--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you live on your own for a long…" description: "\"When you live on your own for a long time, however, your personality changes because you go so much into yourself you lose the ability to be social, to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b44/donald-miller-607_ability_when-you-live-on-your-own-for-a-long-tim_557831.png" --- # When you live on your own for a long time, however, your… ![“When you live on your own for a long time, however, your personality changes because you go so much into yourself you lose the ability to be social, to understand what is and isn't normal behavior. There is an entire world inside yourself, and if you let yourself, you can get so deep inside it you…” quote by Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b44/donald-miller-607_ability_when-you-live-on-your-own-for-a-long-tim_557831.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b44/donald-miller-607_ability_when-you-live-on-your-own-for-a-long-tim_557831.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b44/donald-miller-607_ability_when-you-live-on-your-own-for-a-long-tim_557831.png) > “When you live on your own for a long time, however, your personality changes because you go so much into yourself you lose the ability to be social, to understand what is and isn't normal behavior. There is an entire world inside yourself, and if you let yourself, you can get so deep inside it you will forget the way to the surface. Other people keep our souls alive, just like food and water does with our body.” [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Extended isolation can cause introspection that distances you from social norms, highlighting the need for external connections to stay grounded. **In simple terms:** Too much solitude can distort social perception. Key Takeaway Maintain balanced social interaction. Themes solitude self‑reflection social norms Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - remote work - long‑term travel - solo living - creative retreats Key Concepts psychology human connection Questions to Reflect On - What habits keep you socially grounded? - How can solitude be used productively? A Different Perspective Isolation can also foster creativity and self‑knowledge. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Behavior Entire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior-entire-4271374/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Deep inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-inside/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Live Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-long/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Normal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) [Personality Changes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality-changes-1168950/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Surface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surface/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Behavior is individual and projecting an individual behavior upon an entire race is a version of racism. 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I've had quite a bit of success but I feel that I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rube-goldberg/i-wonder-how-anybody-can-think-his-personality-changes-with-his/) [Rube Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rube-goldberg/) > [You're not going to do something for a certain period of your life and be affected by it, and then stop and go work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-flint/you-re-not-going-to-do-something-for-a-certain-period-of-your-life/) [Jill Flint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-flint/) > [And I, uh, I wonder how anybody can think his personality changes with his success. 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Most of the UFOs seen in the daytime were said to have had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-berliner/these-abnormal-aspects-included-the-shapes-of-ufos-and-their-behavior/) [Don Berliner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-berliner/) > [If you look deep inside trust, you'll find truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-gitomer/if-you-look-deep-inside-trust-you-ll-find-truth/) [Jeffrey Gitomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-gitomer/) > [I can see you're sad, even when you smile, even when you laugh I can see it in your eyes, deep inside u want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emienem/i-can-see-you-re-sad-even-when-you-smile-even-when-you-laugh-i-can/) [Emienem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emienem/) > [Champions are made from something they have deep inside of them-a desire, a dream, a vison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/champions-are-made-from-something-they-have-deep-inside-of-them-a/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [We all have love hidden deep inside us. It just takes that special person to look hard enough to find it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-all-have-love-hidden-deep-inside-us-it-just-takes-that-special/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Donald Miller > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [I think each of us can, through our writing, discover our super power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/i-think-each-of-us-can-through-our-writing-discover-our-super-power/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [If you don't feel free and be yourself, you can't connect. Find people who accept your quirks. They'll heal your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/if-you-don-t-feel-free-and-be-yourself-you-can-t-connect-find-people/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [And so I have come to understand that strength, inner strength, comes from receiving love as much as it comes from giving it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/and-so-i-have-come-to-understand-that-strength-inner-strength-comes/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“Humans, as a species, are constantly, and in every way, comparing themselves to one another, which, given the brief nature of their existence, seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/humans-as-a-species-are-constantly-and-in-every-way-comparing/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“alone, lonely, and loneliness are three of the most powerful words in the English language... 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It was given to you by God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/don-t-let-go-of-your-strength-or-your-beauty-it-was-given-to-you-by/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [There's a lot of letters, and a lot of people come say "hi" at book signings, but I'm amazed at how normal everybody is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-a-lot-of-letters-and-a-lot-of-people-come-say-hi-at-book/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [I am something of a recluse by nature. I am that cordless screwdriver that has to charge for twenty hours to earn ten minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/i-am-something-of-a-recluse-by-nature-i-am-that-cordless-screwdriver/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [The most important thing that happens within Christian spirituality is when a person falls in love with Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/the-most-important-thing-that-happens-within-christian-spirituality/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [Every day you live is a page. Every year, a chapter. Your life, a book. What is it about?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/every-day-you-live-is-a-page-every-year-a-chapter-your-life-a-book/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“And that’s the first time I realized that the idea a character is what he does makes as much sense in life as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/and-that-s-the-first-time-i-realized-that-the-idea-a-character-is/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) [Explore all 448 Donald Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. 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Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. 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