--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: These outward identities we build for…" description: "\"“These outward identities we build for ourselves are not all that we are. A person is made of so many layers. Skin is just the top layer. It's the part..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc6/emily-p-freeman-10156_dead-people_these-outward-identities-we-build-for-ou_1263501.jpg" --- # These outward identities we build for ourselves are not… ![“These outward identities we build for ourselves are not all that we are. A person is made of so many layers. Skin is just the top layer. It's the part you can see, so when you walk into a room, others won't run into you. It's the brown-hair, brown-eyes layer; the you-look-good-in-green layer. Your…” quote by Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc6/emily-p-freeman-10156_dead-people_these-outward-identities-we-build-for-ou_1263501.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc6/emily-p-freeman-10156_dead-people_these-outward-identities-we-build-for-ou_1263501.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc6/emily-p-freeman-10156_dead-people_these-outward-identities-we-build-for-ou_1263501.jpg) > ““These outward identities we build for ourselves are not all that we are. A person is made of so many layers. Skin is just the top layer. It's the part you can see, so when you walk into a room, others won't run into you. It's the brown-hair, brown-eyes layer; the you-look-good-in-green layer. Your outside is important because God made that part. He made you on purpose, uniquely beautiful. But you can't stop there, because that's your body, your skin, your outside. Dead people have all that stuff too.”” [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote emphasizes that outward appearance is only a superficial layer of a person; deeper identity lies beyond physical traits and is shaped by purpose and inner qualities. **In simple terms:** Looks are superficial; deeper identity matters. Key Takeaway Look beyond appearances to understand true self. Themes identity spirituality self‑acceptance appearance Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - social interactions - self‑reflection - community building - mental health counseling Key Concepts personhood purpose inner beauty Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize the deeper layers in yourself and others? - What role does spirituality play in valuing inner versus outer self? A Different Perspective Physical traits alone cannot define a person’s worth or purpose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Dead people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-people/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) ## Related quotes > [“But you can’t stop there, because that’s your body, your skin, your outside. Dead people have all that stuff too. There’s something else that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/but-you-can-t-stop-there-because-that-s-your-body-your-skin-your/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [I'm not really a person who layers so much; I like each sound to have its place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peaches/i-m-not-really-a-person-who-layers-so-much-i-like-each-sound-to-have/) [Peaches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peaches/) > [Nature has neither core nor skin: she’s both at once outside and in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/nature-has-neither-core-nor-skin-she-s-both-at-once-outside-and-in/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I always use a really simple analogy: if you're putting organic food on your table because you care about eating well, shouldn't you be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-cornejo/i-always-use-a-really-simple-analogy-if-you-re-putting-organic-food/) [Maria Cornejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-cornejo/) > [Be fit. It will keep your body and skin looking good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milind-soman/be-fit-it-will-keep-your-body-and-skin-looking-good/) [Milind Soman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milind-soman/) > [I absolutely get more comfortable in my body and my skin as I get older, more than when I was in my 20s](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-aniston/i-absolutely-get-more-comfortable-in-my-body-and-my-skin-as-i-get/) [Jennifer Aniston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-aniston/) > [Yes, but if we hurt the Abadonna in the process, we’re going to find out what it feels like to be turned inside out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/yes-but-if-we-hurt-the-abadonna-in-the-process-we-re-going-to-find/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Your mother holds you skin on skin and when you enter this world, feeds you with her own body; skin on skin. Your father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-sheehan/your-mother-holds-you-skin-on-skin-and-when-you-enter-this-world/) [Madeline Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-sheehan/) > [“It’s like a snake that sheds its skin. The outside look different when the scales change, but the inside always the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/it-s-like-a-snake-that-sheds-its-skin-the-outside-look-different-when/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [“what would happen if she'd open her eyes and see only dark and feel satin from the coffin? That'd scare her enough to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/what-would-happen-if-she-d-open-her-eyes-and-see-only-dark-and-feel/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [Of course I want to kill you," said Skulduggery. "I want to kill most people. But then where would I be? In a field…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/of-course-i-want-to-kill-you-said-skulduggery-i-want-to-kill-most/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [“Well, I don't know, Lina. But let's just say I've met a lot of dead people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/well-i-don-t-know-lina-but-let-s-just-say-i-ve-met-a-lot-of-dead/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“I heard you in the other room asking your mother, 'Mama, am I a Palestinian?' When she answered 'Yes' a heavy silence fell on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghassan-kanafani/i-heard-you-in-the-other-room-asking-your-mother-mama-am-i-a/) [Ghassan Kanafani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghassan-kanafani/) > [“I need to ask, are you afraid of spiders?" Nicholas blinked, suddenly caught off guard, "Yes, I'm afraid of spiders." "Were you always?" "What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-m-irwin/i-need-to-ask-are-you-afraid-of-spiders-nicholas-blinked-suddenly/) [Stephen M. Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-m-irwin/) > [“Although it may appear as though there have been many miracles in the world, a true miracle has never come to pass. A true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woo-myung/although-it-may-appear-as-though-there-have-been-many-miracles-in-the/) [Woo Myung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woo-myung/) ## More by Emily P. Freeman > [“This is also a book abut God, about what it means--and what it doesn't mean--to believe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/this-is-also-a-book-abut-god-about-what-it-means-and-what-it-doesn-t/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“But understand that the reason it is so difficult to extend forgiveness to those who have failed us is because we are unable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/but-understand-that-the-reason-it-is-so-difficult-to-extend/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“He (God) never promises that our families will be safe. Not in the way we think. He does promise his presence, though.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/he-god-never-promises-that-our-families-will-be-safe-not-in-the-way/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“Without looking up to God, sinking leads to drowning. But when my eyes are locked on his, sinking tells a different story. Drop the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/without-looking-up-to-god-sinking-leads-to-drowning-but-when-my-eyes/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“I didn't want to be such a good girl anymore. I wanted people to fear messing with me. ... I wanted to be intimidating.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/i-didn-t-want-to-be-such-a-good-girl-anymore-i-wanted-people-to-fear/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“Steven Pressfield writes in his bestselling book The War of Art, “Self-doubt can be an ally. This is because it serves as an indicator…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/steven-pressfield-writes-in-his-bestselling-book-the-war-of-art-self/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“God gives us the courage to face those fears and then invites us to move toward him in the midst of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/god-gives-us-the-courage-to-face-those-fears-and-then-invites-us-to/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“Maybe you're wondering what it actually means to live a graceful life. We've got many chapters ahead to figure out what that might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/maybe-you-re-wondering-what-it-actually-means-to-live-a-graceful-life/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“... the voice of the Dreamer convinced me that 'later' would always be better than 'now', that 'someday' is where life will really happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/the-voice-of-the-dreamer-convinced-me-that-later-would-always-be/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“Because I care so much about what you think, my hiding has everything to do with you. I desperately want to manage your opinion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/because-i-care-so-much-about-what-you-think-my-hiding-has-everything/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“The question I constantly asked myself was this: What am I supposed to do?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/the-question-i-constantly-asked-myself-was-this-what-am-i-supposed-to/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“When we listen to the voice of the Dreamer and hide behind our somedays, we miss out on the gifts of today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/when-we-listen-to-the-voice-of-the-dreamer-and-hide-behind-our/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“...being a good girl is more about what you believe on the inside that how you behave on the outside. That means whether you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/being-a-good-girl-is-more-about-what-you-believe-on-the-inside-that/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“You miss the living because you are waiting for perfect, and so you let goodness and blessings pass you right on by.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/you-miss-the-living-because-you-are-waiting-for-perfect-and-so-you/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) > [“That's what service does. It points us to Jesus, not to ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-p-freeman/that-s-what-service-does-it-points-us-to-jesus-not-to-ourselves/) [Emily P. Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) [Explore all 67 Emily P. Freeman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-p-freeman/) ## More Body quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [The very purpose for being in this body, for every one of us, is to live and rejoice in that virgin area, that untouched,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/the-very-purpose-for-being-in-this-body-for-every-one-of-us-is-to/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) Jennifer Siebel Newsom > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [If japa is maintained, no useless talk during work will be possible. The mind will always remain peaceful. Modern day diseases are mostly psychosomatic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/if-japa-is-maintained-no-useless-talk-during-work-will-be-possible/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [It is the incongruous thing in my entire life, this isolation.. ... My work requires it - but I myself have no need or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/it-is-the-incongruous-thing-in-my-entire-life-this-isolation-my-work/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) [Browse all 20,814 Body quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“These outward identities we build for ourselves are not all that we are. A person is made of so many layers. Skin is just the top layer. It's the part you can see, so when you walk into a room, others won't run into you. 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