--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You keep your horrible boyfriend around…" description: "\"“You keep your horrible boyfriend around because you feel like shit, and he's the the only one around who agrees with you. He validates the part of you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/gabourey-sidibe-4030_bad-thing_you-keep-your-horrible-boyfriend-around_1716802.jpg" --- # You keep your horrible boyfriend around because you feel… ![“You keep your horrible boyfriend around because you feel like shit, and he's the the only one around who agrees with you. He validates the part of you that thinks you deserve bad things instead of good things. When you start believing that you deserve good things, you'll dump him because he won't…” quote by Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/gabourey-sidibe-4030_bad-thing_you-keep-your-horrible-boyfriend-around_1716802.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/gabourey-sidibe-4030_bad-thing_you-keep-your-horrible-boyfriend-around_1716802.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/gabourey-sidibe-4030_bad-thing_you-keep-your-horrible-boyfriend-around_1716802.jpg) > ““You keep your horrible boyfriend around because you feel like shit, and he's the the only one around who agrees with you. He validates the part of you that thinks you deserve bad things instead of good things. When you start believing that you deserve good things, you'll dump him because he won't fit anymore. But for now, he treats you like shit because that's what you want.”” [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Staying in a toxic relationship often stems from low self‑worth and seeking validation from familiar pain. **In simple terms:** You stay with bad partners because you think you deserve it. Key Takeaway Recognize your value and seek healthier connections. Themes self‑esteem toxic relationships validation growth Mood sad reflective Type advice personal growth When to use this quote - breakup - therapy - self‑care - support groups Key Concepts psychology attachment theory self‑worth Questions to Reflect On - What does you deserve deserve deserve deserve? toHow can you build self‑worth without a partner? A Different Perspective Leaving may be frightening and you may fear loneliness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-things/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) ## Related quotes > [I don't deserve someone as bad as you and you don't deserve someone as good as me. We're both in the wrong situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-deserve-someone-as-bad-as-you-and-you-don-t-deserve-someone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a boyfriend he should feel a never ending responsibility to show you that not all guys are the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-a-boyfriend-he-should-feel-a-never-ending-responsibility-to-show/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Dude, let’s be honest, you’re going to be a horrible boyfriend. Like, the fucking worst. You’re already off to a shitty start.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-ney/dude-let-s-be-honest-you-re-going-to-be-a-horrible-boyfriend-like-the/) [Sara Ney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-ney/) > [Always tip a drag queen. If they're good, they deserve it. And if they're bad, at least they'll go away after that buck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willam-belli/always-tip-a-drag-queen-if-they-re-good-they-deserve-it-and-if-they/) [Willam Belli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willam-belli/) > [There are so many things I can't believe. That people deserve what they get, both bad and good. That one day I'll live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/there-are-so-many-things-i-can-t-believe-that-people-deserve-what/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“It sounded old. Deserve. Old and tired and beaten to death. Deserve. Now it seemed to him that he was always saying or thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/it-sounded-old-deserve-old-and-tired-and-beaten-to-death-deserve-now/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You are a filthy, dirty, incurable scumbag. God is perfectly holy. If it were up to God you’d be tossed into Hell to burn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-palmer/you-are-a-filthy-dirty-incurable-scumbag-god-is-perfectly-holy-if-it/) [Jim Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-palmer/) > [“You’ve worked hard for everything you’ve achieved. You deserve good things.” She tapped his chest lightly to emphasize her words. “Does that include you?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minx-malone/you-ve-worked-hard-for-everything-you-ve-achieved-you-deserve-good/) Minx Malone > [You don't deserve me anyway...I'm too good for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-don-t-deserve-me-anyway-i-m-too-good-for-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is a truth deep down inside of you that has been waiting for you to discover it, and that truth is this: you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/there-is-a-truth-deep-down-inside-of-you-that-has-been-waiting-for/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [People mess up. At the time they wont notice or even care of what you feel and what you do for them. They will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nayely-saldana/people-mess-up-at-the-time-they-wont-notice-or-even-care-of-what-you/) [Nayely Saldana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nayely-saldana/) > [Only good questions deserve good answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/only-good-questions-deserve-good-answers/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [People do not deserve to have good writing, they are so pleased with bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/people-do-not-deserve-to-have-good-writing-they-are-so-pleased-with/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If someone sticks by your side through your worst times, then they deserve to be with you through your good times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-someone-sticks-by-your-side-through-your-worst-times-then-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want a guy that likes me for me and not my looks or brains. I want a guy that's always there for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beka-mackey/i-want-a-guy-that-likes-me-for-me-and-not-my-looks-or-brains-i-want-a/) [Beka Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beka-mackey/) ## More by Gabourey Sidibe > [When it's time to film and to actually take on the role of Precious, I felt an immense responsibility to do it justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/when-it-s-time-to-film-and-to-actually-take-on-the-role-of-precious-i/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [People always ask me, 'You have so much confidence. Where did that come from?'. It came from me. One day I decided that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/people-always-ask-me-you-have-so-much-confidence-where-did-that-come/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [Precious, she gets hit by life so many different ways and so many times, but she doesn't yield to it. She continues to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/precious-she-gets-hit-by-life-so-many-different-ways-and-so-many/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [I used to watch 'Coming to America' every day after school. I have full-on long-running inside jokes with friends and family about different scenes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/i-used-to-watch-coming-to-america-every-day-after-school-i-have-full/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [I hate Twitter. I think it's disgusting. It's ridiculous that you as a stranger can type something to me, and I see it. Technology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/i-hate-twitter-i-think-it-s-disgusting-it-s-ridiculous-that-you-as-a/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [“But at the time I thought that if I could just get the world to see me the way I saw myself then my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/but-at-the-time-i-thought-that-if-i-could-just-get-the-world-to-see/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [All my life, people have made fun of the way I speak. I guess because a lot of my vocabulary is made up of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/all-my-life-people-have-made-fun-of-the-way-i-speak-i-guess-because-a/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [I like when red carpets are over. I hate red carpets in general. I don't understand them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/i-like-when-red-carpets-are-over-i-hate-red-carpets-in-general-i-don/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [All we need to do is pay attention to ourselves and pay attention when somebody gives you a compliment based on something that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/all-we-need-to-do-is-pay-attention-to-ourselves-and-pay-attention/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [I really want people to know that I am a normal girl. I'm not a superhero now. I'm not some sort of celebrity that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/i-really-want-people-to-know-that-i-am-a-normal-girl-i-m-not-a/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [The best thing about having my very first audition lead me to an Oscar nomination means that I don't have to struggle the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/the-best-thing-about-having-my-very-first-audition-lead-me-to-an/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [Most of my life, I wanted to be a therapist, but then I just decided that I didn't want to be in charge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/most-of-my-life-i-wanted-to-be-a-therapist-but-then-i-just-decided/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [Mo'Nique is so full of love. I've been describing her as the tree in 'Pocahontas.' She's so wise and loving. She is just everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/mo-nique-is-so-full-of-love-i-ve-been-describing-her-as-the-tree-in/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [It doesn't have anything to do with how the world perceives you. What matters is what you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/it-doesn-t-have-anything-to-do-with-how-the-world-perceives-you-what/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [Acting is acting, and who you are will still remain to be who you are. You know, that part won't change it. It will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/acting-is-acting-and-who-you-are-will-still-remain-to-be-who-you-are/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) [Explore all 117 Gabourey Sidibe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) ## More Bad thing quotes > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. 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