--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I shrugged uncomfortably, leaning my head…" description: "\"“I shrugged uncomfortably, leaning my head against hers, almost forgetting Mr. Gardner’s presence as Mo and I fell into that sort of exclusionary, near..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/066/amelia-c-gormley-15163_contemporary_i-shrugged-uncomfortably-leaning-my-head_2233004.jpg" --- # I shrugged uncomfortably, leaning my head against hers… ![“I shrugged uncomfortably, leaning my head against hers, almost forgetting Mr. Gardner’s presence as Mo and I fell into that sort of exclusionary, near-telepathic best-friends communion. She knew that I would argue that I wasn’t ashamed, but that I hadn’t quite figured out how to truly mean it when…” quote by Amelia C. Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/066/amelia-c-gormley-15163_contemporary_i-shrugged-uncomfortably-leaning-my-head_2233004.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/066/amelia-c-gormley-15163_contemporary_i-shrugged-uncomfortably-leaning-my-head_2233004.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/066/amelia-c-gormley-15163_contemporary_i-shrugged-uncomfortably-leaning-my-head_2233004.jpg) > ““I shrugged uncomfortably, leaning my head against hers, almost forgetting Mr. Gardner’s presence as Mo and I fell into that sort of exclusionary, near-telepathic best-friends communion. She knew that I would argue that I wasn’t ashamed, but that I hadn’t quite figured out how to truly mean it when I held my head up high. My entire life, people had been telling me to keep it down and stop being an embarrassment. So, I was still in that “fake it ’til you make it” stage, hoping genuine pride would come if I pretended confidence long enough. For now, I was relying on bravado and a complete lack of give-a-fuck to carry me through.”” [Amelia C. Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Confidence often masquerades as bravado; genuine pride grows from authentic self‑acceptance, not merely pretended confidence. **In simple terms:** True confidence comes from being real, not just faking it. Key Takeaway Practice authentic self‑acceptance. Themes confidence self‑acceptance identity growth Mood vulnerable hopeful Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - starting a new job - public speaking - social gatherings - first dates Key Concepts self‑esteem impostor syndrome social anxiety Questions to Reflect On - When have you felt you were “faking it”? - What steps can you take toward genuine confidence? A Different Perspective Relying on bravado may backfire when real challenges arise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ashamed Hadn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed-hadn-3646126/) [Contemporary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemporary/) [Entire life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entire-life/) [Held Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/held-head-2026040/) [New-adult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-adult/) [Pretended Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretended-confidence-5030242/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) [Shrugged Uncomfortably](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shrugged-uncomfortably-5030243/) [Wasn Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasn-ashamed-2872711/) ## Related quotes > [I had not read George Eliot, so read a few. 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Over the motor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/even-though-sean-still-held-my-head-down-i-was-the-only-one-who/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [“He held his head, and he cried for them, and he did not melt into the sea but sat, aching, in the glowing moonlight-for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lake/he-held-his-head-and-he-cried-for-them-and-he-did-not-melt-into-the/) [Nick Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lake/) > [“Rain woke him, a slow drizzle, his feet tangled in coils of discarded fiberoptics. The arcade's sea of sound washed over him, receded, returned.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/rain-woke-him-a-slow-drizzle-his-feet-tangled-in-coils-of-discarded/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [“The statue was of a young man with a tall, gaunt body and an angular face. He held his head as if he faced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-statue-was-of-a-young-man-with-a-tall-gaunt-body-and-an-angular/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“The weapons are held to the head of all the world, and the world behaves. No one has an advantage; no one can win.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-sargent/the-weapons-are-held-to-the-head-of-all-the-world-and-the-world/) [Pamela Sargent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-sargent/) > [“Kat held her head high as she met the King's eye. Her stare was bold, yet sweet, and it would not die. Gansevort looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-z-bingham/kat-held-her-head-high-as-she-met-the-king-s-eye-her-stare-was-bold/) [J.Z. Bingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-z-bingham/) > [“I stopped walking and wrapped my arms tightly around him. "You know I can hear your heart." "Could you hear it breaking when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chandler/i-stopped-walking-and-wrapped-my-arms-tightly-around-him-you-know-i/) [Elizabeth Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chandler/) > [When she walked...she stretched out long and thin like a little tiger, and held her head high to look over the grass as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-orne-jewett/when-she-walked-she-stretched-out-long-and-thin-like-a-little-tiger/) [Sarah Orne Jewett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-orne-jewett/) > [“I did exactly as you said, Pa.. I held my head up high.. Even before we got to ten.. I was aiming for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-manuel-miranda/i-did-exactly-as-you-said-pa-i-held-my-head-up-high-even-before-we/) [Lin-Manuel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-manuel-miranda/) ## More by Amelia C. Gormley > [“These aren’t me!” I screamed in a whisper, two tears slipping down my cheeks. “Whatever you see, it’s not me. I’m just a fuck-up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-c-gormley/these-aren-t-me-i-screamed-in-a-whisper-two-tears-slipping-down-my/) [Amelia C. Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) > [“A half-empty bottle of vodka sat on the bedside table, and his sketchbook was open on the king-size bed. Several sketches, only three of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-c-gormley/a-half-empty-bottle-of-vodka-sat-on-the-bedside-table-and-his/) [Amelia C. Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) > [“You ain’t no plastic doll, boy,” he growled, inches away from Rhys’s lips. “You just need to be handled right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-c-gormley/you-ain-t-no-plastic-doll-boy-he-growled-inches-away-from-rhys-s-lips/) [Amelia C. Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) > [“Ew. Can you not talk about my dad ogling people? Scarlett Johansson may be gorgeous, but still.” “It’ll be a challenge, but I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-c-gormley/ew-can-you-not-talk-about-my-dad-ogling-people-scarlett-johansson-may/) [Amelia C. Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) > [“Of course, to my utter mortification, he looked amused. I half-expected him to start golf clapping. “Ooh, epic bitch fit! I give it five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-c-gormley/of-course-to-my-utter-mortification-he-looked-amused-i-half-expected/) [Amelia C. Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) > [“The deafening report of the next rocket to go up masked my squeak when his hand slipped into my lap. “Oh, God.” I gasped,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-c-gormley/the-deafening-report-of-the-next-rocket-to-go-up-masked-my-squeak/) [Amelia C. Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) > [“Don’t you see, angel?” His arms tightened around me. “You’re still on your feet. You may hate yourself for every little mistake you make,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-c-gormley/don-t-you-see-angel-his-arms-tightened-around-me-you-re-still-on-your/) [Amelia C. Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) > [“Yeah, well there’s your first problem. You don’t get it. You can’t even see what you did. You’re going to sit here today and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-c-gormley/yeah-well-there-s-your-first-problem-you-don-t-get-it-you-can-t-even/) [Amelia C. Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) > [“Good thing about hanging out with a pregnant woman: designated driver by default.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-c-gormley/good-thing-about-hanging-out-with-a-pregnant-woman-designated-driver/) [Amelia C. Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) > [“Well, look at it this way,” Robin reasoned as I sat with him and Geoff at their kitchen table that night, half-plastered from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-c-gormley/well-look-at-it-this-way-robin-reasoned-as-i-sat-with-him-and-geoff/) [Amelia C. Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) > [“I ended up taking Ben & Jerry and the Gallo brothers home that night, so it was a real orgy, if a very maudlin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-c-gormley/i-ended-up-taking-ben-jerry-and-the-gallo-brothers-home-that-night-so/) [Amelia C. Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) > [“I had this coming. I just have to take my medicine. I think I’ll spend the weekend brooding about what a shitty friend I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-c-gormley/i-had-this-coming-i-just-have-to-take-my-medicine-i-think-i-ll-spend/) [Amelia C. 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Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) [Explore all 44 Amelia C. Gormley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) ## More Contemporary quotes > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. 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