--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's like I was always not quite sure…" description: "\"It's like I was always not quite sure even how to move in space somehow; I would watch people and then copy them. I found it really hard to walk straig..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/binyavanga-wainaina-16679_always_it-s-like-i-was-always-not-quite-sure-ev_2422359.png" --- # It's like I was always not quite sure even how to move in… ![“It's like I was always not quite sure even how to move in space somehow; I would watch people and then copy them. I found it really hard to walk straight. My brother was always on at me for walking off the pavement. I guess I always expected people to bring me back into line.” quote by Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/binyavanga-wainaina-16679_always_it-s-like-i-was-always-not-quite-sure-ev_2422359.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/binyavanga-wainaina-16679_always_it-s-like-i-was-always-not-quite-sure-ev_2422359.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/binyavanga-wainaina-16679_always_it-s-like-i-was-always-not-quite-sure-ev_2422359.png) > “It's like I was always not quite sure even how to move in space somehow; I would watch people and then copy them. I found it really hard to walk straight. My brother was always on at me for walking off the pavement. I guess I always expected people to bring me back into line.” [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels uncertain about navigating social and physical spaces, relying on others for guidance and correction. **In simple terms:** Unsure of how to move, copying others for direction. Key Takeaway Seek confidence in personal direction. Themes identity social anxiety self‑esteem Mood reflective vulnerable Type personal motivational When to use this quote - learning new skills - social interactions - public speaking - teamwork Key Concepts imitation boundary setting personal agency Questions to Reflect On - How can you develop internal cues for movement? - What steps help you trust your own path? A Different Perspective Reliance on external correction can hinder self‑trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) ## Related quotes > [If it's too hard, walk away. There are a million other people out there who won't make you feel bad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-it-s-too-hard-walk-away-there-are-a-million-other-people-out-there/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Sometimes you gotta let go. It's hard to walk away from something you love, really hard. But there are times when it's the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-banks/sometimes-you-gotta-let-go-it-s-hard-to-walk-away-from-something-you/) [Marlene Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-banks/) > [Reality is hard. It is no walk in the park, this thing called life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/reality-is-hard-it-is-no-walk-in-the-park-this-thing-called-life/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [Popularity is a bubble. It's a mountain: you can go up really hard but walk down really fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rm/popularity-is-a-bubble-it-s-a-mountain-you-can-go-up-really-hard-but/) RM > [Most gods find it hard to walk and think at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/most-gods-find-it-hard-to-walk-and-think-at-the-same-time/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Why are you wearing that negligee? Sure makes it hard to walk away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-walker/why-are-you-wearing-that-negligee-sure-makes-it-hard-to-walk-away/) [Clay Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-walker/) > [“Work hard and walk hard. Break your own fancy rules if you have to. Nature only favours the strongest not the cutest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teni-a/work-hard-and-walk-hard-break-your-own-fancy-rules-if-you-have-to/) [Teni. A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teni-a/) > [It might be a long and hard walk but taking one step at a time will get you there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gee-linder/it-might-be-a-long-and-hard-walk-but-taking-one-step-at-a-time-will/) [Gee Linder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gee-linder/) > [“It’s generally hard for any of us to walk away from all the time, effort, or money we’ve already sunk into a situation that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-webb/it-s-generally-hard-for-any-of-us-to-walk-away-from-all-the-time/) [Caroline Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-webb/) > [My philosophy is go hard in practice, super hard, until you can't walk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-chung/my-philosophy-is-go-hard-in-practice-super-hard-until-you-can-t-walk/) [Patrick Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-chung/) > [The paths of life are not how I imagined them to be, they are not how how I believed them to and it gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-mendez/the-paths-of-life-are-not-how-i-imagined-them-to-be-they-are-not-how/) Raul Mendez > [When you meet somebody you care about its just hard to walk away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/when-you-meet-somebody-you-care-about-its-just-hard-to-walk-away/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [And even though We've moved on , it gets so hard to walk away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-deanda/and-even-though-we-ve-moved-on-it-gets-so-hard-to-walk-away/) [Paula DeAnda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-deanda/) > [You will never know how damn hard it is for me to walk by you and pretend like nothing ever happened between us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-never-know-how-damn-hard-it-is-for-me-to-walk-by-you-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It was hard for me to walk away. But even harder when you didn't even bother to try and stop me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-was-hard-for-me-to-walk-away-but-even-harder-when-you-didn-t-even/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Binyavanga Wainaina > [“Cloud travel is well and good when you have mastered the landings. I never have. I must live, not dream about living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/cloud-travel-is-well-and-good-when-you-have-mastered-the-landings-i/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I'm not even sure I want to use the term 'coming out.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-m-not-even-sure-i-want-to-use-the-term-coming-out/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I, Binyavanga Wainaina, quite honestly swear I have known I am a homosexual since I was five.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-binyavanga-wainaina-quite-honestly-swear-i-have-known-i-am-a/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I’m extremely optimistic about rapid transformation and change of things in Africa in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-m-extremely-optimistic-about-rapid-transformation-and-change-of/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I want to be fighting for a society accountable towards its citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-want-to-be-fighting-for-a-society-accountable-towards-its-citizens/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I'm an African. I was brought up here; my home is here. Being an Afropolitan, I am here to stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-m-an-african-i-was-brought-up-here-my-home-is-here-being-an/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [Always end your book with Nelson Mandela saying something about rainbows or renaissances. Because you care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/always-end-your-book-with-nelson-mandela-saying-something-about/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I knew I didn't want to come out in the 'New Yorker'; it just felt wrong. It needed an African conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-knew-i-didn-t-want-to-come-out-in-the-new-yorker-it-just-felt-wrong/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [Africa is to be pitied, worshipped or dominated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/africa-is-to-be-pitied-worshipped-or-dominated/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [“Science is smaller than music, than the patterns of the body; the large confident world of sound and body gathers. If my mind and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/science-is-smaller-than-music-than-the-patterns-of-the-body-the-large/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I have learned that I, we, are a dollar-a-day people (which is terrible, they say, because a cow in Japan is worth $9 a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-have-learned-that-i-we-are-a-dollar-a-day-people-which-is-terrible/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [People reach an age... where somebody else's platform is no longer yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/people-reach-an-age-where-somebody-else-s-platform-is-no-longer-yours/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I love playing with words and texture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-love-playing-with-words-and-texture/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [“He has money. She will wear the mask he needs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/he-has-money-she-will-wear-the-mask-he-needs/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I am quite excited that Moi is leaving. Kenyans have changed. We have a free press, and it is no longer a situation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-am-quite-excited-that-moi-is-leaving-kenyans-have-changed-we-have-a/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) [Explore all 39 Binyavanga Wainaina quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's like I was always not quite sure even how to move in space somehow; I would watch people and then copy them. 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