--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What if I forgave myself even though I'd…" description: "\"“What if I forgave myself even though I'd done something I shouldn't have?”\" — Cheryl Strayed" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/606/cheryl-strayed-605_forgiveness_what-if-i-forgave-myself-even-though-i-d_2679583.png" --- # What if I forgave myself even though I'd done something I… ![“What if I forgave myself even though I'd done something I shouldn't have?” quote by Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/606/cheryl-strayed-605_forgiveness_what-if-i-forgave-myself-even-though-i-d_2679583.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/606/cheryl-strayed-605_forgiveness_what-if-i-forgave-myself-even-though-i-d_2679583.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/606/cheryl-strayed-605_forgiveness_what-if-i-forgave-myself-even-though-i-d_2679583.png) > ““What if I forgave myself even though I'd done something I shouldn't have?”” [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑forgiveness begins with questioning one’s own worth despite mistakes. **In simple terms:** Ask yourself if you can accept your errors. Key Takeaway Allow yourself compassion. Themes self‑acceptance healing reflection Mood thoughtful hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal setbacks - mental health - journaling Key Concepts psychology emotional resilience Questions to Reflect On - What would change if you forgave yourself? - How does guilt affect your growth? A Different Perspective Self‑forgiveness may be hindered by deep shame. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forgave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgave/) [Forgave Shouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgave-shouldn-710506/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) ## Related quotes > [What if I forgave myself? I thought. What if I forgave myself even though I'd done something I shouldn't have? What if I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/what-if-i-forgave-myself-i-thought-what-if-i-forgave-myself-even-2/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“What if I forgave myself? I thought. What if I forgave myself even though I’d done something I shouldn’t have? What if I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/what-if-i-forgave-myself-i-thought-what-if-i-forgave-myself-even/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [It's simple to say you forgave somebody but reality is you will never forgive anybody until you let go of the anger within you...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-mudau/it-s-simple-to-say-you-forgave-somebody-but-reality-is-you-will-never/) [Lawrence Mudau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-mudau/) > [How could I breathe? Where would I be? I was so lost in my suffering but now you made me see. You forgave me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blacklisted-me/how-could-i-breathe-where-would-i-be-i-was-so-lost-in-my-suffering/) [Blacklisted Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blacklisted-me/) > [“He forgave you though,' said Claire. 'He never held it against you, ever. All he cared about was that you lived, and that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-watson/he-forgave-you-though-said-claire-he-never-held-it-against-you-ever/) [S.J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-watson/) > [Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-the-apostle/be-kind-and-compassionate-to-one-another-forgiving-each-other-just-as/) [Paul the Apostle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-the-apostle/) > [“So she forgave him. And instead she berated herself for her suspicion, for her snooping. For the things she promised herself she wouldn't do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/so-she-forgave-him-and-instead-she-berated-herself-for-her-suspicion/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [You hate it before you played it. I already forgave ya.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-cole-2/you-hate-it-before-you-played-it-i-already-forgave-ya/) [J. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-cole-2/) > [“Though she knew his sins and shortcomings, she never judged. She forgave. She forgave unforgivable acts. She forgave a man who had never before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleatha-romig/though-she-knew-his-sins-and-shortcomings-she-never-judged-she/) [Aleatha Romig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleatha-romig/) > [They say what goes around comes around,an I know I made mistakes an you forgave me how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-say-what-goes-around-comes-around-an-i-know-i-made-mistakes-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He was gone and did not have time to tell him what I had just now realized: that I forgave him, and that she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/he-was-gone-and-did-not-have-time-to-tell-him-what-i-had-just-now/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“She forgave them, not because they had asked for forgiveness, since they did no such thing, nor because they deserved it, but because she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talidari/she-forgave-them-not-because-they-had-asked-for-forgiveness-since/) [Talidari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talidari/) > [I fucked up so bad.! I loved him and I still do. I never knew what I had until he was gone. Oh my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-fucked-up-so-bad-i-loved-him-and-i-still-do-i-never-knew-what-i-had/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My children forgave me at a time when I could barely forgive myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatum-o-neal/my-children-forgave-me-at-a-time-when-i-could-barely-forgive-myself/) [Tatum O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatum-o-neal/) > [“You won't remember me. You won't need me anymore. You will leave me again. I forgive you. I forgave you. I will always forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-alexi-genao/you-won-t-remember-me-you-won-t-need-me-anymore-you-will-leave-me/) [Julio-Alexi Genao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-alexi-genao/) ## More by Cheryl Strayed > [“She understands that attention is the first and final act of love, and that the ultimate dwindling resource in the human arrangement isn’t cheap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/she-understands-that-attention-is-the-first-and-final-act-of-love-and/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“The most terrible and beautiful and interesting things happen in life. For some of you, those things have already happened. Whatever happens to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/the-most-terrible-and-beautiful-and-interesting-things-happen-in-life/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [Of course you want someone special to love you. A majority of the people who write to me inquire about how they can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/of-course-you-want-someone-special-to-love-you-a-majority-of-the/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [It's still true that literary works by women, gays, and writers of color are often framed as specific, rather than universal, small rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/it-s-still-true-that-literary-works-by-women-gays-and-writers-of/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [My whole life sort of ended when my mom died.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/my-whole-life-sort-of-ended-when-my-mom-died/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“And you have to do it no matter what is true. No matter what is hard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/and-you-have-to-do-it-no-matter-what-is-true-no-matter-what-is-hard/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“Don’t listen to those people who suggest you should be “over” your daughter’s death by now. The people who squawk the loudest about such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/don-t-listen-to-those-people-who-suggest-you-should-be-over-your/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“. . . there was the actual doing it, quickly followed by the grim realization of what it meant to do it, followed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/there-was-the-actual-doing-it-quickly-followed-by-the-grim/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“The sky didn't wonder where it was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/the-sky-didn-t-wonder-where-it-was/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [He was the most ordinary man in all the world, and yet in her memory he'd become luminous, like the prince in a fairy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/he-was-the-most-ordinary-man-in-all-the-world-and-yet-in-her-memory/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [Love is our essential nutrient. Without it, life has little meaning. It's the best thing we have to give and the most valuable thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/love-is-our-essential-nutrient-without-it-life-has-little-meaning-it/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“I never believed the boys were angry. I believed they were hurt and anger was the safest manifestation of their sorrow. It was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/i-never-believed-the-boys-were-angry-i-believed-they-were-hurt-and/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“It’s wrong that this is required of you. It’s wrong that your son died. It will always be wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/it-s-wrong-that-this-is-required-of-you-it-s-wrong-that-your-son-died/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“Your ultimatum is simple. It’s fair. And it’s stating your own intentions, not what you hope theirs will be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/your-ultimatum-is-simple-it-s-fair-and-it-s-stating-your-own/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“We aren't poor," my mother said, again and again. "Because we're rich in love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/we-aren-t-poor-my-mother-said-again-and-again-because-we-re-rich-in/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) [Explore all 450 Cheryl Strayed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) ## More Forgiveness quotes > [“Lord I come before you, I repent all my sins; forgive me. I repent on behalf of my children forgive them Lord. Help them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euginia-herlihy/lord-i-come-before-you-i-repent-all-my-sins-forgive-me-i-repent-on/) [Euginia Herlihy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euginia-herlihy/) > [Forgiveness is not saying, What you did to me is okay. It is saying, Im not going to let what you did to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/forgiveness-is-not-saying-what-you-did-to-me-is-okay-it-is-saying-im/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [“So in practicing blanket forgiveness you first assume that in any current condition of pain or discomfort there is some anger involved, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-kahili-king/so-in-practicing-blanket-forgiveness-you-first-assume-that-in-any/) [Serge Kahili King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-kahili-king/) > [Do what is given to you, and do it well, and you will have done enough...live together in the forgiveness of your sins. Forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-what-is-given-to-you-and-do-it-well-and-you-will-have-done-enough/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The public, more often than not, will forgive mistakes, but it will not forgive trying to wiggle out of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-grizzard/the-public-more-often-than-not-will-forgive-mistakes-but-it-will-not/) [Lewis Grizzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-grizzard/) > [A Real Boyfriend does the sweetest things randomly because he never wants her to feel unappreciated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/a-real-boyfriend-does-the-sweetest-things-randomly-because-he-never/) [Enhance Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enhance-dreams/) > [“(Evil people) do not believe in forgiveness. Their transgressions are either punished or not punished. That is the only result that matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mchugh/evil-people-do-not-believe-in-forgiveness-their-transgressions-are/) [Daniel McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mchugh/) > [Friendship means understanding, not argument. it means forgiveness, not forgetting. it means the memories last, even if contact is lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sokhom/friendship-means-understanding-not-argument-it-means-forgiveness-not/) [Sokhom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sokhom/) > [Grace is the wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/grace-is-the-wonderful-spirit-that-imbues-every-fiber-of-our-being/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [One of the most basic principles for making and keeping peace within and between nations. . . is that in political, military, moral, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/one-of-the-most-basic-principles-for-making-and-keeping-peace-within/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [“Have an open mind and heart. Learn to journey in understanding and forgiveness. It's not always going to be easy but it will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-elle/have-an-open-mind-and-heart-learn-to-journey-in-understanding-and/) [Alexandra Elle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-elle/) > [Forgive us our trespasses," says Margarethe, "and get out of our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/forgive-us-our-trespasses-says-margarethe-and-get-out-of-our-way/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you can't forgive and forget, pick only one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-brault/if-you-can-t-forgive-and-forget-pick-only-one/) [Robert Brault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-brault/) [Browse all 8,311 Forgiveness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What if I forgave myself even though I'd done something I shouldn't have?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cheryl Strayed" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/what-if-i-forgave-myself-even-though-i-d-done-something-i-shouldn-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Forgiveness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/what-if-i-forgave-myself-even-though-i-d-done-something-i-shouldn-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/606/cheryl-strayed-605_forgiveness_what-if-i-forgave-myself-even-though-i-d_2679583.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/606/cheryl-strayed-605_forgiveness_what-if-i-forgave-myself-even-though-i-d_2679583.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/606/cheryl-strayed-605_forgiveness_what-if-i-forgave-myself-even-though-i-d_2679583.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What if I forgave myself even though I'd done something I shouldn't have?” — Cheryl Strayed", "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": "Cheryl Strayed", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“What if I forgave myself even...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/what-if-i-forgave-myself-even-though-i-d-done-something-i-shouldn-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/what-if-i-forgave-myself-even-though-i-d-done-something-i-shouldn-t/#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 } } ] } ```