--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It doesn't matter what you've done in the…" description: "\"It doesn't matter what you've done in the past - what matters are the choices you make right now. God gives you the chance to start over with every bre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d4/ashley-judd-9064_breaths_it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-in-th_3080880.jpg" --- # It doesn't matter what you've done in the past - what… ![“It doesn't matter what you've done in the past - what matters are the choices you make right now. God gives you the chance to start over with every breath.” quote by Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d4/ashley-judd-9064_breaths_it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-in-th_3080880.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d4/ashley-judd-9064_breaths_it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-in-th_3080880.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d4/ashley-judd-9064_breaths_it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-in-th_3080880.jpg) > “It doesn't matter what you've done in the past - what matters are the choices you make right now. God gives you the chance to start over with every breath.” [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizes that present choices define us more than past actions, and each breath offers renewal. **In simple terms:** Current choices matter more than past. Key Takeaway Focus on present decisions. Themes redemption choice spirituality Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - decision making - therapy - daily reflection Key Concepts free will second chances Questions to Reflect On - What choice will you make today? - How do you view each breath as a fresh start? A Different Perspective People may struggle to let go of past guilt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breaths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaths/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Choices you make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices-you-make/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Starting over](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-over/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Character is the result of hundreds and hundreds of choices you make that gradually turn who you are, at any given moment, into who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/character-is-the-result-of-hundreds-and-hundreds-of-choices-you-make/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [The most important choices you make are the choices about how you see yourself, the Universe, and your relationship to the Universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/the-most-important-choices-you-make-are-the-choices-about-how-you-see/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [The key choices you make-apart from the natural talent you already have-will set you apart from others who have talent alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/the-key-choices-you-make-apart-from-the-natural-talent-you-already/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [You are free to choose, but the choices you make today will determine what you have, be, and do in the tomorrow of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/you-are-free-to-choose-but-the-choices-you-make-today-will-determine/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [The choices you make will make all of the difference in what you want to achieve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/the-choices-you-make-will-make-all-of-the-difference-in-what-you-want/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [People believe in you more after you've won an Oscar, but it's up to you what choices you make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/people-believe-in-you-more-after-you-ve-won-an-oscar-but-it-s-up-to/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [Wisdom is exercised in the choices you make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/wisdom-is-exercised-in-the-choices-you-make/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [The choices you make today design your future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-choices-you-make-today-design-your-future/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Life is about where you are right now, and the choices you make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/life-is-about-where-you-are-right-now-and-the-choices-you-make/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [The message was, the choices you make can have bad consequences. Everyone has the power of choice. Just like this kid had the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/the-message-was-the-choices-you-make-can-have-bad-consequences/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [Sometimes the choices you make are good and other times it goes the other way. I take full responsibility as coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-mancini/sometimes-the-choices-you-make-are-good-and-other-times-it-goes-the/) [Roberto Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-mancini/) > [You can’t let your current circumstances dictate what kind of choices you make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-clark/you-can-t-let-your-current-circumstances-dictate-what-kind-of-choices/) [Kelly Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-clark/) > [Remember this, the choices you make in life, make you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/remember-this-the-choices-you-make-in-life-make-you/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [“Your life is determined by the sum of the choices that YOU make.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sonnenberg/your-life-is-determined-by-the-sum-of-the-choices-that-you-make/) [Frank Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sonnenberg/) > [The choices you make in your life will make your life. Choose wisely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/the-choices-you-make-in-your-life-will-make-your-life-choose-wisely/) [Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/) ## More by Ashley Judd > [Campaigning actress ASHLEY JUDD refuses to 'breed' with her racing star husband DARIO FRANCHITTI while there are starving children in the world. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/campaigning-actress-ashley-judd-refuses-to-breed-with-her-racing-star/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) > [Your private relationship with yourself is a spring that will feed every other factor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/your-private-relationship-with-yourself-is-a-spring-that-will-feed/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) > [A wonderful pastor I know once told me, "Perfectionism is the highest order of self-abuse." So now I try to remind myself that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/a-wonderful-pastor-i-know-once-told-me-perfectionism-is-the-highest/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) > [“(In part, quoting Robert Keegan from Harvard):'When we take the risk of really witnessing another human being, when we validate their human experience, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/in-part-quoting-robert-keegan-from-harvard-when-we-take-the-risk-of/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) > [The empowerment of girls and women is an essential tool to preventing the HIV/AIDS emergency from exploding any further](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/the-empowerment-of-girls-and-women-is-an-essential-tool-to-preventing/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) > [I've always been crazy for the American songbook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/i-ve-always-been-crazy-for-the-american-songbook/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) > [I did a lot of hiking and I loved it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/i-did-a-lot-of-hiking-and-i-loved-it/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) > [“I recall looking out the window at Redbuds,Dogwoods, daffodils, irises and pom-pom bushes, knowing exactly what Heaven must look like: a spring day in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/i-recall-looking-out-the-window-at-redbuds-dogwoods-daffodils-irises/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) > [My first big acting performance was in the Marilyn Monroe biography piece, and it required frontal nudity. I talked to Mira Sorvino, my co-star,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/my-first-big-acting-performance-was-in-the-marilyn-monroe-biography/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) > [Abstinence, being faithful and correct and consistent condom use are the only ways to successfully reach everyone when discussing HIV prevention. I believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/abstinence-being-faithful-and-correct-and-consistent-condom-use-are/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) > [Getting married is an incredible act of hopefulness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/getting-married-is-an-incredible-act-of-hopefulness/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) > [God doesn't make mistakes and timing unfolds as it should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/god-doesn-t-make-mistakes-and-timing-unfolds-as-it-should/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) > [Well, maybe there are one or two things about the double jeopardy concept that are overlooked. I could be charged with violating my probation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/well-maybe-there-are-one-or-two-things-about-the-double-jeopardy/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) > [The Conversation about women’s bodies exists largely outside of us, while it is also directed at (and marketed to) us, and used to define…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/the-conversation-about-women-s-bodies-exists-largely-outside-of-us/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) > [I very much believe in things unseen, both of positive and destructive energy, and I have never seen The Exorcist through from start to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/i-very-much-believe-in-things-unseen-both-of-positive-and-destructive/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) [Explore all 75 Ashley Judd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) ## More Breaths quotes > [Don't let a breath escape from your body without Krishna's name. That should be our determination throughout our life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/don-t-let-a-breath-escape-from-your-body-without-krishna-s-name-that/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [Jazz is the music of the body. The breath comes through brass. It is the body's breath, and the strings' wails and moans are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/jazz-is-the-music-of-the-body-the-breath-comes-through-brass-it-is/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Many years ago I was fishing, and as I was reeling in the poor fish, I realised, 'I am killing him - all for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/many-years-ago-i-was-fishing-and-as-i-was-reeling-in-the-poor-fish-i/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [God is greater than anything that man can do or has done. He is not undone by just a train of powder. "Our God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/god-is-greater-than-anything-that-man-can-do-or-has-done-he-is-not/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [One day I was running around playing with my son Connor when afterwards I was sweating, tired and out of breath. I was embarrassed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-carey/one-day-i-was-running-around-playing-with-my-son-connor-when/) [Drew Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-carey/) > [Dave Wann's recipes from his own experience in Simple Prosperity are a breath of fresh air, and just what we need for a saner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-henderson/dave-wann-s-recipes-from-his-own-experience-in-simple-prosperity-are/) [Hazel Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-henderson/) > [Poetry should be vital--either stirring our blood by its divine movements or snatching our breath by its divine perfection. To do both is supreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-birrell/poetry-should-be-vital-either-stirring-our-blood-by-its-divine/) [Augustine Birrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-birrell/) > [Tic Tacs are the maracas of breath mints.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/tic-tacs-are-the-maracas-of-breath-mints/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [The river is motion, turmoil, rage. As the river flows, it wonders what it would be like to be so still, to take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kekla-magoon/the-river-is-motion-turmoil-rage-as-the-river-flows-it-wonders-what/) [Kekla Magoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kekla-magoon/) > [Remember that no matter how selfish, how cruel, how unfeeling you have been today, every time you take a breath, you make a flower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/remember-that-no-matter-how-selfish-how-cruel-how-unfeeling-you-have/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [The trees are white with dust, that o'er their sleep Wave their broad curtains in the south-wind's breath, While underneath such leafy tents they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/the-trees-are-white-with-dust-that-o-er-their-sleep-wave-their-broad/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [“Listen to this, Nimit. Follow Coleman Hawkins' improvised lines very carefully. He is using them to tell us something. Pay very close attention. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/listen-to-this-nimit-follow-coleman-hawkins-improvised-lines-very/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Every body resisted (the slaughterer) in its own fashion, tried to escape and seemed to argue with the Creator to its last breath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/every-body-resisted-the-slaughterer-in-its-own-fashion-tried-to/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [We had a dog, Apples. He was 13 years old, toothless, blind and had the worst breath this side of Jabba the Hut. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/we-had-a-dog-apples-he-was-13-years-old-toothless-blind-and-had-the/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) [Browse all 1,609 Breaths quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaths/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It doesn't matter what you've done in the past - what matters are the choices you make right now. God gives you the chance to start over with every breath.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ashley Judd" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-in-the-past-what-matters-are-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breaths" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-in-the-past-what-matters-are-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d4/ashley-judd-9064_breaths_it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-in-th_3080880.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d4/ashley-judd-9064_breaths_it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-in-th_3080880.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d4/ashley-judd-9064_breaths_it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-in-th_3080880.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It doesn't matter what you've done in the past - what matters are the choices you make right now. God gives…” — Ashley Judd", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ashley Judd", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It doesn't matter what you've done...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-in-the-past-what-matters-are-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-in-the-past-what-matters-are-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```