--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My advice to my younger self would have…" description: "\"My advice to my younger self would have been, \"Chill. Concentrate on the poems. Everything else will work itself out.\"\" — Denise Duhamel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/233/denise-duhamel-18337_advice_my-advice-to-my-younger-self-would-have_1496603.jpg" --- # My advice to my younger self would have been, "Chill… ![“My advice to my younger self would have been, "Chill. Concentrate on the poems. Everything else will work itself out."” quote by Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/233/denise-duhamel-18337_advice_my-advice-to-my-younger-self-would-have_1496603.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/233/denise-duhamel-18337_advice_my-advice-to-my-younger-self-would-have_1496603.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/233/denise-duhamel-18337_advice_my-advice-to-my-younger-self-would-have_1496603.jpg) > “My advice to my younger self would have been, "Chill. Concentrate on the poems. Everything else will work itself out."” [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritize creative work early; other responsibilities will align later. **In simple terms:** Focus on writing first. Key Takeaway Write before worrying about everything else. Themes creativity self‑care prioritization Mood reflective encouraging Type advice motivational When to use this quote - writing career - academic studies - personal development - entrepreneurship Key Concepts growth mindset time management discipline Questions to Reflect On - What creative project would you start now? - How can you balance focus with responsibilities? A Different Perspective Neglecting other duties can cause setbacks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Younger self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/younger-self/) ## Related quotes > [“We asked him, if he could give advice to his younger self, what his formula for success would look like. 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Stay in your own lane, maybe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-dynevor/the-advice-i-d-give-to-my-younger-self-stay-in-your-own-lane-maybe/) [Phoebe Dynevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-dynevor/) > [“Advice to my younger self: 1 Start where you are with what you have 2 Try not to hurt other people 3 Take more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/advice-to-my-younger-self-1-start-where-you-are-with-what-you-have-2/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [I don't think I could give advice to my younger self because she probably wouldn't listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-leibovitz/i-don-t-think-i-could-give-advice-to-my-younger-self-because-she/) [Annie Leibovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-leibovitz/) > [If I could give my younger self some advice at that time, I'd tell her to enjoy the ride and don't be afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-valletta/if-i-could-give-my-younger-self-some-advice-at-that-time-i-d-tell-her/) [Amber Valletta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-valletta/) > [I'm working on poems about work, I guess. 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Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) ## More by Denise Duhamel > [I have no idea, actually, where I fit in, in terms of poetry camps. At AWP conferences, I have been on panels about humor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/i-have-no-idea-actually-where-i-fit-in-in-terms-of-poetry-camps-at/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [I am interested in the confines of the page and busting through/off the page as well. A writer must let go of the line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/i-am-interested-in-the-confines-of-the-page-and-busting-through-off/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [As a teenager, I loved acting, painting, photography, and making films with my friend's Super 8 camera. But I always loved writing the best.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/as-a-teenager-i-loved-acting-painting-photography-and-making-films/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [Though it does seem like I have written an immense amount of work, over the years I have pushed the pause button. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/though-it-does-seem-like-i-have-written-an-immense-amount-of-work/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [“I just didn’t get it— even with the teacher holding an orange (the earth) in one hand and a lemon (the moon) in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/i-just-didn-t-get-it-even-with-the-teacher-holding-an-orange-the/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [I know writers for whom the act of writing is a necessary chore. They suffer to write great work. I am very lucky that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/i-know-writers-for-whom-the-act-of-writing-is-a-necessary-chore-they/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [“I will be gone, but I will miss you if I’m still able to miss anything, that is, if some particle of me remains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/i-will-be-gone-but-i-will-miss-you-if-i-m-still-able-to-miss-anything/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [While poetry was less professionalized than it is now, I still had this urge to win prizes and see my work in magazines, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/while-poetry-was-less-professionalized-than-it-is-now-i-still-had/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [What has stayed true in my life as a writer is my dedication to writing - I try to write every day, no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/what-has-stayed-true-in-my-life-as-a-writer-is-my-dedication-to/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [I am open to squeezing in whatever I can in this wonderful life. Instead of asking, "Is that all there is?" I seem, lately,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/i-am-open-to-squeezing-in-whatever-i-can-in-this-wonderful-life/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [In almost every book I've written, there is a reference to a movie - legendary films, actors and actresses, and forgotten made-for-TV movies. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/in-almost-every-book-i-ve-written-there-is-a-reference-to-a-movie/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [The "biggest" poems I ever made are based on the psychological principal of the "Johari Window:" what the self freely shares with others; what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/the-biggest-poems-i-ever-made-are-based-on-the-psychological/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [I started wanting desperately to say something, to make a point, to be heard - and I still feel that way. Free verse served…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/i-started-wanting-desperately-to-say-something-to-make-a-point-to-be/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [After my marriage ended, I had an urge to skip that part of my life completely in terms of poetry, not publish anything at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/after-my-marriage-ended-i-had-an-urge-to-skip-that-part-of-my-life/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) > [If you are my friend and say to me, "Please don't write about this," I won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-duhamel/if-you-are-my-friend-and-say-to-me-please-don-t-write-about-this-i/) [Denise Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) [Explore all 35 Denise Duhamel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-duhamel/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) Mak\_786 > [I ask for tips, for advice. 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And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. 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