I recently had a craving for a refresher of the various adventures of the ultimate superhero family, the Incredibles. I was particularly excited to revisit some of my favorite Edna Mode moments. Sometimes I hear her brisk, matter-of-fact tones in my head, scolding me to confront my problems. 

I thought it would be fun to share a few of my preferred Edna quotes but as I rewatched The Incredibles, pen at the ready, I realized that most of what she says is pure gold. I ended up scribbling down all but a few words of her fantastic and hilarious monologues. In an effort to condense my list, I will only include Edna quotes from the original 2004 movie and I will avoid those that require conversational context. 

Here are some snippets of wisdom that I learned from Edna Mode

• “I never look back darling. It distracts from the now.” – Edna is not one to apologize for anything. She fixes her mistakes and moves on with her life.
• “No capes!” – This was in reference to the many capable superheroes who met their untimely demise because of unfortunate wardrobe mishaps. However, I think there’s an added jewel of wisdom here that can be applied to everyday life. Don’t get so caught up looking like a hero that you forget to be one. Lead by example, not appearance. 
• “Luck favors the prepared.” – I strive to emulate Edna’s practical mindset on a regular basis.
• “You are Elastigirl! My god. Pull. Yourself. Together… You will show him that he is Mr. Incredible and you will remind him who you are.” – Edna punctuates each word of this quote by wrapping Helen (Elastigirl) over the head with a rolled up newspaper to knock some sense into her. I think at some point we all need this; that friend who’s not afraid to call it like it is and even go to war with us over our own stupidity if necessary. 
• “Go. Confront the problem. Fight! Win!” – Stop whining, get up, and go fix your problems. This quote is often set to replay in my brain when I’m having trouble starting on especially difficult projects. 

Here are a few honorable mentions.

• “My god, you’ve gotten fat.” – This is one of the first things that we hear Edna say to Bob (Mr. Incredible) when he visits for supersuit repairs. There’s nothing funnier than Edna’s brutal honesty delivered in her dry unsentimental tone. 
• “The fabric is comfortable for sensitive skin and can withstand temperatures of over 1000 degrees. Completely bulletproof. And machine washable darling, that’s a new feature.” – The supersuite which Edna designed for baby Jack Jack combines the necessities of dangerous crime fighting with the needs of every curious young child. Jack Jack will be safe from enemy fire as well as any spills and stains. I love how these two fit together. 
• “Virtually indestructible and it breathes like egyptian cotton.” – This was describing Helen’s new supersuit. Again, I love the combination of daring deeds with everyday use. It feels like an acknowledgment that Helen is a mom first.

I also came across some other unforgettable quotes from other characters but I may save those for another day.