--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I stopped hating and started just being…" description: "\"I stopped hating and started just being. My whole life, I had been the most defensive person you'd meet, unable to tolerate any criticism. But now I st..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/311/anthony-kiedis-2509_criticism_i-stopped-hating-and-started-just-being_2333385.jpg" --- # I stopped hating and started just being. My whole life, I… ![“I stopped hating and started just being. My whole life, I had been the most defensive person you'd meet, unable to tolerate any criticism. But now I started listening and being.” quote by Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/311/anthony-kiedis-2509_criticism_i-stopped-hating-and-started-just-being_2333385.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/311/anthony-kiedis-2509_criticism_i-stopped-hating-and-started-just-being_2333385.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/311/anthony-kiedis-2509_criticism_i-stopped-hating-and-started-just-being_2333385.jpg) > “I stopped hating and started just being. My whole life, I had been the most defensive person you'd meet, unable to tolerate any criticism. But now I started listening and being.” [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Shifting from constant self‑defense to open listening reduces inner conflict and fosters peace. **In simple terms:** Stop defending, start listening. Key Takeaway Listen more, defend less. Themes self‑awareness emotional growth vulnerability Mood reflective calm inspirational Type personal development philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - therapy sessions - team meetings - conflict resolution Key Concepts mindfulness acceptance self‑compassion Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance openness with healthy boundaries? - What habits help maintain this listening stance? A Different Perspective May become overly passive or ignore constructive criticism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) ## Related quotes > [How does hating get started? It's started by the jealous people, and they get mad over the things you have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/master-p/how-does-hating-get-started-it-s-started-by-the-jealous-people-and/) [Master P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/master-p/) > [“The flip side of this is that they will not tolerate criticism and can be scathing of anyone who criticizes them. They will often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-david-mc-dermott/the-flip-side-of-this-is-that-they-will-not-tolerate-criticism-and/) Dr. David Mc Dermott > [“A culture will tolerate criticism of its idols only when the criticism is made by those who worship the idols.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mark-reynolds/a-culture-will-tolerate-criticism-of-its-idols-only-when-the/) John Mark Reynolds > [One day, I stopped hating. I ceased all meaningless activity. I completed the circle. I Set my sights straight. Like an Arrow I flew.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/one-day-i-stopped-hating-i-ceased-all-meaningless-activity-i/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [People in this country haven't stopped hating fat people, but they've become more kind to me, since in our culture, even though we hate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camryn-manheim/people-in-this-country-haven-t-stopped-hating-fat-people-but-they-ve/) [Camryn Manheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camryn-manheim/) > [I didn't stop hating my body because my body changed; I stopped hating my body because my mind changed. I realized that the beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindy-west/i-didn-t-stop-hating-my-body-because-my-body-changed-i-stopped-hating/) [Lindy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindy-west/) > [I stopped hating people. I also tried to see the positives in negative situations that I found myself in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-sreesanth/i-stopped-hating-people-i-also-tried-to-see-the-positives-in-negative/) [S. Sreesanth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-sreesanth/) > [I have been a seeker and I still am, but I stopped asking the books and the stars. I started listening to the teaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/i-have-been-a-seeker-and-i-still-am-but-i-stopped-asking-the-books/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [I started listening to old music that represented Mum and us living in west London when I was younger, and delved deep: SWV, Soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miquita-oliver/i-started-listening-to-old-music-that-represented-mum-and-us-living/) [Miquita Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miquita-oliver/) > [I grew up, like - since I had a lot of brothers, I grew up listening to Hot Boys, Goodie Mob, OutKast, basically all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-grew-up-like-since-i-had-a-lot-of-brothers-i-grew-up-listening-to/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [There was just a moment when I fell in love with singing, probably when I started listening to Ben Howard and his album 'I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-cyrus/there-was-just-a-moment-when-i-fell-in-love-with-singing-probably/) [Noah Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-cyrus/) > [My mum and dad used to listen to a lot of R&B and soul, so this was the way I grew up. Hip-hop, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-prince-boateng/my-mum-and-dad-used-to-listen-to-a-lot-of-r-b-and-soul-so-this-was/) [Kevin-Prince Boateng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-prince-boateng/) > [Everyone knows Earth, Wind & Fire. We know 'September,' all the big sort of hits from going out and dancing and stuff. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/everyone-knows-earth-wind-fire-we-know-september-all-the-big-sort-of/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I started writing songs when I was 10. It was a natural way to express myself as a kid. It wasn't until I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimbra/i-started-writing-songs-when-i-was-10-it-was-a-natural-way-to-express/) [Kimbra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimbra/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) ## More by Anthony Kiedis > [I have to laugh at myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/i-have-to-laugh-at-myself/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [The fact that I was a junkie for a long time is only one slice of my own personal pie, which is made up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/the-fact-that-i-was-a-junkie-for-a-long-time-is-only-one-slice-of-my/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [“I kept going deeper and deeper into this world of repetition...The sad thing is, people don't want to believe that the person they're in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/i-kept-going-deeper-and-deeper-into-this-world-of-repetition-the-sad/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [“And then I realized I was high. I loved the sensation. It felt like medicine to soothe the soul and awaken the senses. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/and-then-i-realized-i-was-high-i-loved-the-sensation-it-felt-like/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [I think people that have fear that, 'Oh if I have a kid I won't be able to do this and I won't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/i-think-people-that-have-fear-that-oh-if-i-have-a-kid-i-won-t-be-able/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [“It started when we were little kids. Free spirits, but already tormented by our own hands given to us by our parents. We got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/it-started-when-we-were-little-kids-free-spirits-but-already/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [...for the first time in my life, a voice went off in my head:'You have no power over what happens in your life. Drugs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/for-the-first-time-in-my-life-a-voice-went-off-in-my-head-you-have-no/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [Time and distance have a way of playing tricks with your best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/time-and-distance-have-a-way-of-playing-tricks-with-your-best/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [We used to fight to the death but we tried the experiment, rolled the dice and like we got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/we-used-to-fight-to-the-death-but-we-tried-the-experiment-rolled-the/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [A rock star does not age!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/a-rock-star-does-not-age/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [Buddhism helps me to have a healthy relationship with my body and spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/buddhism-helps-me-to-have-a-healthy-relationship-with-my-body-and/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [I'm very aware of the chemistry. It's something you can't take for granted. I'm very thankful for it and I recognise the power of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/i-m-very-aware-of-the-chemistry-it-s-something-you-can-t-take-for/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [I never really thought in terms of the concept of being a rock star - being around people like that just seemed like normal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/i-never-really-thought-in-terms-of-the-concept-of-being-a-rock-star/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [“I didn't see it happening, but the wheels were falling off of me. I didn't care about responsibilities like paying rent, I was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/i-didn-t-see-it-happening-but-the-wheels-were-falling-off-of-me-i/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [“I felt I had thrown away so much in my life, but I also felt an unspoken bond between me and my city. I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/i-felt-i-had-thrown-away-so-much-in-my-life-but-i-also-felt-an/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) [Explore all 163 Anthony Kiedis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) ## More Criticism quotes > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [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/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [I'm more comfortable modelling as a man because I don't get any criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain-dove/i-m-more-comfortable-modelling-as-a-man-because-i-don-t-get-any/) [Rain Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain-dove/) > [I don't mind positive criticism, but when it is negative and personal, it is quite hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/i-don-t-mind-positive-criticism-but-when-it-is-negative-and-personal/) [Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Everything is allowable in literature, but what is not allowable in criticism is objection on the grounds of probability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/everything-is-allowable-in-literature-but-what-is-not-allowable-in/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [Lots of relationships fail because we spend more time pointing out each other's mistakes and not enough time enjoying each other's company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lots-of-relationships-fail-because-we-spend-more-time-pointing-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [People believe that criticism should be objective, whatever that means, but I really don't understand what people mean by that. I guess if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/people-believe-that-criticism-should-be-objective-whatever-that-means/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [I welcome criticism. I come from a - I wouldn't say mean, but you've got to have tough skin to be in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saweetie/i-welcome-criticism-i-come-from-a-i-wouldn-t-say-mean-but-you-ve-got/) [Saweetie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saweetie/) > [The good author is he who contemplates without marked joy or excessive sorrow the adventures of his soul amongst criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-good-author-is-he-who-contemplates-without-marked-joy-or/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) [Browse all 3,954 Criticism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I stopped hating and started just being. My whole life, I had been the most defensive person you'd meet, unable to tolerate any criticism. 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