Don’t let bad luck put you down. Something better is always on the horizon.
Jim Carrey
Comedian Jim Carrey has spent years making people laugh. But his heart-touching story is no laughing matter.
As a little boy, Carrey was already able to make faces (a thing he would later be famous for) and impressions. But during his teens, Carrey had to live in a Volkswagen van with his family as they were struggling financially. Carrey and his brother would sometimes live in a tent in a park in Ontario.
Things only got slightly better after his father found employment in a tire factory. Jim and his brother would go on to work in the factory too as janitors. Work started at 6 PM and would go on until the morning.
Carrey would have to make the ultimate sacrifice to drop out of school at 16. However, he used his free time to work on his comedy while still employed in the factory.
He started working in comedy clubs for no money. However, because of their financial situation, Carrey’s family was unable to support his efforts. But time passed on by and soon, his family was a little more financially stable. And so Carrey returned to playing gigs. He was even making money now for his comedy.
He’s only 17 years old at this point but he’s already building a good reputation for himself.
Carrey auditioned for Saturday Night Live but didn’t get the job. At 19, he was booked as the opening act for a rock band at the Roxy Theater for two shows. But on the first night, he got booed so bad that he had to walk offstage.
Still, Carrey kept working on his craft until finally, someone in Hollywood took notice.
Moral of the Story
If you keep working your way toward your goal, then no amount of adversity can bring you down.
Bonus: Bethany Hamilton
Bethany Hamilton is one of the best professional surfers in the world. But before she won her division in the NSSA National Championship, she had to overcome one big hurdle:
She suddenly got her arm completely bitten off by a shark while training back when she was 13 years old.
Regardless of whether you’re a boy or a girl — anyone who’s had their arm torn off by a shark wouldn’t dare go back in the ocean. But that’s not Bethany operates apparently. This girl looked her family and friends in their eyes and said she’ll continue to pursue her dreams of competing.
It wouldn’t surprise me if her parents gave in to her wishes. And on the day of the competition, there’s no doubt that this girl brought her A-game.
Children should be told this story so they learn what the human mind is capable of once it’s set on a goal. Parents should probably hear about this too. Even a doctor would find this impressive.
Moral of the Story
Don’t let setbacks lure you away from your dreams. Keep fighting.
What Do All These Heart-Touching Stories Have in Common?
You might have noticed that these stories (minus Hamilton’s) had something in common. All of them featured successful individuals that started out poor but went on to be superstars in their fields.
As these stories show, it is possible to reach your dreams even if you start life with almost nothing. The people we featured fought their way to success. They decided a long time ago that they won’t let their standing in society get in the way of reaching their dream.
While it may have taken them many years, all of them found the answer to their prayers — and so can you.
Conclusion: Why Touching Stories Are Important
Heart-touching stories play an important role in our development. A little boy or girl can use heart-touching stories to learn more about the world. They also work on adults as well. Every so often, we need to hear stories that make us cry.
A touching love story can have a similar effect on a young man or woman. And if a story touched someone who may have forgotten how to love, it can lead to bigger and better things.
