--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm here by choice, I reminded myself…" description: "\"“I'm here by choice, I reminded myself. I'm here because I can't bear to be not- here anymore. I'm here because I can't tell right from wrong, light fr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/cate-tiernan-7304_choice_i-m-here-by-choice-i-reminded-myself-i-m_1914531.png" --- # I'm here by choice, I reminded myself. I'm here because I… ![“I'm here by choice, I reminded myself. I'm here because I can't bear to be not- here anymore. I'm here because I can't tell right from wrong, light from dark. I'm here because I can't stand being me. I'm here because I don't want anyone to know where I am.” quote by Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/cate-tiernan-7304_choice_i-m-here-by-choice-i-reminded-myself-i-m_1914531.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/cate-tiernan-7304_choice_i-m-here-by-choice-i-reminded-myself-i-m_1914531.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/cate-tiernan-7304_choice_i-m-here-by-choice-i-reminded-myself-i-m_1914531.png) > ““I'm here by choice, I reminded myself. I'm here because I can't bear to be not- here anymore. I'm here because I can't tell right from wrong, light from dark. I'm here because I can't stand being me. I'm here because I don't want anyone to know where I am.”” [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator expresses deep existential distress and a desire to hide their true self. **In simple terms:** Someone feels lost and wants to disappear. Key Takeaway Seek authentic self‑acceptance and support. Themes identity despair secrecy mental health self‑acceptance Mood reflective empathetic Type personal confessional When to use this quote - therapy sessions - online support groups - personal journaling - confiding in trusted friends Key Concepts existential crisis self‑identity loneliness Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take toward self‑acceptance? - Who can you trust with your feelings? A Different Perspective The statement may be dramatized and not reflect professional mental‑health advice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choice Reminded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice-reminded-2904279/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Reminded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reminded/) [Reminded Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reminded-bear-2904280/) [Right From Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-from-wrong/) [Wrong Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-light-2060545/) [Young adult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-adult/) ## Related quotes > [“He leaned forward, eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. 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Jazakallah for the Islamic upbringing, Teaching me to refrain from sinning, Showing me right from wrong, Tarbiyyah provided all along, Saving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknown-p/mum-n-dad-jazakallah-for-the-islamic-upbringing-teaching-me-to/) [Unknown:p](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknown-p/) > [“anything that forces us to stop using our brains is a bad thing but especially when the thing that’s asking us not to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-lugeons/anything-that-forces-us-to-stop-using-our-brains-is-a-bad-thing-but/) [Noah Lugeons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-lugeons/) > [Our schools should be places that encourage the open debate of ideas and teach important morals to our young people so that they know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-tuberville/our-schools-should-be-places-that-encourage-the-open-debate-of-ideas/) [Tommy Tuberville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-tuberville/) > [“Like Leontius, the young Athenian in Plato, I presume that you are reading this because you desire a closer look, and that you, too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/like-leontius-the-young-athenian-in-plato-i-presume-that-you-are/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [ \[Religion\] attacks us in our deepest integrity - the core of our self-respect. Religion says that we would not know right from wrong, we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/religion-attacks-us-in-our-deepest-integrity-the-core-of-our-self/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## More by Cate Tiernan > [“How much more satisfying to seduce an angel than a villain?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/how-much-more-satisfying-to-seduce-an-angel-than-a-villain/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [Of course, when we got home, we found that Dagda had peed on my down comforter. He had also eaten part of Mom's maidenhair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/of-course-when-we-got-home-we-found-that-dagda-had-peed-on-my-down/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [Could he actually be my muirn beatha dan?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/could-he-actually-be-my-muirn-beatha-dan/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [“Please, please be some sex-starved nutcase who wants to kidnap me and make me your love slave, I begged silently.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/please-please-be-some-sex-starved-nutcase-who-wants-to-kidnap-me-and/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [“Bree smiled at me. "Don't worry about me. I think I can handle him. In fact, I want to handle him," she joked. 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Jenna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/sorry-he-said-rubbing-his-temples-do-you-have-any-tylenol-nope-sorry/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [Being good is something that one must choose over and over again, every day, throughout the day, for the rest of one's life," Asher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/being-good-is-something-that-one-must-choose-over-and-over-again/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [Men are natural warriors, but a woman in battle is truly bloodthirsty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/men-are-natural-warriors-but-a-woman-in-battle-is-truly-bloodthirsty/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [What would it be like to care so little about what other people thought of you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/what-would-it-be-like-to-care-so-little-about-what-other-people/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [I-just want you. I want you so bad, all the time. I know I shouldn't, I know I can't, I know it's wrong... but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/i-just-want-you-i-want-you-so-bad-all-the-time-i-know-i-shouldn-t-i/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [“Okay, welcome to Creepy Territory. Here's your map.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/okay-welcome-to-creepy-territory-here-s-your-map/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [“Drag all the skeletons out where we can see ’em,” she said softly.“That’s the only way to get rid of them. They hate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/drag-all-the-skeletons-out-where-we-can-see-em-she-said-softly-that-s/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [“I turned off the griddle and shoved the heavy platter at Ottavio. "Carry these in for me, willya, Ott? And the ones on top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/i-turned-off-the-griddle-and-shoved-the-heavy-platter-at-ottavio/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) > [I didn't know where this stuff was coming from - all of a sudden I was a little magickal sprite, bonding with my stone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-tiernan/i-didn-t-know-where-this-stuff-was-coming-from-all-of-a-sudden-i-was/) [Cate Tiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) [Explore all 90 Cate Tiernan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-tiernan/) ## More Choice quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/) [Randy C. Dockens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-c-dockens/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) [Browse all 8,092 Choice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I'm here by choice, I reminded myself. 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