--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I should've been better. But sometimes…" description: "\"“I should've been better. But sometimes all you can really stand to do is think about yourself. Sometimes it's the only way to cope. The only way to ma..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/emma-mills-24458_cope_i-should-ve-been-better-but-sometimes-al_2519665.jpg" --- # I should've been better. But sometimes all you can really… ![“I should've been better. But sometimes all you can really stand to do is think about yourself. Sometimes it's the only way to cope. The only way to make sense of something as colossal and intimidating as the world is to make it about you.” quote by Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/emma-mills-24458_cope_i-should-ve-been-better-but-sometimes-al_2519665.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/emma-mills-24458_cope_i-should-ve-been-better-but-sometimes-al_2519665.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a9/emma-mills-24458_cope_i-should-ve-been-better-but-sometimes-al_2519665.jpg) > ““I should've been better. But sometimes all you can really stand to do is think about yourself. Sometimes it's the only way to cope. The only way to make sense of something as colossal and intimidating as the world is to make it about you.”” [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focusing on oneself can be a necessary coping strategy when the world feels overwhelming. **In simple terms:** Self‑focus helps cope with massive challenges. Key Takeaway Prioritize self‑care when needed. Themes self‑care coping worldview psychology Mood thoughtful balanced Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - career crises - personal loss - global events Key Concepts personal boundaries mental health self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - When is self‑focus healthy versus harmful? - How can you expand empathy after self‑reflection? A Different Perspective May lead to selfishness if unchecked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness/) ## Related quotes > [I think it's the end of progress if you stand still and think of what you've done in the past. I keep on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-caron/i-think-it-s-the-end-of-progress-if-you-stand-still-and-think-of-what/) [Leslie Caron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-caron/) > [Of the wide world I stand alone, and think till love and fame to nothingness do sink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/of-the-wide-world-i-stand-alone-and-think-till-love-and-fame-to/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [Stand up for what you think is right. That might be very different from what I am saying today, but you are allowed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yu/stand-up-for-what-you-think-is-right-that-might-be-very-different/) John Yu > [One of the things my family taught me - I think very important in religion and science - is that you must be ready…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-townes/one-of-the-things-my-family-taught-me-i-think-very-important-in/) [Charles H. Townes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-townes/) > [You have to be prepared to think outside the box...Stand back and think about what we could do creativity. We've got to do that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/you-have-to-be-prepared-to-think-outside-the-box-stand-back-and-think/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [There comes a time when people with values simply have to stand up. Think about Nazi, Germany. Most of those people did not believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/there-comes-a-time-when-people-with-values-simply-have-to-stand-up/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [I really admire stand-up, and I think I would have loved to learn how to do it. I think it's terrifying and thrilling. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-really-admire-stand-up-and-i-think-i-would-have-loved-to-learn-how/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [Always stand up for what you think is right, even if you're the only one standing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-stand-up-for-what-you-think-is-right-even-if-you-re-the-only/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wish you would catch me and stand me back up, because I think I'm falling for you..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-hope/i-wish-you-would-catch-me-and-stand-me-back-up-because-i-think-i-m/) [Amber Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-hope/) > [I will no longer surround myself around selfish people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-will-no-longer-surround-myself-around-selfish-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not a selfish guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romelu-lukaku/i-m-not-a-selfish-guy/) [Romelu Lukaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romelu-lukaku/) > [Selfish people make me sick to my stomach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/selfish-people-make-me-sick-to-my-stomach/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“I now know that deep within the human concept is something dark, selfish, and completely willing to do whatever is necessary to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-west/i-now-know-that-deep-within-the-human-concept-is-something-dark/) [Melissa West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-west/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) Maureen Andeson ## More by Emma Mills > [“What are you going to do for school?" "Go to FSU with Tash." "What if there was no Tash? What would you do then?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/what-are-you-going-to-do-for-school-go-to-fsu-with-tash-what-if-there/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) > [“Are you ready to put the ‘fun’ in Fall Fun Fest?” he says as I slap his palm. “I can at least put the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/are-you-ready-to-put-the-fun-in-fall-fun-fest-he-says-as-i-slap-his/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) > [“It just feels like..." Her voice small. "Sometimes it just feels like I'm faking." "Maybe everyone feels that way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/it-just-feels-like-her-voice-small-sometimes-it-just-feels-like-i-m/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) > [“Look at those legs,” Noah says. “Look at that bone structure. Look at those eyes, you could get fucking lost in them.” “You need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/look-at-those-legs-noah-says-look-at-that-bone-structure-look-at/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) > [“Come on," he says. "I'm like the yellow Starburst of this group." My lips twitch. "You're at least the orange Starburst.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/come-on-he-says-i-m-like-the-yellow-starburst-of-this-group-my-lips/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) > [“Dreams don't have to be realistic- that's why they're dreams. You have to work to make them happen. Or else they would be...realities”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/dreams-don-t-have-to-be-realistic-that-s-why-they-re-dreams-you-have/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) > [“I know that she hates change. She gets anxious about the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/i-know-that-she-hates-change-she-gets-anxious-about-the-future/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) > [“What would a pie chart of your malicious to non-malicious thoughts look like? How big a piece of the pie is non-malicious?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/what-would-a-pie-chart-of-your-malicious-to-non-malicious-thoughts/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) > [“I have a general life tenet that I feel can be applied to pretty much anything-- worth it or not worth it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/i-have-a-general-life-tenet-that-i-feel-can-be-applied-to-pretty-much/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) > [“It's like a snort," I say. "Like a snort chortle. It's a snortle." He moves a little closer. "Is that a Pokemon?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/it-s-like-a-snort-i-say-like-a-snort-chortle-it-s-a-snortle-he-moves/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) > [“When I'm interested in a thing, I want to know about that thing. Extensively.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/when-i-m-interested-in-a-thing-i-want-to-know-about-that-thing/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) > [“It's just...sometimes he says or does something so random it's like he's a life-form from another planet who's failing at blending into life on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/it-s-just-sometimes-he-says-or-does-something-so-random-it-s-like-he/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) > [“We should all find something to be weirdly passionate about, don't you think?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/we-should-all-find-something-to-be-weirdly-passionate-about-don-t-you/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) > [“I think about that kind of love as we increase in altitude. How maybe it doesn’t just stand for romance—maybe it works for friendship,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/i-think-about-that-kind-of-love-as-we-increase-in-altitude-how-maybe/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) > [“Because sometimes people lie when they think it's easier.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mills/because-sometimes-people-lie-when-they-think-it-s-easier/) [Emma Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) [Explore all 24 Emma Mills quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mills/) ## More Cope quotes > [We had to cope with the media writing things which were not true, which were insulting. At around 13 I decided I was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judit-polgar/we-had-to-cope-with-the-media-writing-things-which-were-not-true/) [Judit Polgar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judit-polgar/) > [We are professional footballers. How to cope with the pressure is one of the things we have to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-silva/we-are-professional-footballers-how-to-cope-with-the-pressure-is-one/) [Thiago Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-silva/) > [Manchester United could have any goalkeeper in the world. I was a 23-year-old kid from New Jersey who, from an early age, had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-howard/manchester-united-could-have-any-goalkeeper-in-the-world-i-was-a-23/) [Tim Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-howard/) > [“Not everything is going to go my way and not everyone gets a happily ever after. Life is real and sometimes it's ugly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/not-everything-is-going-to-go-my-way-and-not-everyone-gets-a-happily/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [If I couldn't move, I don't know what I would do. That would be terrifying for me; I don't know how I'd cope with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-forsyth/if-i-couldn-t-move-i-don-t-know-what-i-would-do-that-would-be/) [Bruce Forsyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-forsyth/) > [From as far back as I can remember, I was always insecure about my looks, whether it was my flat chest, my skinny legs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twiggy/from-as-far-back-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-insecure-about-my/) [Twiggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twiggy/) > [“That was the day I realized that he could not cope and I could not cope and, emotionally, he could take me down with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-rauch/that-was-the-day-i-realized-that-he-could-not-cope-and-i-could-not/) [Jonathan Rauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-rauch/) > [The best way to cope with trouble is to stay out of it as much as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/the-best-way-to-cope-with-trouble-is-to-stay-out-of-it-as-much-as/) [Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/) > [As an adult, I've learned to cope and pull the plug on the worst what-ifs before my mind takes me to a place from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-g-tremblay/as-an-adult-i-ve-learned-to-cope-and-pull-the-plug-on-the-worst-what/) [Paul G. Tremblay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-g-tremblay/) > [“Love is real and sometimes it's ugly and you just have to learn how to cope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/love-is-real-and-sometimes-it-s-ugly-and-you-just-have-to-learn-how/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [The Oscar buzz when I was nominated was totally overwhelming. I think I can cope with anything now that I've coped with that. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacki-weaver/the-oscar-buzz-when-i-was-nominated-was-totally-overwhelming-i-think/) [Jacki Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacki-weaver/) > [“Anyone who cannot cope with life while he is alive needs one hand to ward off a little his despair over his fate...but with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/anyone-who-cannot-cope-with-life-while-he-is-alive-needs-one-hand-to/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [“Peace of mind is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hawkins/peace-of-mind-is-not-the-absence-of-conflict-but-the-ability-to-cope/) [Scott Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hawkins/) > [Every human being must find his own way to cope with severe loss, and the only job of a true friend is to facilitate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-carr/every-human-being-must-find-his-own-way-to-cope-with-severe-loss-and/) [Caleb Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-carr/) > [When is population going to become an accepted part of the food debate? If it's fine to encourage people to think about halving their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristram-stuart/when-is-population-going-to-become-an-accepted-part-of-the-food/) [Tristram Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristram-stuart/) Browse all 222 Cope quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I should've been better. But sometimes all you can really stand to do is think about yourself. Sometimes it's the only way to cope. 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