--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have been moving around all my life…" description: "\"I have been moving around all my life. Going to different schools, living in different houses, shedding old roles, assuming new ones. This way of life ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/ellen-gilchrist-14145_assuming_i-have-been-moving-around-all-my-life-go_2140512.jpg" --- # I have been moving around all my life. Going to different… ![“I have been moving around all my life. Going to different schools, living in different houses, shedding old roles, assuming new ones. This way of life is as natural to me as staying in one place is for other people. I do variations on the theme. I return to places where I used to be. I find my old…” quote by Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/ellen-gilchrist-14145_assuming_i-have-been-moving-around-all-my-life-go_2140512.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/ellen-gilchrist-14145_assuming_i-have-been-moving-around-all-my-life-go_2140512.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e3/ellen-gilchrist-14145_assuming_i-have-been-moving-around-all-my-life-go_2140512.jpg) > “I have been moving around all my life. Going to different schools, living in different houses, shedding old roles, assuming new ones. This way of life is as natural to me as staying in one place is for other people. I do variations on the theme. I return to places where I used to be. I find my old personas. I try them on. If they still fit, I wear them out to a party or a show. If they begin to restrict my movements, I take them off. I am a human being, capable of mimicking anything I see or remember or can imagine.” [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes a fluid identity, constantly adapting roles and environments, treating life as a series of interchangeable personas. **In simple terms:** Life is a series of changing roles and places. Key Takeaway Embrace adaptability and shed limiting identities. Themes identity adaptability change self‑discovery Mood reflective curious Type philosophical personal When to use this quote - career transitions - relocation - creative projects - social gatherings - self‑exploration Key Concepts fluidity role‑playing personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide which persona serves you? - When does adaptation become avoidance? A Different Perspective Changing roles can cause instability and loss of core self. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assuming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming/) [Capable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capable/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Fit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fit/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Living Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-different-1036472/) [Mimicking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mimicking/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Movements Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movements-human-4454491/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Moving Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving-life/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Old Personas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-personas-4454490/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Persona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persona/) [Personas Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personas-try-4454489/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Return](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/return/) [Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Staying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staying/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Theme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theme/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Used to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used-to-be/) [Variation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variation/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Way of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-of-life/) ## Related quotes > [Every single character and every single person in real life can all be 16 or 17 years old and maybe live in the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-sweeney/every-single-character-and-every-single-person-in-real-life-can-all/) [Sydney Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-sweeney/) > [I understand the power of the Internet, but I can't say that I'm there. I'm old-fashioned and living in a different century. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-solo/i-understand-the-power-of-the-internet-but-i-can-t-say-that-i-m-there/) [Ksenia Solo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-solo/) > [“It's all a matter of perspective. And maybe we thought we were living one story, when if we look at it a little different,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/it-s-all-a-matter-of-perspective-and-maybe-we-thought-we-were-living/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [I realized that I had screwed up my life living different parts of my life in different places. I wasn't whole. I wasn't integrated.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/i-realized-that-i-had-screwed-up-my-life-living-different-parts-of-my/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [“Up until today she'd felt as if she was surviving. Now she felt as though she was living. Everything was different.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-morgan/up-until-today-she-d-felt-as-if-she-was-surviving-now-she-felt-as/) [Sarah Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-morgan/) > [One of the things that is devastating is I realise I haven't been living a different life than when I was, like, 12. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/one-of-the-things-that-is-devastating-is-i-realise-i-haven-t-been/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [I'm glad folks think I look different, I'm living a different, happy, more fulfilling life, and I'm thrilled that perhaps it shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-zellweger/i-m-glad-folks-think-i-look-different-i-m-living-a-different-happy/) [Renee Zellweger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-zellweger/) > [We're all living in different states and we all have different systems within those states. Even on the most basic personal level, it affects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avey-tare/we-re-all-living-in-different-states-and-we-all-have-different/) [Avey Tare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avey-tare/) > [Elephants are not human, of course. They are something much more ancient and primordial, living on a different plane of existence. Long before we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shoumatoff/elephants-are-not-human-of-course-they-are-something-much-more/) [Alex Shoumatoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shoumatoff/) > [I'm living a very different life than the one I thought I'd be living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jisoo/i-m-living-a-very-different-life-than-the-one-i-thought-i-d-be-living/) [Jisoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jisoo/) > [They give us access to another world, they give us access to dreams. It's our way of living in a different realm for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/they-give-us-access-to-another-world-they-give-us-access-to-dreams-it/) [Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/) > [I don't think anyone aims to be typical, really. Most people even vow to themselves some time in high school or college not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/i-don-t-think-anyone-aims-to-be-typical-really-most-people-even-vow/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [When I think of the standing, the importance and the erudition of all these people who see nothing about racism in Heart of Darkness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-i-think-of-the-standing-the-importance-and-the-erudition-of-all/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [Probably no one alive hasn't at one time or another brooded over the possibility of going back to an earlier, ideal age in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-boyle/probably-no-one-alive-hasn-t-at-one-time-or-another-brooded-over-the/) [Hal Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-boyle/) > [If you don't kill yourself right away when something terrible happens ... if you go on living, you become a different person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-sullivan/if-you-don-t-kill-yourself-right-away-when-something-terrible-happens/) [Faith Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-sullivan/) ## More by Ellen Gilchrist > [One thing I know is that it is a bad idea to marry someone who had bad parents. If they hated their mother, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/one-thing-i-know-is-that-it-is-a-bad-idea-to-marry-someone-who-had/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [Having your work honored nationally is a great morale booster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/having-your-work-honored-nationally-is-a-great-morale-booster/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [Don't ruin the present with the ruined past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/don-t-ruin-the-present-with-the-ruined-past/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [“Cuddle up. Rain always stops. It always stops. It always does. -The Brown Cape”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/cuddle-up-rain-always-stops-it-always-stops-it-always-does-the-brown/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [We live at the level of our language. Whatever we can articulate we can imagine or understand or explore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/we-live-at-the-level-of-our-language-whatever-we-can-articulate-we/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [I love New York, but I wish they wouldn't put clothes on their dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/i-love-new-york-but-i-wish-they-wouldn-t-put-clothes-on-their-dogs/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [I never thought it was unusual to write, and I've been writing or pretending to write since before I even started school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/i-never-thought-it-was-unusual-to-write-and-i-ve-been-writing-or/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [All you have to do to educate a child is leave him alone and teach him to read. The rest is brainwashing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/all-you-have-to-do-to-educate-a-child-is-leave-him-alone-and-teach/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [The Mississippi coast is not like south Florida, but it always seems warm enough for sandals and short-sleeved shirts, except for now and then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/the-mississippi-coast-is-not-like-south-florida-but-it-always-seems/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [“By the time the class ended I was back into an optimistic mood about their work. They were learning, they were working, it takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/by-the-time-the-class-ended-i-was-back-into-an-optimistic-mood-about/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [Dance in the fullness of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/dance-in-the-fullness-of-time/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [“She was always saying things like that but I let her be my best friend anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/she-was-always-saying-things-like-that-but-i-let-her-be-my-best/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [“Young women are closer to the time when they were manipulative and childish and they don't let their babies manipulate them as much as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/young-women-are-closer-to-the-time-when-they-were-manipulative-and/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [Work is the thing that stays. Work is the thing that sees us through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/work-is-the-thing-that-stays-work-is-the-thing-that-sees-us-through/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [At one level inspiration is the ability to see beauty and mystery in everything men and women do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/at-one-level-inspiration-is-the-ability-to-see-beauty-and-mystery-in/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) [Explore all 47 Ellen Gilchrist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) ## More Assuming quotes > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) [James T. Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-conway/) > [Everyone assumes writers spend their time lounging around, writing and occasionally striking a pose whilst having a think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/everyone-assumes-writers-spend-their-time-lounging-around-writing-and/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [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/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [One must believe that every living thing whatsoever must change insensibly in its organization and in its form... One must therefore never expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-lamarck/one-must-believe-that-every-living-thing-whatsoever-must-change/) [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-lamarck/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [It is worth noticing that those who assume an imposing demeanor and seek to pass themselves off for something beyond what they are, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/it-is-worth-noticing-that-those-who-assume-an-imposing-demeanor-and/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [We can use our art to become political, to become something you want to talk about. We make clothes, but we have the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-rousteing/we-can-use-our-art-to-become-political-to-become-something-you-want/) [Olivier Rousteing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-rousteing/) > [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) [Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have been moving around all my life. Going to different schools, living in different houses, shedding old roles, assuming new ones. This way of life is as natural to me as staying in one place is for other people. I do variations on the theme. I return to places where I used to be. I find my old personas. I try them on. If they still fit, I wear them out to a party or a show. If they begin to restrict my movements, I take them off. 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