--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we're growing up and being…" description: "\"When we're growing up and being teenagers, oftentimes you try so hard to define yourself. You try to create an image of yourself because you don't real..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff4/amandla-stenberg-8396_be-kind_when-we-re-growing-up-and-being-teenager_51314.jpg" --- # When we're growing up and being teenagers, oftentimes you… ![“When we're growing up and being teenagers, oftentimes you try so hard to define yourself. You try to create an image of yourself because you don't really know who you are yet. And that can be kind of limiting because you forget that there are actually so many different sides of identity. And it's…” quote by Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff4/amandla-stenberg-8396_be-kind_when-we-re-growing-up-and-being-teenager_51314.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff4/amandla-stenberg-8396_be-kind_when-we-re-growing-up-and-being-teenager_51314.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff4/amandla-stenberg-8396_be-kind_when-we-re-growing-up-and-being-teenager_51314.jpg) > “When we're growing up and being teenagers, oftentimes you try so hard to define yourself. You try to create an image of yourself because you don't really know who you are yet. And that can be kind of limiting because you forget that there are actually so many different sides of identity. And it's important to recognize that everyone is completely different.” [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adolescents often construct rigid self‑images, which narrows perception of identity’s fluidity and diversity. **In simple terms:** Self‑definition can limit awareness of multiple identity facets. Key Takeaway Identity is multifaceted and evolving. Themes self‑discovery identity formation adolescence diversity personal growth social perception Mood reflective empowering thoughtful Type personal insight motivational educational When to use this quote - high school counseling - y workshops - family discussions - online identity forums - creative writing exercises Key Concepts self‑concept social comparison psychological development cultural uniqueness Practical Applications - coaching programs - educational curricula Questions to Reflect On - How can we encourage flexible self‑views in teens? - What practices reveal hidden aspects of our identity? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Be kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-kind/) [Being a teenager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-a-teenager/) [Define yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define-yourself/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-sides/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Identity Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity-important-729066/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Sides Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides-identity-729068/) [Teenager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teenager/) [Teenagers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teenagers/) [Teenagers Oftentimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teenagers-oftentimes-729067/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Who you are](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who-you-are/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [Young kids don't have their identity, so everything is so important. Now I'm mature. I know who I am and I know what my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-phair/young-kids-don-t-have-their-identity-so-everything-is-so-important/) [Liz Phair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-phair/) > [I stay close to my identity - that's something I find important - but I don't completely shut myself off from the outside world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/memphis-depay/i-stay-close-to-my-identity-that-s-something-i-find-important-but-i/) [Memphis Depay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/memphis-depay/) > [Football should not be your source of identity. This one is important to me because I am much more than the player. My faith,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-ertz/football-should-not-be-your-source-of-identity-this-one-is-important/) [Zach Ertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-ertz/) > [Being Nigerian is a strong part of my identity. Being American is a strong part of my identity. And there are important parts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/being-nigerian-is-a-strong-part-of-my-identity-being-american-is-a/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [My Irish identity is important as it's a part of who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dervla-kirwan/my-irish-identity-is-important-as-it-s-a-part-of-who-i-am/) [Dervla Kirwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dervla-kirwan/) > [Carving out an identity for yourself is important so I'm trying to do that as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lambert/carving-out-an-identity-for-yourself-is-important-so-i-m-trying-to-do/) [Adam Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lambert/) > [You own your identity; it is important to feel that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-golding/you-own-your-identity-it-is-important-to-feel-that-way/) [Henry Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-golding/) > [It seems to me that Canadian sensibility has been profoundly disturbed, not so much by our famous problem of identity, important as that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northrop-frye/it-seems-to-me-that-canadian-sensibility-has-been-profoundly/) [Northrop Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northrop-frye/) > [As you get older, you realise that your identity becomes more important - the environment in which you have grown is actually part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/as-you-get-older-you-realise-that-your-identity-becomes-more/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [If your company is mostly men, make sure to have women on the interview team. While you don't want to 'tokenize' someone for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/if-your-company-is-mostly-men-make-sure-to-have-women-on-the/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [Well, I always say that the two things I was most disastrous at in my life, being a teenager and being a wife, were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/well-i-always-say-that-the-two-things-i-was-most-disastrous-at-in-my/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [I had an old band in Scandinavia, the beginning of Mercyful Fate, so it reminds me of my roots as a teenager. We used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yenz-leonhardt/i-had-an-old-band-in-scandinavia-the-beginning-of-mercyful-fate-so-it/) [Yenz Leonhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yenz-leonhardt/) > [My kids will be needing me a lot when they hit their teens. If I know anything about being a teenager. I need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/my-kids-will-be-needing-me-a-lot-when-they-hit-their-teens-if-i-know/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [I remember being a teenager and having a boyfriend - this guy I thought I was way better than, and completely out of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-chastain/i-remember-being-a-teenager-and-having-a-boyfriend-this-guy-i-thought/) [Jessica Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-chastain/) > [Sloppy Firsts perfectly captures the turbulent roller-coaster ride that is being a teenager. This is an (at times) intimate, painfully honest peek at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atoosa-rubenstein/sloppy-firsts-perfectly-captures-the-turbulent-roller-coaster-ride/) [Atoosa Rubenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atoosa-rubenstein/) ## More by Amandla Stenberg > [What would America be like if we loved black people as much as we loved black culture?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/what-would-america-be-like-if-we-loved-black-people-as-much-as-we/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [My hope is to see people of color in roles that do not emphasize race. Often times when movies are centered around people of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/my-hope-is-to-see-people-of-color-in-roles-that-do-not-emphasize-race/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [I want to be fulfilled creatively as an actress and get to be in roles that are meaningful and impactful. I hope the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/i-want-to-be-fulfilled-creatively-as-an-actress-and-get-to-be-in/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [As a fan of the books, I feel fortunate to be part of 'The Hunger Games' family. It was an amazing experience; I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/as-a-fan-of-the-books-i-feel-fortunate-to-be-part-of-the-hunger-games/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [I've read the 'Mortal Instruments' series; I was obsessed with those.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/i-ve-read-the-mortal-instruments-series-i-was-obsessed-with-those/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [Whenever black women have a point, they're characterized as angry black women, and therefore the thing they're talking about is no longer of importance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/whenever-black-women-have-a-point-they-re-characterized-as-angry/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [My sexuality's very fluid, and my gender is very fluid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/my-sexuality-s-very-fluid-and-my-gender-is-very-fluid/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [It's a tiny revolution to express yourself fully and be who you want to be, especially when systems tell you that you can't. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/it-s-a-tiny-revolution-to-express-yourself-fully-and-be-who-you-want/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [I think the best piece of advice that I would give is beauty is really just - I know it sounds cheesy - being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/i-think-the-best-piece-of-advice-that-i-would-give-is-beauty-is/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [My mom reminds me that all things are possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/my-mom-reminds-me-that-all-things-are-possible/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [I'm realizing that the people who criticize what I'm doing, their intentions and comments are not actually real.There's nothing happening in the real world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/i-m-realizing-that-the-people-who-criticize-what-i-m-doing-their/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [I'm just someone who cannot fake it. I can only do something with my full heart invested or just not do it at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/i-m-just-someone-who-cannot-fake-it-i-can-only-do-something-with-my/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [As I started to explore my gender identity, I didn't know how I could claim the title of 'feminist' without subscribing to the gender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/as-i-started-to-explore-my-gender-identity-i-didn-t-know-how-i-could/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [It's hard to find black roles that are just whimsical and fun and colorful. And I think, in many ways, that can be just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/it-s-hard-to-find-black-roles-that-are-just-whimsical-and-fun-and/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [I feel like the world is dominated by such a small group of human beings. There are so many different kinds of people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/i-feel-like-the-world-is-dominated-by-such-a-small-group-of-human/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) [Explore all 81 Amandla Stenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) ## More Be kind quotes > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [Volunteer. Find ways to be useful. Be kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-black/volunteer-find-ways-to-be-useful-be-kind/) [Claudia Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-black/) > [Remember to be kind. Remember to be loving. Remember to feel all your feelings and to take care of yourself. But most of all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-beattie/remember-to-be-kind-remember-to-be-loving-remember-to-feel-all-your/) [Melody Beattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-beattie/) > [(I)f we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-f-we-are-going-to-be-kind-let-it-be-out-of-simple-generosity-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let me be patient, let me be kind, make me unselfish, without being blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/let-me-be-patient-let-me-be-kind-make-me-unselfish-without-being-blind/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [But I believed in starting over. There was finally, I knew, only rupture and hurt and falling short between all persons, but, Shirley, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/but-i-believed-in-starting-over-there-was-finally-i-knew-only-rupture/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [Those type of whites who are always going to jail with Negroes are the ones who tell Negroes to be loving and be kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/those-type-of-whites-who-are-always-going-to-jail-with-negroes-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I thought being in the wheelchair might be kind of limiting for me as an actor. It turned out cool in a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-beaver/i-thought-being-in-the-wheelchair-might-be-kind-of-limiting-for-me-as/) [Jim Beaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-beaver/) > [When you have the choice between being right and being kind just choose kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/when-you-have-the-choice-between-being-right-and-being-kind-just/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [In my case, when I am trying to be "kind" I often default in a sort of toothless loving-all stance that is, actually, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/in-my-case-when-i-am-trying-to-be-kind-i-often-default-in-a-sort-of/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [What one thing does the world need most today-apart, that is, from the all-inclusive thing we call righteousness? Aren't you inclined to agree that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/what-one-thing-does-the-world-need-most-today-apart-that-is-from-the/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [At least with pets, and for all I know, people too, intelligence and quick-wittedness have nothing to do with a talent for being loved,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baxter/at-least-with-pets-and-for-all-i-know-people-too-intelligence-and/) [Charles Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baxter/) > [“A part of a healthy conscience is being able to confront consciencelessness. When you teach your daughter, explicitly or by passive rejection, that she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stout/a-part-of-a-healthy-conscience-is-being-able-to-confront/) [Martha Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stout/) > [Don't let fear or insecurity stop you from trying new things. Believe in yourself. Do what you love. And most importantly, be kind to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-london/don-t-let-fear-or-insecurity-stop-you-from-trying-new-things-believe/) [Stacy London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-london/) > [Technology has just been the major progression of the last 15 years - instant communication. That stuff has gone so global. That's what's interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/technology-has-just-been-the-major-progression-of-the-last-15-years/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) [Browse all 873 Be kind quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-kind/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When we're growing up and being teenagers, oftentimes you try so hard to define yourself. You try to create an image of yourself because you don't really know who you are yet. And that can be kind of limiting because you forget that there are actually so many different sides of identity. 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