---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To know other people thought he'd made a…"
description: "\"To know other people thought he'd made a mistake vindicated me. I wasn't a bad girlfriend, he was simply going through a period of temporary insanity a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/dorothy-koomson-8017_bad-girl_to-know-other-people-thought-he-d-made-a_90942.png"
---

#  To know other people thought he'd made a mistake…

![“To know other people thought he'd made a mistake vindicated me. I wasn't a bad girlfriend, he was simply going through a period of temporary insanity and he'd come to his senses soon.” quote by Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/dorothy-koomson-8017_bad-girl_to-know-other-people-thought-he-d-made-a_90942.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/dorothy-koomson-8017_bad-girl_to-know-other-people-thought-he-d-made-a_90942.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/dorothy-koomson-8017_bad-girl_to-know-other-people-thought-he-d-made-a_90942.png)

> “To know other people thought he'd made a mistake vindicated me. I wasn't a bad girlfriend, he was simply going through a period of temporary insanity and he'd come to his senses soon.”

[Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

## About This Quote

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

Realizing that others also saw his mistake validated her feelings; she reframed the breakup as his temporary mental lapse rather than her own failure.

**In simple terms:** External validation can reshape self‑perception.

Key Takeaway

Blaming the partner’s instability protects self‑esteem.

Themes

self‑esteem relationship dynamics perception defense mechanisms self‑compassion

Mood

defensive reflective reassuring

Type

personal narrative psychological insight

When to use this quote

- recovering from a breakup
- processing a partner’s erratic behavior
- rebuilding confidence after a failed relationship

Key Concepts

cognitive reframing attribution bias

Practical Applications

- relationship counseling
- self‑help workshops

Questions to Reflect On

- What role does external validation play in personal healing?
- How does attributing blame affect one's self‑image?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bad girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-girl/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Girlfriend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girlfriend/) [Insanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insanity/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Temporary insanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temporary-insanity/)

## Related quotes

> [“I haven't been wrong since 1961, when I thought I made a mistake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hudson/i-haven-t-been-wrong-since-1961-when-i-thought-i-made-a-mistake/)

Bob Hudson

> [“Witness: I thought it was a mistake. Based on what we knew at the time, it was a mistake to turn away from Patz…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-landay/witness-i-thought-it-was-a-mistake-based-on-what-we-knew-at-the-time/)

[William Landay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-landay/)

> [“I thought I had made a mistake, but I was mistaken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/i-thought-i-had-made-a-mistake-but-i-was-mistaken/)

[Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/)

> [ I remember the first check I got from The Who's recording \[of "Young Man Blues"\]. I'd been getting checks for $10 and $15 and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-remember-the-first-check-i-got-from-the-who-s-recording-of-young/)

[Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/)

> [I want to fall in love, I think. I've never. I know. Everyone I know's been in love or in relationships now and... There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-delevingne/i-want-to-fall-in-love-i-think-i-ve-never-i-know-everyone-i-know-s/)

[Cara Delevingne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-delevingne/)

> [I'm a bad boyfriend. She's a bad girlfriend. We deserve each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-m-a-bad-boyfriend-she-s-a-bad-girlfriend-we-deserve-each-other/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [“I guess I stay with her because she stays with me. And that's not an easy thing to do. I'm a bad boyfriend. She's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-guess-i-stay-with-her-because-she-stays-with-me-and-that-s-not-an/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [“How long have you been dating her?' I asked. Nine months. We never got along. I mean, I didn't even briefly like her. Like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/how-long-have-you-been-dating-her-i-asked-nine-months-we-never-got/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [Finally found her...The love of my life! Too bad her girlfriend. Found her first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-etter/finally-found-her-the-love-of-my-life-too-bad-her-girlfriend-found/)

Edward Etter

> [“You can take care of him," she insisted. This was madness. This was a true example of temporary insanity. "I can't." "Why not?" She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-d-davis/you-can-take-care-of-him-she-insisted-this-was-madness-this-was-a/)

[L.D. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-d-davis/)

> [There is always some madness in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/there-is-always-some-madness-in-love/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [“The expression "madly in love" is apt, for it describes a form of temporary insanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/the-expression-madly-in-love-is-apt-for-it-describes-a-form-of/)

[Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/)

> [Love: A temporary insanity curable by marriage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/love-a-temporary-insanity-curable-by-marriage/)

[Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/)

> [I attributed the incidence to temporary insanity, and in my own defense, I'd like to say I haven't run over anyone since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-attributed-the-incidence-to-temporary-insanity-and-in-my-own/)

[Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/)

> [And the council doesn’t recognize any kind of temporary insanity defense. Which was a real shame, because most of the councilmen had considered me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/and-the-council-doesn-t-recognize-any-kind-of-temporary-insanity/)

[Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/)

## More by Dorothy Koomson

> [“I was consumed by a selfishness and arrogance that I didn't dare let go of until I found a new persona to hide behind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/i-was-consumed-by-a-selfishness-and-arrogance-that-i-didn-t-dare-let/)

[Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

> [“I sometimes think people can see that I’m defective, that there’s nothing there. Behind the job and clothes and makeup there’s nothing to know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/i-sometimes-think-people-can-see-that-i-m-defective-that-there-s/)

[Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

> [I would rather have nothing than something that was only alright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/i-would-rather-have-nothing-than-something-that-was-only-alright/)

[Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

> [“It;s all gone. My life is all gone and I can't work out why. I keep looking back over my life...and I can't work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/it-s-all-gone-my-life-is-all-gone-and-i-can-t-work-out-why-i-keep/)

[Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

> [If we're going to change the world for the better, kids need to know that they can by feeling good about who they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/if-we-re-going-to-change-the-world-for-the-better-kids-need-to-know/)

[Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

> [Always regret the things you did do, never the things you didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/always-regret-the-things-you-did-do-never-the-things-you-didn-t/)

[Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

> [“Every second counts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/every-second-counts/)

[Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

> [“I could grow to like this man, I realized. I could grow to like him a lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/i-could-grow-to-like-this-man-i-realized-i-could-grow-to-like-him-a/)

[Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

> [Evil grows when good people do and say nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/evil-grows-when-good-people-do-and-say-nothing/)

[Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

> [“It's good to have things that you love. They keep you grounded, make you realise how much you've got to lose. It's good to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/it-s-good-to-have-things-that-you-love-they-keep-you-grounded-make/)

[Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

> [Love is a two-way street.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/love-is-a-two-way-street/)

[Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

> [“Are you always this honest?" "Almost never”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/are-you-always-this-honest-almost-never/)

[Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

> [“If things go wrong, you don't have to accept you made a bum decision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/if-things-go-wrong-you-don-t-have-to-accept-you-made-a-bum-decision/)

[Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

> [My belief in God is personal, I do not need to browbeat anyone into agreeing with me, because I believe what I believe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/my-belief-in-god-is-personal-i-do-not-need-to-browbeat-anyone-into/)

[Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

> [He just hijacks me. I love him. And I won't be able to give anyone a real chance until that's over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/he-just-hijacks-me-i-love-him-and-i-won-t-be-able-to-give-anyone-a/)

[Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

[Explore all 80 Dorothy Koomson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/)

## More Bad girl quotes

> [I love playing the bad girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-playing-the-bad-girl/)

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

> [I'm an emotional eater. If something's worth celebrating, we're going to grab pizza. If it's going bad, girl, pass me the chocolate. Gotta keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurieann-gibson/i-m-an-emotional-eater-if-something-s-worth-celebrating-we-re-going/)

[Laurieann Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurieann-gibson/)

> [You're my bad boy fairytale Since jamming with the dark side I wanna be your bad girl You bring out my wild side Your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena-gomez/you-re-my-bad-boy-fairytale-since-jamming-with-the-dark-side-i-wanna/)

[Selena Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena-gomez/)

> [“I tried to warn you, But girls never listen. Got your innocence insured? ’Cause it’s ’bout to be stolen Right out from under your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-higgins/i-tried-to-warn-you-but-girls-never-listen-got-your-innocence-insured/)

[Wendy Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-higgins/)

> [Some girls do like dating nice guys. Multiple nice guys at once, with a bad boy on the side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-girls-do-like-dating-nice-guys-multiple-nice-guys-at-once-with-a/)

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

> [“Idea lady is the ideal lady!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/idea-lady-is-the-ideal-lady/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [Don't ever let your girl talk to another guy about her problems because a shoulder to cry on, becomes a dick to ride on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-ever-let-your-girl-talk-to-another-guy-about-her-problems/)

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

> [“Naomi Wolf dares to explode the myth of 'victim feminism' and pleads for allowing women to be as full of good and bad desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/naomi-wolf-dares-to-explode-the-myth-of-victim-feminism-and-pleads/)

[Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/)

> [Good girls go to Heaven, bad girls make you feel like you're in Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/good-girls-go-to-heaven-bad-girls-make-you-feel-like-you-re-in-heaven/)

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

> [A bad girl can Be tha baddest a bad girl can be the smartest just like me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erie-freeman/a-bad-girl-can-be-tha-baddest-a-bad-girl-can-be-the-smartest-just/)

Erie Freeman

> [“I am such a bad girl," she thought. Yet...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/i-am-such-a-bad-girl-she-thought-yet/)

[Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/)

> [I'd like to see things your way, but I'm not sure if I can stick my head that far up my ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-like-to-see-things-your-way-but-i-m-not-sure-if-i-can-stick-my/)

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

> [If a girl admits that she likes you, know that it took her every ounce of courage she has. Don't take her for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-a-girl-admits-that-she-likes-you-know-that-it-took-her-every-ounce/)

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

> [Bad Girl's Ain't No Good &amp;&amp; The Good Girl's Ain't No Fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/bad-girl-s-ain-t-no-good-the-good-girl-s-ain-t-no-fun/)

[Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/)

> [“Silence reigned. Well, except for Mallory's thundering heartbeat. She was in an attic loft, flat beneath her Mr. Wrong. Her common sense was screaming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/silence-reigned-well-except-for-mallory-s-thundering-heartbeat-she/)

[Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/)

[Browse all 318 Bad girl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-girl/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "To know other people thought he'd made a mistake vindicated me. I wasn't a bad girlfriend, he was simply going through a period of temporary insanity and he'd come to his senses soon.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Dorothy Koomson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/to-know-other-people-thought-he-d-made-a-mistake-vindicated-me-i-wasn/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bad girl"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/to-know-other-people-thought-he-d-made-a-mistake-vindicated-me-i-wasn/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/dorothy-koomson-8017_bad-girl_to-know-other-people-thought-he-d-made-a_90942.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/dorothy-koomson-8017_bad-girl_to-know-other-people-thought-he-d-made-a_90942.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/dorothy-koomson-8017_bad-girl_to-know-other-people-thought-he-d-made-a_90942.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“To know other people thought he'd made a mistake vindicated me. I wasn't a bad girlfriend, he was simply…” — Dorothy Koomson",
                "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": "Dorothy Koomson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "To know other people thought he'd...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/to-know-other-people-thought-he-d-made-a-mistake-vindicated-me-i-wasn/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/to-know-other-people-thought-he-d-made-a-mistake-vindicated-me-i-wasn/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
