---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For so many years, I haven't been able to…"
description: "\"For so many years, I haven't been able to wrap my head around the concept of time, just feeling like time is something that I don't have control over. ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/diane-birch-32943_accepting_for-so-many-years-i-haven-t-been-able-to_2898502.jpg"
---

#  For so many years, I haven't been able to wrap my head…

![“For so many years, I haven't been able to wrap my head around the concept of time, just feeling like time is something that I don't have control over. It's such a release of control to finally accept that and then just be present. That's always been a big challenge for me.” quote by Diane Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/diane-birch-32943_accepting_for-so-many-years-i-haven-t-been-able-to_2898502.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/diane-birch-32943_accepting_for-so-many-years-i-haven-t-been-able-to_2898502.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/diane-birch-32943_accepting_for-so-many-years-i-haven-t-been-able-to_2898502.jpg)

> “For so many years, I haven't been able to wrap my head around the concept of time, just feeling like time is something that I don't have control over. It's such a release of control to finally accept that and then just be present. That's always been a big challenge for me.”

[Diane Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/)

## About This Quote

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

Time feels uncontrollable, but accepting its flow releases anxiety and fosters presence, turning a challenge into a calming practice.

**In simple terms:** Accepting time’s flow reduces anxiety.

Key Takeaway

Practice present‑moment awareness.

Themes

time acceptance mindfulness control release

Mood

reflective calm

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- Meditation
- daily journaling
- stress management

Key Concepts

Existential reflection psychological coping

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you cultivate presence daily?
- What rituals help accept time’s flow?

A Different Perspective

Constant change can still cause distress.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Concept of time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concept-of-time/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [All the time. A few months ago I came really close to losing it, I was getting really paranoid. And then I started a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/all-the-time-a-few-months-ago-i-came-really-close-to-losing-it-i-was/)

[Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/)

> [“Lying in a foxhole sweating out an enemy artillery or mortar barrage or waiting to dash across open ground under machine-gun or artillery fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-b-sledge/lying-in-a-foxhole-sweating-out-an-enemy-artillery-or-mortar-barrage/)

[Eugene B. Sledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-b-sledge/)

> [“She is nice,” Valerie said with a smile. “Nothing like I would have imagined a vampire would be like . . . if I’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynsay-sands/she-is-nice-valerie-said-with-a-smile-nothing-like-i-would-have/)

[Lynsay Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynsay-sands/)

> [“I love you,” he whispered as he thrust again. And again. Each movement controlled. Each small movement devastating in its effect. “I love you.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hoyt/i-love-you-he-whispered-as-he-thrust-again-and-again-each-movement/)

[Elizabeth Hoyt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hoyt/)

> [Language is inherently not concerned with logic. As an expression of the psychological activities of humankind, it simply follows a linear process as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/language-is-inherently-not-concerned-with-logic-as-an-expression-of/)

[Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/)

> [Time is the most undefinable yet paradoxical of things; the past is gone, the future is not come, and the present becomes the past,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/time-is-the-most-undefinable-yet-paradoxical-of-things-the-past-is/)

[Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/)

> [Time is a brisk wind, for each hour it brings something new... but who can understand and measure its sharp breath, its mystery and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paracelsus/time-is-a-brisk-wind-for-each-hour-it-brings-something-new-but-who/)

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

> [Only our concept of time makes it possible for us to speak of the Day of Judgment by that name in reality it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/only-our-concept-of-time-makes-it-possible-for-us-to-speak-of-the-day/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [There are certain concepts, which exist in English, and are unthinkable, untranslatable into Hebrew and vice versa. Hebrew has a system of tenses, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/there-are-certain-concepts-which-exist-in-english-and-are-unthinkable/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [“Let us look a little more closely at what is implied by change. It means that the being which is subject to it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sheed/let-us-look-a-little-more-closely-at-what-is-implied-by-change-it/)

[Frank Sheed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sheed/)

> [Dreamlands Num! Poet loathes those dragged out, over inflated, work meetings! Never fails someone cant shut their mouth, No! Not even for even a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javaz/dreamlands-num-poet-loathes-those-dragged-out-over-inflated-work/)

Javaz

> [Sometimes I feel that life is passing me by, not slowly either, but with ropes of steam and spark - spattered wheels and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/sometimes-i-feel-that-life-is-passing-me-by-not-slowly-either-but/)

[Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/)

> [We have a funny concept of time in this culture. We revere it as we revere money, yet we rarely spend any of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-phillips/we-have-a-funny-concept-of-time-in-this-culture-we-revere-it-as-we/)

[Jan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-phillips/)

> [“The European and the African have an entirely different concept of time. In the European worldview, time exists outside man, exists objectively, and has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-european-and-the-african-have-an-entirely-different-concept-of/)

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

> [“That’s how the Islamists are,” Louis went on. “They keep changing and changing, but they’ll never give up on their goal to rule the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-gettleman/that-s-how-the-islamists-are-louis-went-on-they-keep-changing-and/)

[Jeffrey Gettleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-gettleman/)

## More by Diane Birch

> [I was sort of miserable and depressed. Music was my savior, but it was also the thing that I felt at times was breaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/i-was-sort-of-miserable-and-depressed-music-was-my-savior-but-it-was/)

[Diane Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/)

> [I wrestled a lot with self-doubt. I've always had such a strong desire for what I wanted for my career, and as I go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/i-wrestled-a-lot-with-self-doubt-i-ve-always-had-such-a-strong-desire/)

[Diane Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/)

> [There was a lot of creative energy that I had, that I feel wasn't understood, and I think that whole world for me felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/there-was-a-lot-of-creative-energy-that-i-had-that-i-feel-wasn-t/)

[Diane Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/)

> [We're number one in domestic violence homicides. We also have a high rate of alcohol abuse and drug abuse and there's a high lethality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/we-re-number-one-in-domestic-violence-homicides-we-also-have-a-high/)

[Diane Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/)

> [It's hard to explain. It probably sounds super silly, but I do have a lot of really weird dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/it-s-hard-to-explain-it-probably-sounds-super-silly-but-i-do-have-a/)

[Diane Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/)

> [It's really hard to be an artist and put out records and put your heart out there. It's such a gamble, and you're often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/it-s-really-hard-to-be-an-artist-and-put-out-records-and-put-your/)

[Diane Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/)

> [I never had that desire to start or join a rock band. Nor did I ever have a desire to see my idols in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/i-never-had-that-desire-to-start-or-join-a-rock-band-nor-did-i-ever/)

[Diane Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/)

> [If you're not getting what you want, maybe it's because you're not being heard, you're not speaking loud enough. And it's not necessarily volume-wise.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/if-you-re-not-getting-what-you-want-maybe-it-s-because-you-re-not/)

[Diane Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/)

> [I definitely have recurring dreams. My dreams are crazy and surreal, which is why I appreciate Carl Jung, 'cause I feel that there has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/i-definitely-have-recurring-dreams-my-dreams-are-crazy-and-surreal/)

[Diane Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/)

> [I like dark music and I want to wear those goth clothes in school. And I suddenly discovered this whole world of music that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/i-like-dark-music-and-i-want-to-wear-those-goth-clothes-in-school-and/)

[Diane Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/)

> [I was like, "Oh yeah, that's kind of like me. I'm always living in the past." When I was really young, I thought I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/i-was-like-oh-yeah-that-s-kind-of-like-me-i-m-always-living-in-the/)

[Diane Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/)

> [I'm very nostalgic, and I spend a lot of time in the past, in my mind. That's part of my challenge, and what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/i-m-very-nostalgic-and-i-spend-a-lot-of-time-in-the-past-in-my-mind/)

[Diane Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/)

> [You have to go really dark and deep with yourself and get your hands dirty and go into territories that you don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/you-have-to-go-really-dark-and-deep-with-yourself-and-get-your-hands/)

[Diane Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/)

> [I just think the fact that I was told not to be curious about the dark side, and it was such a religious-heavy upbringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/i-just-think-the-fact-that-i-was-told-not-to-be-curious-about-the/)

[Diane Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/)

[Explore all 15 Diane Birch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/)

## More Accepting quotes

> [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/)

[Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/)

> [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/)

[Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/)

> [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/)

[Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/)

> [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/)

[Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/)

> [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/)

[Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/)

> [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/)

[Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/)

> [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/)

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

> [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/)

[Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/)

> [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/)

[Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/)

> [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/)

[Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/)

> [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/)

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

> [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/)

[John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/)

> [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/)

[Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/)

Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "For so many years, I haven't been able to wrap my head around the concept of time, just feeling like time is something that I don't have control over. It's such a release of control to finally accept that and then just be present. That's always been a big challenge for me.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Diane Birch"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/for-so-many-years-i-haven-t-been-able-to-wrap-my-head-around-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Accepting"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/for-so-many-years-i-haven-t-been-able-to-wrap-my-head-around-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/diane-birch-32943_accepting_for-so-many-years-i-haven-t-been-able-to_2898502.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/diane-birch-32943_accepting_for-so-many-years-i-haven-t-been-able-to_2898502.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/diane-birch-32943_accepting_for-so-many-years-i-haven-t-been-able-to_2898502.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“For so many years, I haven't been able to wrap my head around the concept of time, just feeling like time is…” — Diane Birch",
                "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": "Diane Birch",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-birch/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "For so many years, I haven't...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/for-so-many-years-i-haven-t-been-able-to-wrap-my-head-around-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-birch/for-so-many-years-i-haven-t-been-able-to-wrap-my-head-around-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
