---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can do it, Max. I still have my…"
description: "\"“I can do it, Max. I still have my thoughts. I just can't say them out loud. I still have my friends. I just can't show them. I still have all the thin..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/catherine-austen-68911_dallas_i-can-do-it-max-i-still-have-my-thoughts_2877258.jpg"
---

#  I can do it, Max. I still have my thoughts. I just can't…

![“I can do it, Max. I still have my thoughts. I just can't say them out loud. I still have my friends. I just can't show them. I still have all the things that used to matter. They're inside of me. They can't take that away.” quote by Catherine Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/catherine-austen-68911_dallas_i-can-do-it-max-i-still-have-my-thoughts_2877258.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/catherine-austen-68911_dallas_i-can-do-it-max-i-still-have-my-thoughts_2877258.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/catherine-austen-68911_dallas_i-can-do-it-max-i-still-have-my-thoughts_2877258.jpg)

> ““I can do it, Max. I still have my thoughts. I just can't say them out loud. I still have my friends. I just can't show them. I still have all the things that used to matter. They're inside of me. They can't take that away.””

[Catherine Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-austen/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Even when external connections fade, inner resilience and personal values remain untouchable, sustaining identity.

**In simple terms:** Inner self stays strong despite loss.

Key Takeaway

Hold onto your inner core.

Themes

resilience identity loss

Mood

somber hopeful

Type

reflective motivational

When to use this quote

- grief
- personal crisis
- mental health

Key Concepts

psychology self‑worth

Questions to Reflect On

- What inner strengths can you nurture?
- How do you maintain identity in hardship?

A Different Perspective

External support may be unavailable, making self‑reliance hard.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dallas/) [Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/) [Loud Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loud-friends-2387627/) [Max Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/max-thoughts-3404187/) [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) [Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts/) [Thoughts Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-just-1143246/)

## Related quotes

> [Dear God," said Nudge under her breath, "I want real parents. But I want them to want me too. I want them to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/dear-god-said-nudge-under-her-breath-i-want-real-parents-but-i-want/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [I'm that type of person who's only loud when I'm with my friends, but when I'm around people I don't know, I'm quiet as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-that-type-of-person-who-s-only-loud-when-i-m-with-my-friends-but/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [No I'm not perfect, never was, never will be. I am too loud, me &amp; my friends fight All day, me &amp; then we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/broken-soul/no-i-m-not-perfect-never-was-never-will-be-i-am-too-loud-me-my/)

[Broken Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/broken-soul/)

> [The only way I hear gossip is if it's big enough and loud enough for my friends to bring it up to me. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/the-only-way-i-hear-gossip-is-if-it-s-big-enough-and-loud-enough-for/)

[Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/)

> [“So who do you think would win in a fight, Max? Us or the rest of the world?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-austen/so-who-do-you-think-would-win-in-a-fight-max-us-or-the-rest-of-the/)

[Catherine Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-austen/)

> [Thoughts are just moving through consciousness. They have no power. Nothing has reality until you reach it, grab it, and somehow impregnate it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/thoughts-are-just-moving-through-consciousness-they-have-no-power/)

[Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/)

> [When we have "second thoughts" about something, our first thoughts don't seem like thoughts at all - just feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/when-we-have-second-thoughts-about-something-our-first-thoughts-don-t/)

[Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/)

> [One of the things you can expect to hear in your head is, I cant help what I thinkthe thoughts just come whether I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/one-of-the-things-you-can-expect-to-hear-in-your-head-is-i-cant-help/)

[Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/)

> [“When people pass away, do their thoughts just vanish?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-people-pass-away-do-their-thoughts-just-vanish/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [Wouldn't it be nice if everyone can actually try to be nice and put aside the negative thoughts. Just be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wouldn-t-it-be-nice-if-everyone-can-actually-try-to-be-nice-and-put/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Thoughts are just a different kind of bacteria, colonizing you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/thoughts-are-just-a-different-kind-of-bacteria-colonizing-you/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [“i am the hero of my life so don't take any negative thoughts just go on..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prakash/i-am-the-hero-of-my-life-so-don-t-take-any-negative-thoughts-just-go/)

[prakash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prakash/)

> [Thoughts are just what is. They appear. They're innocent. They're not personal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/thoughts-are-just-what-is-they-appear-they-re-innocent-they-re-not/)

[Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/)

> [When I read some of the things other movie people say about their work, I think I'm in the wrong business. I don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-macmurray/when-i-read-some-of-the-things-other-movie-people-say-about-their/)

[Fred MacMurray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-macmurray/)

> [“I was just thoughts, just air. There was nothingness all around me. Was this what it was like to be dead? When you died,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-kantor/i-was-just-thoughts-just-air-there-was-nothingness-all-around-me-was/)

[Melissa Kantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-kantor/)

## More by Catherine Austen

> [“So who do you think would win in a fight, Max? Us or the rest of the world?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-austen/so-who-do-you-think-would-win-in-a-fight-max-us-or-the-rest-of-the/)

[Catherine Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-austen/)

> [“Living with hope is like rubbing up against a cheese grater. It keeps taking slices off you until there's so little left you just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-austen/living-with-hope-is-like-rubbing-up-against-a-cheese-grater-it-keeps/)

[Catherine Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-austen/)

> [“...it saddens me that she has to grow up and make friends with humans. I hear the future coming for her. Stomp, stomp, stomp.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-austen/it-saddens-me-that-she-has-to-grow-up-and-make-friends-with-humans-i/)

[Catherine Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-austen/)

[Explore all 4 Catherine Austen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-austen/)

## More Dallas quotes

> [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/)

[Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/)

> [I was shopping at my local mall in Dallas that I've gone to for like three years now. And everyone was like "Oh my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheyenne-kimball/i-was-shopping-at-my-local-mall-in-dallas-that-i-ve-gone-to-for-like/)

[Cheyenne Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheyenne-kimball/)

> ['Lost Boys' is one of my all-time faves. I just thought it would be great to be a vampire. I remember this movie called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-headey/lost-boys-is-one-of-my-all-time-faves-i-just-thought-it-would-be/)

[Lena Headey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-headey/)

> [On Sergei Fedorov's breaking three sticks on Dallas players: I don't know if Anna (Kournikova) told him to get tougher or what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-modano/on-sergei-fedorov-s-breaking-three-sticks-on-dallas-players-i-don-t/)

[Mike Modano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-modano/)

> [It's funny, but when there are dominant teams, there are a number of people who rail about the fact that they're always seeing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-michaels/it-s-funny-but-when-there-are-dominant-teams-there-are-a-number-of/)

[Al Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-michaels/)

> [I certainly think that the publishing houses have to learn more about this informal network of literary blogging and get over the idea that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/i-certainly-think-that-the-publishing-houses-have-to-learn-more-about/)

[Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/)

> [I'm from Dallas, I have to speak Spanish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weston-mckennie/i-m-from-dallas-i-have-to-speak-spanish/)

[Weston McKennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weston-mckennie/)

> [I grew up in Orange County, without a team. I never affiliated myself with the Chargers, south of me, or the Raiders, north of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colletti/i-grew-up-in-orange-county-without-a-team-i-never-affiliated-myself/)

[Stephen Colletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colletti/)

> [At 14, I began working in radio. I ran the board at a little radio station in Dallas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-duran/at-14-i-began-working-in-radio-i-ran-the-board-at-a-little-radio/)

[Elvis Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-duran/)

> [Dallas Cowboys may be America's team, but the Houston Oilers are Texas' team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/dallas-cowboys-may-be-america-s-team-but-the-houston-oilers-are-texas/)

[Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/)

> [“The most important thing about you,” Dallas would often say, “is not the things that you achieve; it is the person that you become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-most-important-thing-about-you-dallas-would-often-say-is-not-the/)

[John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/)

> [From the small town in Iowa where I grew up, to Chapel Hill where I went to college, to the Bay Area and now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-barnes/from-the-small-town-in-iowa-where-i-grew-up-to-chapel-hill-where-i/)

[Harrison Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-barnes/)

> [For me certainly Earl Campbell and Tony Dorsett come to mind, and Roger Staubach. I've grown up here in Dallas watching Roger and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-brown/for-me-certainly-earl-campbell-and-tony-dorsett-come-to-mind-and/)

[Tim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-brown/)

> [“So who do you think would win in a fight, Max? Us or the rest of the world?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-austen/so-who-do-you-think-would-win-in-a-fight-max-us-or-the-rest-of-the/)

[Catherine Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-austen/)

> [“What are you doing?" she asked. Grimacing, he considered returning his mouth to hers and kissing her until she forgot the question and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/what-are-you-doing-she-asked-grimacing-he-considered-returning-his/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

[Browse all 293 Dallas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dallas/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I can do it, Max. I still have my thoughts. I just can't say them out loud. I still have my friends. I just can't show them. I still have all the things that used to matter. They're inside of me. They can't take that away.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Catherine Austen"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-austen/i-can-do-it-max-i-still-have-my-thoughts-i-just-can-t-say-them-out/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Dallas"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-austen/i-can-do-it-max-i-still-have-my-thoughts-i-just-can-t-say-them-out/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/catherine-austen-68911_dallas_i-can-do-it-max-i-still-have-my-thoughts_2877258.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/catherine-austen-68911_dallas_i-can-do-it-max-i-still-have-my-thoughts_2877258.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/894/catherine-austen-68911_dallas_i-can-do-it-max-i-still-have-my-thoughts_2877258.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I can do it, Max. I still have my thoughts. I just can't say them out loud. I still have my friends. I just…” — Catherine Austen",
                "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": "Catherine Austen",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-austen/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I can do it, Max. I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-austen/i-can-do-it-max-i-still-have-my-thoughts-i-just-can-t-say-them-out/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-austen/i-can-do-it-max-i-still-have-my-thoughts-i-just-can-t-say-them-out/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
