--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everybody has a 'past', some more intense…" description: "\"“Everybody has a 'past', some more intense than others. But it's the past. I don't care what you've done. You're not what you've 'done'.”\" — Alysha Speer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8f/alysha-speer-14552_past_everybody-has-a-past-some-more-intense-t_2984239.jpg" --- # Everybody has a 'past', some more intense than others. But… ![“Everybody has a 'past', some more intense than others. But it's the past. I don't care what you've done. You're not what you've 'done'.” quote by Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8f/alysha-speer-14552_past_everybody-has-a-past-some-more-intense-t_2984239.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8f/alysha-speer-14552_past_everybody-has-a-past-some-more-intense-t_2984239.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8f/alysha-speer-14552_past_everybody-has-a-past-some-more-intense-t_2984239.jpg) > ““Everybody has a 'past', some more intense than others. But it's the past. I don't care what you've done. You're not what you've 'done'.”” [Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Everyone has a past, but identity isn’t defined by past actions. **In simple terms:** Past doesn’t define you. Key Takeaway Focus on present self. Themes identity past acceptance Mood hopeful reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - therapy - storytelling - relationship building Key Concepts psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How do you release past labels? - What defines your present self? A Different Perspective Societal judgment often fixes identity to past. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I am what everybody in my past don't want me to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/i-am-what-everybody-in-my-past-don-t-want-me-to-be/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [It's very intense to go back to the past and revive work that I've already experienced and moved forward from. It's like seeing an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcgee/it-s-very-intense-to-go-back-to-the-past-and-revive-work-that-i-ve/) [Barry McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcgee/) > [Everybody has a past nobody knows about..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everybody-has-a-past-nobody-knows-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know everything that has happened to everybody in the past, everything that is happening now and everything that will happen in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/i-know-everything-that-has-happened-to-everybody-in-the-past/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [Everybody's past and history informs them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasan-minhaj/everybody-s-past-and-history-informs-them/) [Hasan Minhaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hasan-minhaj/) > [Everybody has a background. Everybody has a past. Not everybody's the same person all the way through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorenzo-di-bonaventura/everybody-has-a-background-everybody-has-a-past-not-everybody-s-the/) [Lorenzo di Bonaventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorenzo-di-bonaventura/) > [“everybody has a past everybody lives a present and everybody deserve a future”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hlovate/everybody-has-a-past-everybody-lives-a-present-and-everybody-deserve/) Hlovate > [“Everybody has a past—even if it lies in the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/everybody-has-a-past-even-if-it-lies-in-the-future/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [The truth is that everybody has a past and everybody has an ex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-regan/the-truth-is-that-everybody-has-a-past-and-everybody-has-an-ex/) [Bridget Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-regan/) > [I am what everybody in my past dont want me to be, guess what? I made it I'm the mother fucking man just want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/i-am-what-everybody-in-my-past-dont-want-me-to-be-guess-what-i-made/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [Remember the past, but don't live in it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/remember-the-past-but-don-t-live-in-it/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Screw your past, don't let it screw you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/screw-your-past-don-t-let-it-screw-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't judge me by my past. I don't live there anymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-judge-me-by-my-past-i-don-t-live-there-anymore/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Learn from the past, but don’t live in the past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/learn-from-the-past-but-don-t-live-in-the-past/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [There is a way to look at the past. Don't hide from it. It will not catch you if you don't repeat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-bailey/there-is-a-way-to-look-at-the-past-don-t-hide-from-it-it-will-not/) [Pearl Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-bailey/) ## More by Alysha Speer > [“On a second note, though, I have something to say about pain. There are lots of kinds of pain. Pain of smashing your fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alysha-speer/on-a-second-note-though-i-have-something-to-say-about-pain-there-are/) [Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) > [“They see you, but they don't really see you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alysha-speer/they-see-you-but-they-don-t-really-see-you/) [Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) > [“There are so many things to say; so many things that can't really be said. So much has happened; so little has changed. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alysha-speer/there-are-so-many-things-to-say-so-many-things-that-can-t-really-be/) [Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) > [“The truth doesn't mind being told every once in a while.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alysha-speer/the-truth-doesn-t-mind-being-told-every-once-in-a-while/) [Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) > [“When a poet settled down to write a poem, could he foresee the lines he would write? Did his head constantly spin with riddles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alysha-speer/when-a-poet-settled-down-to-write-a-poem-could-he-foresee-the-lines/) [Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) > [“Once upon a raindrop, I landed on Depression. My umbrella broke and broke me with it's bones. It hurt but didn't, and it eased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alysha-speer/once-upon-a-raindrop-i-landed-on-depression-my-umbrella-broke-and/) [Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) > [“There is pain in these eyes that you don't see. There is hurt in this heart that's killing me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alysha-speer/there-is-pain-in-these-eyes-that-you-don-t-see-there-is-hurt-in-this/) [Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) > [“And though I was currently living a fairy tale, some part of my soul knew that happiness couldn't last forever. I didn't deserve a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alysha-speer/and-though-i-was-currently-living-a-fairy-tale-some-part-of-my-soul/) [Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) > [“You never really know what's coming. A small wave, or maybe a big one. All you can really do is hope that when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alysha-speer/you-never-really-know-what-s-coming-a-small-wave-or-maybe-a-big-one/) [Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) > [“Oh, the time we spent alone The hours wishing we could have it back again Lie in bed awake wishing for each other”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alysha-speer/oh-the-time-we-spent-alone-the-hours-wishing-we-could-have-it-back/) [Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) > [“He leaned down and kissed my forehead. The soft melody of his lips was calming. I closed my eyes. I could smell his human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alysha-speer/he-leaned-down-and-kissed-my-forehead-the-soft-melody-of-his-lips-was/) [Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) > [“It will always come and go. All you can do is hold on to the happy moments once the sad ones wash in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alysha-speer/it-will-always-come-and-go-all-you-can-do-is-hold-on-to-the-happy/) [Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) > [“There are moments in life that feel so perfect and so real. These are the moments that you live for. The moments you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alysha-speer/there-are-moments-in-life-that-feel-so-perfect-and-so-real-these-are/) [Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) > [“Never be afraid to be sexy!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alysha-speer/never-be-afraid-to-be-sexy/) [Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) > [“You always say the right thing I don't remember you saying wrong You make me laugh All the time Always there for me you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alysha-speer/you-always-say-the-right-thing-i-don-t-remember-you-saying-wrong-you/) [Alysha Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) [Explore all 46 Alysha Speer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alysha-speer/) ## More Past quotes > [Because after you've crossed some lines, you just keep crossing them. And there's no escaping from constant escape. Distracting ourselves. Avoiding confrontation. Getting past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-after-you-ve-crossed-some-lines-you-just-keep-crossing-them/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [You can think about it, wonder what went wrong, over analyze the situation but the fact remains... it's the past, just let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/you-can-think-about-it-wonder-what-went-wrong-over-analyze-the/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [The Iranian people have a proud past. They merit a great future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-iranian-people-have-a-proud-past-they-merit-a-great-future/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I used to fight with hate. There's been a lot of aggression in my past growing up and stuff. That's because I was hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-namajunas/i-used-to-fight-with-hate-there-s-been-a-lot-of-aggression-in-my-past/) [Rose Namajunas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-namajunas/) > [In the past 40 years, the United States lost more than a million farmers and ranchers. Many of our farmers are aging. Today, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/in-the-past-40-years-the-united-states-lost-more-than-a-million/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [Nostalgia keeps dissolving the ironic narratives in which I have contained my past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/nostalgia-keeps-dissolving-the-ironic-narratives-in-which-i-have/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Above Coblentz almost every mountain has a ruin and a legend. One feels everywhere the spirit of the past, and its stirring recollections come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/above-coblentz-almost-every-mountain-has-a-ruin-and-a-legend-one/) [Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [Right before the pandemic, 'Past Lives' came across to me as something to read and possibly put myself on tape for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-faist/right-before-the-pandemic-past-lives-came-across-to-me-as-something/) [Mike Faist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-faist/) > [I nibbled my lower lip. "If you could see into my past just by touching my back, you'd have a hard time resisting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/i-nibbled-my-lower-lip-if-you-could-see-into-my-past-just-by-touching/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [Liberalism is the philosophy for our time, because it does not try to conserve every tradition of the past, because it does not apply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/liberalism-is-the-philosophy-for-our-time-because-it-does-not-try-to/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I have a way to photograph. You work with space, you have a camera, you have a frame, and then a fraction of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastiao-salgado/i-have-a-way-to-photograph-you-work-with-space-you-have-a-camera-you/) [Sebastiao Salgado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastiao-salgado/) > [At no time in the past century has public distrust of the government been so broadly distributed across the political spectrum, as it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-zimmermann/at-no-time-in-the-past-century-has-public-distrust-of-the-government/) [Phil Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-zimmermann/) > [Voting Labour in the past hasn't protected Scotland against Tory governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/voting-labour-in-the-past-hasn-t-protected-scotland-against-tory/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) [Browse all 19,844 Past quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Everybody has a 'past', some more intense than others. 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