--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Understand that this is how it works with…" description: "\"“Understand that this is how it works with people like me. Self-pity is the sun around which we orbit, the great gravitational force that rules those o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/elizabeth-little-42013_break-free_understand-that-this-is-how-it-works-wit_884896.jpg" --- # Understand that this is how it works with people like me… ![“Understand that this is how it works with people like me. Self-pity is the sun around which we orbit, the great gravitational force that rules those of us for whom Things Didn’t Quite Turn Out. If we’re lucky, purpose (vengeance, absolution, cookies, not in that order) can keep us from falling in…” quote by Elizabeth Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/elizabeth-little-42013_break-free_understand-that-this-is-how-it-works-wit_884896.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/elizabeth-little-42013_break-free_understand-that-this-is-how-it-works-wit_884896.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82c/elizabeth-little-42013_break-free_understand-that-this-is-how-it-works-wit_884896.jpg) > ““Understand that this is how it works with people like me. Self-pity is the sun around which we orbit, the great gravitational force that rules those of us for whom Things Didn’t Quite Turn Out. If we’re lucky, purpose (vengeance, absolution, cookies, not in that order) can keep us from falling in, from burning up, but we’re fooling ourselves if we ever think we’re going to break free. But that’s why God created Xanax.”” [Elizabeth Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-little/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She describes personal suffering as a self‑reinforcing cycle, suggesting external aids like medication can temporarily ease it. **In simple terms:** Self‑pity traps people; drugs may provide short relief. Key Takeaway Seek deeper coping strategies beyond quick fixes. Themes mental health self‑pity addiction Mood reflective cautious Type advice personal When to use this quote - therapy sessions - personal crisis - stress management Key Concepts psychology coping mechanisms pharmacology Questions to Reflect On - What sustainable habits can replace reliance on medication? - How does self‑pity perpetuate suffering? A Different Perspective Medication alone cannot resolve underlying issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Break free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-free/) [Created Xanax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/created-xanax-1089509/) [God Created](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-created/) [Lucky Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky-purpose-1089508/) [Pity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pity/) [Pity Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pity-sun-1089507/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self pity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-pity/) ## Related quotes > [We come unbidden into this life, and if we are lucky we find a purpose beyond starvation, misery, and early death which, lest we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/we-come-unbidden-into-this-life-and-if-we-are-lucky-we-find-a-purpose-3/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“We come unbidden into this life, and if we are lucky we find a purpose beyond starvation, misery, and early death, lest for forget,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/we-come-unbidden-into-this-life-and-if-we-are-lucky-we-find-a-purpose-2/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“Some live Life strictly, following each and every rule rigidly. They go by the Book and get stuck by the Hook. Break free today,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/some-live-life-strictly-following-each-and-every-rule-rigidly-they-go/) [RVM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rvm/) > [“They saw the ordered concrete and steel of postwar United States showing stress fractures and were determined to bring it down and break free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-hickman/they-saw-the-ordered-concrete-and-steel-of-postwar-united-states/) [Tracy Hickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-hickman/) > [“The truth is that I want you. I have always wanted you, and you know that.” “I hate that word,” she burst out, trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/the-truth-is-that-i-want-you-i-have-always-wanted-you-and-you-know/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [In racing, they say that your car goes where your eyes go. 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You've left your family, you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-leigh/i-ve-never-forgotten-what-it-s-like-to-be-in-your-early-twenties/) [Julia Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-leigh/) > [“Poetry is the yearning of the soul to break free!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/poetry-is-the-yearning-of-the-soul-to-break-free/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [People in both parties are restless for change, ready to break free of old patterns in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/people-in-both-parties-are-restless-for-change-ready-to-break-free-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Release your majestic mind, embrace your untamed inner spirit. Break free from captivity, avoid society.. You were born to be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-muller/release-your-majestic-mind-embrace-your-untamed-inner-spirit-break/) [Melanie Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-muller/) > [“..:Intimidation keeps us from enjoying life to its fullest. Procrastination keeps us from developing our skills. Fear paralizes us and keeps us from trying.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-garcia/intimidation-keeps-us-from-enjoying-life-to-its-fullest/) [Rafael Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-garcia/) > [I think being on a TV show is amazing but also, people get kind of used to seeing you a certain way and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-plaza/i-think-being-on-a-tv-show-is-amazing-but-also-people-get-kind-of/) [Aubrey Plaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-plaza/) ## More by Elizabeth Little > [“And I’d be damned if I let the first photograph of me in ten years be taken on fucking Amtrak. I mean, the light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-little/and-i-d-be-damned-if-i-let-the-first-photograph-of-me-in-ten-years-be/) [Elizabeth Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-little/) > [“when my hand fell from his shoulder it landed on his thigh and exerted just the slightest hint of pressure with my blunt, bitten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-little/when-my-hand-fell-from-his-shoulder-it-landed-on-his-thigh-and/) [Elizabeth Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-little/) > [“I never understand it when parents talk about sending their kids to school to “socialize” them. Children aren’t people. They’re barely even animals. They’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-little/i-never-understand-it-when-parents-talk-about-sending-their-kids-to/) [Elizabeth Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-little/) > [“The house stank of liquored-up Kool-Aid and delusions of invincibility. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-little/the-house-stank-of-liquored-up-kool-aid-and-delusions-of/) [Elizabeth Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-little/) > [“God, I love the waltz, the way the elegance of the one-count draws your attention away from the restlessness of the two-three.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-little/god-i-love-the-waltz-the-way-the-elegance-of-the-one-count-draws-your/) [Elizabeth Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-little/) > [“Mutli-tools are like insults, girls - you should always have one on hand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-little/mutli-tools-are-like-insults-girls-you-should-always-have-one-on-hand/) [Elizabeth Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-little/) > [“I've no interest in idiots unless I'm fucking them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-little/i-ve-no-interest-in-idiots-unless-i-m-fucking-them/) [Elizabeth Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-little/) > [“•   •   • I mean, come on, you didn’t really”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-little/i-mean-come-on-you-didn-t-really/) [Elizabeth Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-little/) > [“I turned at a noise from the hallway—but it was just Bones. He was lying on his back, licking his paws. If only men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-little/i-turned-at-a-noise-from-the-hallway-but-it-was-just-bones-he-was/) [Elizabeth Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-little/) [Explore all 10 Elizabeth Little quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-little/) ## More Break free quotes > [I think being on a TV show is amazing but also, people get kind of used to seeing you a certain way and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-plaza/i-think-being-on-a-tv-show-is-amazing-but-also-people-get-kind-of/) [Aubrey Plaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-plaza/) > [“..:Intimidation keeps us from enjoying life to its fullest. Procrastination keeps us from developing our skills. Fear paralizes us and keeps us from trying.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-garcia/intimidation-keeps-us-from-enjoying-life-to-its-fullest/) [Rafael Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-garcia/) > [Release your majestic mind, embrace your untamed inner spirit. Break free from captivity, avoid society.. You were born to be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-muller/release-your-majestic-mind-embrace-your-untamed-inner-spirit-break/) [Melanie Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-muller/) > [People in both parties are restless for change, ready to break free of old patterns in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/people-in-both-parties-are-restless-for-change-ready-to-break-free-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [“Poetry is the yearning of the soul to break free!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/poetry-is-the-yearning-of-the-soul-to-break-free/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [I've never forgotten what it's like to be in your early twenties, which is not a particularly easy time. You've left your family, you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-leigh/i-ve-never-forgotten-what-it-s-like-to-be-in-your-early-twenties/) [Julia Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-leigh/) > [You break free when you feel neither beneath anyone nor superior to anyone, when you shed the need to control other people, when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/you-break-free-when-you-feel-neither-beneath-anyone-nor-superior-to/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The real power of the Buddha was that he had so much love. He saw people trapped in their notions of small separate self,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/the-real-power-of-the-buddha-was-that-he-had-so-much-love-he-saw/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [There is no other way the world is going to see the supreme glory of Christ today, except that we break free from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/there-is-no-other-way-the-world-is-going-to-see-the-supreme-glory-of/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [In racing, they say that your car goes where your eyes go. The driver who cannot tear his eyes away from the wall as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-stein/in-racing-they-say-that-your-car-goes-where-your-eyes-go-the-driver/) [Garth Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-stein/) > [“The truth is that I want you. I have always wanted you, and you know that.” “I hate that word,” she burst out, trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/the-truth-is-that-i-want-you-i-have-always-wanted-you-and-you-know/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“They saw the ordered concrete and steel of postwar United States showing stress fractures and were determined to bring it down and break free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-hickman/they-saw-the-ordered-concrete-and-steel-of-postwar-united-states/) [Tracy Hickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-hickman/) > [“Some live Life strictly, following each and every rule rigidly. They go by the Book and get stuck by the Hook. Break free today,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/some-live-life-strictly-following-each-and-every-rule-rigidly-they-go/) [RVM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rvm/) > [“There is great change to be experienced once you learn the power of letting go. Stop allowing anyone or anything to control, limit, repress,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/there-is-great-change-to-be-experienced-once-you-learn-the-power-of/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [What you learn about yourself is that you continue to see that you're selfish. It's so easy, in our Laodicean culture with all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-kampman/what-you-learn-about-yourself-is-that-you-continue-to-see-that-you-re/) [Aaron Kampman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-kampman/) [Browse all 289 Break free quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-free/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Understand that this is how it works with people like me. Self-pity is the sun around which we orbit, the great gravitational force that rules those of us for whom Things Didn’t Quite Turn Out. 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