--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe he was overreacting…Somehow you…" description: "\"“Maybe he was overreacting…Somehow you were meant to take responsibility, minute to minute, for deciding which events you would call manageable, now th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/chris-cleave-1698_overreacting_maybe-he-was-overreacting-somehow-you-we_1971218.png" --- # Maybe he was overreacting…Somehow you were meant to take… ![“Maybe he was overreacting…Somehow you were meant to take responsibility, minute to minute, for deciding which events you would call manageable, now that none of them were.” quote by chris cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/chris-cleave-1698_overreacting_maybe-he-was-overreacting-somehow-you-we_1971218.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/chris-cleave-1698_overreacting_maybe-he-was-overreacting-somehow-you-we_1971218.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/chris-cleave-1698_overreacting_maybe-he-was-overreacting-somehow-you-we_1971218.png) > ““Maybe he was overreacting…Somehow you were meant to take responsibility, minute to minute, for deciding which events you would call manageable, now that none of them were.”” [chris cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He feels forced to constantly manage overwhelming events, losing control over what is manageable. **In simple terms:** Constantly managing chaos feels futile. Key Takeaway Accept limits and seek support. Themes responsibility overwhelm control Mood anxious overwhelmed Type reflective advisory When to use this quote - work crisis - family conflict - health emergencies Key Concepts stress management personal boundaries Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate between manageable and unmanageable? - What support can reduce this pressure? A Different Perspective The quote assumes one can always decide what’s manageable, which may not be true. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I always had a very strong sense of responsibility, so the minute I started to work in fashion, I was always tremendously serious-too much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-giannini/i-always-had-a-very-strong-sense-of-responsibility-so-the-minute-i/) [Frida Giannini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-giannini/) > [“Daddy. I was struck with the magnitude of what that meant, the responsibility of being a father. Waves of devotion swept through me as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-l-jackson/daddy-i-was-struck-with-the-magnitude-of-what-that-meant-the/) [A.L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-l-jackson/) > [ “\[...\] there was a relief in not being listened to, sometimes. Power meant responsibility. Advice unacted upon almost always might have been right” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-m-banks/there-was-a-relief-in-not-being-listened-to-sometimes-power-meant/) [Iain M. Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-m-banks/) > [We often add to our pain and suffering by being overly sensitive, overreacting to minor things, and sometimes taking things too personally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikas-runwal/we-often-add-to-our-pain-and-suffering-by-being-overly-sensitive/) [Vikas Runwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikas-runwal/) > [“When we decide that boundaries are needed, they can be hard to set – and maintain – if we doubt ourselves and our assessment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-thomas/when-we-decide-that-boundaries-are-needed-they-can-be-hard-to-set-and/) [Shannon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-thomas/) > [I began to think that there was a place for 'Footloose' to get retold again, that there was actually a more conducive political climate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-brewer/i-began-to-think-that-there-was-a-place-for-footloose-to-get-retold/) [Craig Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-brewer/) > [“Just don't get distracted. Keep focused." "I think I could figure that out." I snapped, and knew I was on edge; perhaps overreacting due…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/just-don-t-get-distracted-keep-focused-i-think-i-could-figure-that/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) > [“Well, look at it this way,” Robin reasoned as I sat with him and Geoff at their kitchen table that night, half-plastered from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-c-gormley/well-look-at-it-this-way-robin-reasoned-as-i-sat-with-him-and-geoff/) [Amelia C. Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) > [“Tawny shrugged. "I was overreacting. Typical big sister move. He explained why he did it, and it makes sense, in a slightly twisted way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-m-cameron/tawny-shrugged-i-was-overreacting-typical-big-sister-move-he/) [Chelsea M. Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-m-cameron/) > [“Oh, you have to hear this,” Nick suddenly said with a grin. “Look for the house where the dog is barking.” I reached out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-vila/oh-you-have-to-hear-this-nick-suddenly-said-with-a-grin-look-for-the/) [Tatiana Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-vila/) > [Avoid the 'squeaky wheel gets the grease' habit of overreacting to the loudest feedback. The first time you hear a particular piece of feedback,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-blumenthal/avoid-the-squeaky-wheel-gets-the-grease-habit-of-overreacting-to-the/) [Neil Blumenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-blumenthal/) > [“Many misogynists use this method of turning the tables to deflect blame from themselves. They may say: "You are too sensitive"; "You're overreacting"; "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-forward/many-misogynists-use-this-method-of-turning-the-tables-to-deflect/) [Susan Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-forward/) > [When you speak up about any sense of unfairness or injustice, you're told that you're overreacting, you're too angry, too silly-shut up already. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/when-you-speak-up-about-any-sense-of-unfairness-or-injustice-you-re/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [If I don't get ran out by Catholics, here come some conservative Baptists. Claiming he overreacting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/if-i-don-t-get-ran-out-by-catholics-here-come-some-conservative/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [“we need people to whom we can talk and who will understand without invalidating our feelings by saying the following: You shouldn’t feel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/we-need-people-to-whom-we-can-talk-and-who-will-understand-without/) [Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/) ## More by chris cleave > [It was hard not to be full of hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/it-was-hard-not-to-be-full-of-hope/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [This is the forked tongue of grief again. It whispers in one ear: return to what you once loved best, and in the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/this-is-the-forked-tongue-of-grief-again-it-whispers-in-one-ear/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [In a few breaths' time I will speak some sad words to you. But you must hear them the same way we have agreed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/in-a-few-breaths-time-i-will-speak-some-sad-words-to-you-but-you-must/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [Wouldn't that be funny, if the oil rebels were playing U2 in their jungle camps, and the government soldiers were playing U2 in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/wouldn-t-that-be-funny-if-the-oil-rebels-were-playing-u2-in-their/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [“When death comes you do not stay for one minute in the place it has visited. Many things arrive after death-sadness, questions, and policemen-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/when-death-comes-you-do-not-stay-for-one-minute-in-the-place-it-has/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [“I smiled down at Charlie, and I understood that he would be free now even if I would not. In this way the life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-smiled-down-at-charlie-and-i-understood-that-he-would-be-free-now/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I do think it is harder to acknowledge our strengths, or to forgive ourselves and each other for our shortcomings, when there has not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-do-think-it-is-harder-to-acknowledge-our-strengths-or-to-forgive/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I think the recent cluster of WWII novels is so good because we have reached an optimal distance from the war. Just as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-think-the-recent-cluster-of-wwii-novels-is-so-good-because-we-have/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [“Yu only be livin one life, darlin. Don't matter yu don't uh-preshie-ate part of it, cos it don't stop bein part of yu.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/yu-only-be-livin-one-life-darlin-don-t-matter-yu-don-t-uh-preshie-ate/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [Sometimes we don't notice that someone is being brave, because they are only doing something that seems quite easy for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/sometimes-we-don-t-notice-that-someone-is-being-brave-because-they/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [Life is extremely short and you cannot dance to current affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/life-is-extremely-short-and-you-cannot-dance-to-current-affairs/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [Sad words are just another beauty. A sad story means, this storyteller is alive. The next thing you know something fine will happen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/sad-words-are-just-another-beauty-a-sad-story-means-this-storyteller/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [“If I was telling this story to the girls from back home, I would have to explain to them how it was possible to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/if-i-was-telling-this-story-to-the-girls-from-back-home-i-would-have/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [“April showers bring May flower”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/april-showers-bring-may-flower/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) [Explore all 214 chris cleave quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) ## More Overreacting quotes > [“we need people to whom we can talk and who will understand without invalidating our feelings by saying the following: You shouldn’t feel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/we-need-people-to-whom-we-can-talk-and-who-will-understand-without/) [Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/) > [Avoid the 'squeaky wheel gets the grease' habit of overreacting to the loudest feedback. The first time you hear a particular piece of feedback,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-blumenthal/avoid-the-squeaky-wheel-gets-the-grease-habit-of-overreacting-to-the/) [Neil Blumenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-blumenthal/) > [“Many misogynists use this method of turning the tables to deflect blame from themselves. They may say: "You are too sensitive"; "You're overreacting"; "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-forward/many-misogynists-use-this-method-of-turning-the-tables-to-deflect/) [Susan Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-forward/) > [We often add to our pain and suffering by being overly sensitive, overreacting to minor things, and sometimes taking things too personally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikas-runwal/we-often-add-to-our-pain-and-suffering-by-being-overly-sensitive/) [Vikas Runwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikas-runwal/) > [If I don't get ran out by Catholics, here come some conservative Baptists. Claiming he overreacting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/if-i-don-t-get-ran-out-by-catholics-here-come-some-conservative/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [When you speak up about any sense of unfairness or injustice, you're told that you're overreacting, you're too angry, too silly-shut up already. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/when-you-speak-up-about-any-sense-of-unfairness-or-injustice-you-re/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [“Oh, you have to hear this,” Nick suddenly said with a grin. “Look for the house where the dog is barking.” I reached out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-vila/oh-you-have-to-hear-this-nick-suddenly-said-with-a-grin-look-for-the/) [Tatiana Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-vila/) > [“Tawny shrugged. "I was overreacting. Typical big sister move. He explained why he did it, and it makes sense, in a slightly twisted way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-m-cameron/tawny-shrugged-i-was-overreacting-typical-big-sister-move-he/) [Chelsea M. Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-m-cameron/) > [“Well, look at it this way,” Robin reasoned as I sat with him and Geoff at their kitchen table that night, half-plastered from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-c-gormley/well-look-at-it-this-way-robin-reasoned-as-i-sat-with-him-and-geoff/) [Amelia C. Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-c-gormley/) > [“Just don't get distracted. Keep focused." "I think I could figure that out." I snapped, and knew I was on edge; perhaps overreacting due…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/just-don-t-get-distracted-keep-focused-i-think-i-could-figure-that/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) > [I began to think that there was a place for 'Footloose' to get retold again, that there was actually a more conducive political climate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-brewer/i-began-to-think-that-there-was-a-place-for-footloose-to-get-retold/) [Craig Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-brewer/) > [“When we decide that boundaries are needed, they can be hard to set – and maintain – if we doubt ourselves and our assessment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-thomas/when-we-decide-that-boundaries-are-needed-they-can-be-hard-to-set-and/) [Shannon Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-thomas/) > [We just found out my little brother has a peanut allergy, which is very serious I know. But still I feel like my parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/we-just-found-out-my-little-brother-has-a-peanut-allergy-which-is/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [“I'm as big as snob as they come, but money is a terrible barometer of a person's worth. The standard I used is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/i-m-as-big-as-snob-as-they-come-but-money-is-a-terrible-barometer-of/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) > [“I love where he and I stand right now. It’s like we’re on the brink, and everything’s full of excitement and potential precisely because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daria-snadowsky/i-love-where-he-and-i-stand-right-now-it-s-like-we-re-on-the-brink/) [Daria Snadowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daria-snadowsky/) Browse all 34 Overreacting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Maybe he was overreacting…Somehow you were meant to take responsibility, minute to minute, for deciding which events you would call manageable, now that none of them were.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "chris cleave" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/maybe-he-was-overreacting-somehow-you-were-meant-to-take/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Overreacting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/maybe-he-was-overreacting-somehow-you-were-meant-to-take/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/chris-cleave-1698_overreacting_maybe-he-was-overreacting-somehow-you-we_1971218.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/chris-cleave-1698_overreacting_maybe-he-was-overreacting-somehow-you-we_1971218.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/chris-cleave-1698_overreacting_maybe-he-was-overreacting-somehow-you-we_1971218.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Maybe he was overreacting…Somehow you were meant to take responsibility, minute to minute, for deciding…” — chris cleave", "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": "chris cleave", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Maybe he was overreacting…Somehow you were...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/maybe-he-was-overreacting-somehow-you-were-meant-to-take/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/maybe-he-was-overreacting-somehow-you-were-meant-to-take/#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 } } ] } ```