--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You could feel things or you could find a…" description: "\"You could feel things or you could find a way to shut down. But once you were feeling things, you couldnt decide exactly what to feel. That was the tro..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/ann-brashares-572_feel-things_you-could-feel-things-or-you-could-find_369516.png" --- # You could feel things or you could find a way to shut… ![“You could feel things or you could find a way to shut down. But once you were feeling things, you couldnt decide exactly what to feel. That was the trouble with letting them in at all. They made a mess of the place.” quote by Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/ann-brashares-572_feel-things_you-could-feel-things-or-you-could-find_369516.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/ann-brashares-572_feel-things_you-could-feel-things-or-you-could-find_369516.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/ann-brashares-572_feel-things_you-could-feel-things-or-you-could-find_369516.png) > “You could feel things or you could find a way to shut down. But once you were feeling things, you couldnt decide exactly what to feel. That was the trouble with letting them in at all. They made a mess of the place.” [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emotions can be overwhelming and hard to control, leading to chaos if not managed. **In simple terms:** Emotions can cause confusion if unchecked. Key Takeaway Learn to process feelings before acting. Themes emotion self‑control mental health relationships Mood reflective empathetic Type self‑help literary When to use this quote - therapy - personal journaling - mindfulness practice - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology emotional regulation self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize when emotions overwhelm you? - What strategies help you regain clarity? A Different Perspective Suppressing emotions may cause internal stress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“You could feel things or you could find a way to shut down. But once you were feeling things, you couldn't decide exactly what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/you-could-feel-things-or-you-could-find-a-way-to-shut-down-but-once-2/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [I still deal with triggers and neuroses that I've developed over the decades. But I do think I have a great amount of compassion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/i-still-deal-with-triggers-and-neuroses-that-i-ve-developed-over-the/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [“You expect to shut that feeling away? No, I ask that you feel it more. There's no other way to stand over your enemy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-burch/you-expect-to-shut-that-feeling-away-no-i-ask-that-you-feel-it-more/) [Adam Burch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-burch/) > [“I don't like remembering. Remembering makes me feel things. I don't like feeling things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-alire-s-enz/i-don-t-like-remembering-remembering-makes-me-feel-things-i-don-t-2/) [Benjamin Alire Sáenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-alire-s-enz/) > [I think every girl has that a guy she has trouble letting go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/i-think-every-girl-has-that-a-guy-she-has-trouble-letting-go-of/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [I have trouble with letting go. That's my problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-gates/i-have-trouble-with-letting-go-that-s-my-problem/) [Kevin Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-gates/) > [I have trouble with letting go. That's my problem. Anybody that has extreme highs and extreme lows is bipolar to any psychologist and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-gates/i-have-trouble-with-letting-go-that-s-my-problem-anybody-that-has/) [Kevin Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-gates/) > [I like youth, and I like stories about feeling things intensely and about transitional moments in human life. I reflect on my life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mcginty-nichol/i-like-youth-and-i-like-stories-about-feeling-things-intensely-and/) [Joseph McGinty Nichol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mcginty-nichol/) > [“Because when I was young and I'd get an A on a history test.. or whatever.. I'd get this good feeling about all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pursuit-of-happyness/because-when-i-was-young-and-i-d-get-an-a-on-a-history-test-or/) Pursuit of Happyness > [“Don't you feel more than one thing at a time? That's what insanity is, trying to feel one way. That's why it feels good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-holder/don-t-you-feel-more-than-one-thing-at-a-time-that-s-what-insanity-is/) [Nancy Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-holder/) > [“I just love that feeling when things are about to change. Like when you know that in a few seconds you're going to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindi-scott/i-just-love-that-feeling-when-things-are-about-to-change-like-when/) [Mindi Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindi-scott/) > [there was something about that city, though it didn't let me feel guilty that I had no feeling for the things so many others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/there-was-something-about-that-city-though-it-didn-t-let-me-feel-2/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [there was something about that city, though it didn't let me feel guilty that I had no feeling for the things so many others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/there-was-something-about-that-city-though-it-didn-t-let-me-feel/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I'm not an isolated person. The more I connect to people, the more I have the feeling that things work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raf-simons/i-m-not-an-isolated-person-the-more-i-connect-to-people-the-more-i/) [Raf Simons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raf-simons/) > [I had no feeling for the things so many others needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-had-no-feeling-for-the-things-so-many-others-needed/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) ## More by Ann Brashares > [“Because the truth wouldn't be comforting and wouldn't bring them closer again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/because-the-truth-wouldn-t-be-comforting-and-wouldn-t-bring-them/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“It’s by living that you live more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/it-s-by-living-that-you-live-more/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“¿Iban a sumirla en la tristeza antes de hacerla feliz? No, por favor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/iban-a-sumirla-en-la-tristeza-antes-de-hacerla-feliz-no-por-favor/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“When she made her way to the big picture window that framed the dining room table she froze. She stopped breathing. The anger was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/when-she-made-her-way-to-the-big-picture-window-that-framed-the/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“Lena remembered herself in all the old familiar things they said. She existed in her friends; there she was. All the parts of herself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/lena-remembered-herself-in-all-the-old-familiar-things-they-said-she/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [Everyone is fragile. Everything beautiful is fragile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/everyone-is-fragile-everything-beautiful-is-fragile/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“but it was hard to give the real world much notice when he was this close.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/but-it-was-hard-to-give-the-real-world-much-notice-when-he-was-this/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“You don't have time, Len. That is the most bitter and the most beautiful piece of advice I can offer. If you don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/you-don-t-have-time-len-that-is-the-most-bitter-and-the-most/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“You couldn’t count on Providence for anything ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/you-couldn-t-count-on-providence-for-anything-ever/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [Gestating characters feels something like the mental equivalent of gestating a baby. In both cases, to create them you lose yourself. Or at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/gestating-characters-feels-something-like-the-mental-equivalent-of/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“He could take happiness from her, but could he give any?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/he-could-take-happiness-from-her-but-could-he-give-any/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [The weather turned. Her skin seemed to grow a million extra pores, and all of them opened to take in the warmth and tenderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/the-weather-turned-her-skin-seemed-to-grow-a-million-extra-pores-and/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [She wanted him to notice her so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/she-wanted-him-to-notice-her-so-much/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“No matter how it felt to be near him, she had to keep her swollen heart in check.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/no-matter-how-it-felt-to-be-near-him-she-had-to-keep-her-swollen/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [Maybe happiness was just a matter of the little upticks- the traffic signal that said "Walk" the second you go there- and downticks- the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/maybe-happiness-was-just-a-matter-of-the-little-upticks-the-traffic/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) [Explore all 465 Ann Brashares quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) ## More Feel Things quotes > [I feel that there are a few things in the world without cultural barriers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-feel-that-there-are-a-few-things-in-the-world-without-cultural/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [“Awe. It’s a feeling he misses. He made lists of things he wanted to feel when he was younger, big things, small things, ice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pleasefindthis/awe-it-s-a-feeling-he-misses-he-made-lists-of-things-he-wanted-to/) pleasefindthis > [I want to try and help you, to make you better. To help you feel things again, to make you come alive again. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-want-to-try-and-help-you-to-make-you-better-to-help-you-feel-things/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Shower the people you love with love Show them the way that you feel Things are gonna work out fine if you only will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-taylor/shower-the-people-you-love-with-love-show-them-the-way-that-you-feel/) [James Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-taylor/) > [The more I work, the more I try to keep myself open like a raw nerve. When I feel things in a story, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davis-guggenheim/the-more-i-work-the-more-i-try-to-keep-myself-open-like-a-raw-nerve/) [Davis Guggenheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davis-guggenheim/) > [An emotion is a thought, yes, an idea, but it is also a sensation, an ache in your body. Desire, love, hate, fear, repulsion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-landay/an-emotion-is-a-thought-yes-an-idea-but-it-is-also-a-sensation-an/) [William Landay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-landay/) > [I want to feel that I own things,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/i-want-to-feel-that-i-own-things/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [“Why couldn't he feel things in secret like other people?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliette-rose-kerr/why-couldn-t-he-feel-things-in-secret-like-other-people/) Juliette Rose Kerr > [There are time whens you want to say or feel things but you don't, as we end up thinking if it's right or wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nidhi-saini/there-are-time-whens-you-want-to-say-or-feel-things-but-you-don-t-as/) [Nidhi Saini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nidhi-saini/) > [You know how some people are - they always feel they have to do things for other people's good, no matter what happens to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-parkinson-keyes/you-know-how-some-people-are-they-always-feel-they-have-to-do-things/) [Frances Parkinson Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-parkinson-keyes/) > [Sometimes we are afraid to let ourselves feel things because of past experiences but why do we run away from something that could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/sometimes-we-are-afraid-to-let-ourselves-feel-things-because-of-past/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“There are things we feel for certain people, and only they make us feel those things. This was one of those. More than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-adam/there-are-things-we-feel-for-certain-people-and-only-they-make-us/) Derek Adam > [The whole point of art, as far as I’m concerned, is that art doesn’t make any difference. And that’s why it’s important. Take film:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/the-whole-point-of-art-as-far-as-i-m-concerned-is-that-art-doesn-t/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I feel things more deeply... anything to do with kids. It just makes a big difference in my life... Having a child is like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/i-feel-things-more-deeply-anything-to-do-with-kids-it-just-makes-a/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [At the end of the day, I do think there's a higher power, and the way I feel about things and choose to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tionne-watkins/at-the-end-of-the-day-i-do-think-there-s-a-higher-power-and-the-way-i/) [Tionne Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tionne-watkins/) Browse all 210 Feel Things quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You could feel things or you could find a way to shut down. But once you were feeling things, you couldnt decide exactly what to feel. That was the trouble with letting them in at all. 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