--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You are not a mistake. You are not a…" description: "\"You are not a mistake. You are not a problem to be solved. Treat yourself with outrageous kindness beginning today.\" — Geneen Roth" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53f/geneen-roth-3050_failure_you-are-not-a-mistake-you-are-not-a-prob_1531440.jpg" --- # You are not a mistake. You are not a problem to be solved… ![“You are not a mistake. You are not a problem to be solved. Treat yourself with outrageous kindness beginning today.” quote by Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53f/geneen-roth-3050_failure_you-are-not-a-mistake-you-are-not-a-prob_1531440.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53f/geneen-roth-3050_failure_you-are-not-a-mistake-you-are-not-a-prob_1531440.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53f/geneen-roth-3050_failure_you-are-not-a-mistake-you-are-not-a-prob_1531440.jpg) > “You are not a mistake. You are not a problem to be solved. Treat yourself with outrageous kindness beginning today.” [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages self‑compassion, rejecting self‑criticism and treating oneself with generosity **In simple terms:** Self is not a problem, be kind Key Takeaway Practice radical self‑kindness Themes self‑love healing mindfulness Mood hopeful calm Type self‑help motivational When to use this quote - daily affirmations - therapy - journaling - stress management Key Concepts compassion inner child Questions to Reflect On - How can you sustain kindness daily? - What boundaries protect your wellbeing? A Different Perspective Kindness alone may not fix deep wounds ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beginning Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning-today-1233550/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Kindness Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness-beginning-2799594/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Outrageous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outrageous/) [Outrageous Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outrageous-kindness-2799593/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Treat yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treat-yourself/) [Treats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treats/) ## Related quotes > [“You are not a mistake. You are not a problem to be solved. It's possible to treat yourself with outrageous kindness beginning today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/you-are-not-a-mistake-you-are-not-a-problem-to-be-solved-it-s/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [Treat yourself as if you already are enough. Walk as if you are enough. Eat as if you are enough. See, look, listen as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/treat-yourself-as-if-you-already-are-enough-walk-as-if-you-are-enough/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [Right from the moment of our birth, we are under the care and kindness of our parents, and then later on in our life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/right-from-the-moment-of-our-birth-we-are-under-the-care-and-kindness/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Kindness is the beginning of cruelty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/kindness-is-the-beginning-of-cruelty/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“One day, you will find yourself close to the end, and thinking about the beginning. TODAY is that beginning. TODAY is life. You’ve got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-day-you-will-find-yourself-close-to-the-end-and-thinking-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I were beginning my career today, I don't think I would take the same direction. Television is at a crossroads at the moment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/if-i-were-beginning-my-career-today-i-don-t-think-i-would-take-the/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [“Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/beginning-today-treat-everyone-you-meet-as-if-they-were-going-to-be/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [The beginning is always today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/the-beginning-is-always-today/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [“What can you do, beginning TODAY, to be the one who makes your mark and leaves others in awe?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/what-can-you-do-beginning-today-to-be-the-one-who-makes-your-mark-and/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [Remember today, for it is the beginning of always. Today marks the start of a brave new future filled with all your dreams can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-today-for-it-is-the-beginning-of-always-today-marks-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Today is either the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning. Today we are making history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhard-pfeiffer/today-is-either-the-beginning-of-the-end-or-the-end-of-the-beginning/) [Eckhard Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhard-pfeiffer/) > [It matters whether you see yourself as someone who is capable of effecting change or whether you see yourself as someone whose voice does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/it-matters-whether-you-see-yourself-as-someone-who-is-capable-of/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [Coming to appreciate your worth can, in some cases, dramatically improve your circumstances by changing the choices you make and the actions you take.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/coming-to-appreciate-your-worth-can-in-some-cases-dramatically/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [Treat yourself like an overweight, out of shape person and that's what you will be. Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) > [You have to treat yourself. Life is too short to deprive yourself of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathalie-emmanuel/you-have-to-treat-yourself-life-is-too-short-to-deprive-yourself-of/) [Nathalie Emmanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathalie-emmanuel/) ## More by Geneen Roth > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [“Most of us are so enthralled with the scary tigers in our minds--our stories of loneliness, rejection, grief--that we don't realize they are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/most-of-us-are-so-enthralled-with-the-scary-tigers-in-our-minds-our/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [Most of our suffering comes from resisting what is already here, particularly our feelings. All any feeling wants is to be welcomed, touched, allowed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/most-of-our-suffering-comes-from-resisting-what-is-already-here/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [The relentless attempts to be thin take you further and further away from what could actually end your suffering: getting back in touch with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/the-relentless-attempts-to-be-thin-take-you-further-and-further-away/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I tell my retreat students that they need to remember two things: to eat what they want when they're hungry and to feel what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/i-tell-my-retreat-students-that-they-need-to-remember-two-things-to/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [After initial needs are met—enough food, shelter, comfort—there is no correlation between money and happiness. That's a difficult thing for people to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/after-initial-needs-are-met-enough-food-shelter-comfort-there-is-no/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [“When you ignore your belly, you become homeless. You spend your life trying to erase your own existence. Apologizing for yourself. Feeling like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/when-you-ignore-your-belly-you-become-homeless-you-spend-your-life/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [“People often mistake tenderheartedness for indulgence, as if being kind to themselves leads to lethargy—sitting around the house all day eating bonbons and wearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/people-often-mistake-tenderheartedness-for-indulgence-as-if-being/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [If you pay attention to when you are hungry, what your body wants, what you are eating, when you've had enough, you end the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/if-you-pay-attention-to-when-you-are-hungry-what-your-body-wants-what/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [“Pay careful attention to the bodily sensations that you recognize as hunger. When you feel yourself starting to get hungry, sit down for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/pay-careful-attention-to-the-bodily-sensations-that-you-recognize-as/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [The purpose of healing is to live while you are alive instead of dying while you are alive. Healing is about being broken and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/the-purpose-of-healing-is-to-live-while-you-are-alive-instead-of/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [“But replacing hunger for divine connection with Double Stuf Oreos is like giving a glass of sand to a person dying of thirst. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/but-replacing-hunger-for-divine-connection-with-double-stuf-oreos-is/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I live between fearing doom and wishing for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/i-live-between-fearing-doom-and-wishing-for-it/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [Imagine treating yourself with the kindness that you show people you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/imagine-treating-yourself-with-the-kindness-that-you-show-people-you/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [“When you are not hungry and decide to eat, choose a food that you ate that day when you were hungry. Be aware of:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/when-you-are-not-hungry-and-decide-to-eat-choose-a-food-that-you-ate/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) [Explore all 141 Geneen Roth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You are not a mistake. 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