You’re a human—which means you have flaws and shortcomings, just like everyone else. However, those flaws and shortcomings are what make you perfect, so never, ever try to fix them. Even if they make you awful. Instead, when someone tries to stifle you as you live your truth, remember these famous quotes and interpret them to conveniently excuse whatever “bad behavior” people are criticizing you about.
1. “If you can’t handle me at my worst then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.”
– Marilyn Monroe
Some might argue that Marilyn Monroe meant one must accept her as a person with flaws instead of as an inhumanly perfect object of beauty. HOWEVER, the meaning that we prefer to take away from the above (aka the right meaning) is that others should have to put up with our horribleness all the time and then maybe we’ll show off some good sides. So if others don’t embrace the fact that you slow clap when a waiter carrying many plates drops their tray, or that you plagiarized that novel, they’re the ones with the problem. And they should work on themselves for not accepting your worst self.
2. “ I don’t care what you think about me. I don’t think about you at all.”
– Coco Chanel
Maybe your instincts are telling you this one means you shouldn’t worry about how other people perceive you. Nope. It means that you don’t have to think about anyone else at all. Ever. So when you steal several bags of groceries from someone’s car and they get mad about it, well that’s just too bad. Don’t think about their needs, their feelings, or the fact that they purchased those groceries in order to feed themselves and probably their family. NONE OF IT! It’s what makes you you.
3. “Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for the truth.”
– Benjamin Disraeli
Ben gets it. Your feelings equal the truth, and if anyone disagrees they’re LYING. This isn’t a quote about being in touch with your emotions like all the lie-lovers want you to believe. It means you don’t have to apologize for the fact that you slapped a baby that made you feel insecure because it was getting all the attention at that stupid baby birthday party. Your insecurity was your truth, and therefore, the truth.
4. “The most exhausting thing in life is being insincere.”
– Anne Morrow Lindbergh
And, as we all know, exhaustion is the opposite of self care. So you will say whatever you feel whenever you feel it. If your authentic self believes that the dude sitting next to you at Wendy’s doesn’t deserve love because he chews really wetly, you should tell him so. And he should thank you for it. And you should, in turn, thank us, because we just saved you a lot of emotional labor.
There are obviously many more quotes out there that can technically empower you to do anything (like seriously, anything) if interpreted just right. Let us know your favorites!
Images: Pexels, Wikimedia Commons