--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People persuade themselves they deserve…" description: "\"“People persuade themselves they deserve easy lives, that being human makes us somehow exempt from pain. The theory works fine until we face the inevit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7a/helen-brown-30660_difficult-time_people-persuade-themselves-they-deserve_2388458.jpg" --- # People persuade themselves they deserve easy lives, that… ![“People persuade themselves they deserve easy lives, that being human makes us somehow exempt from pain. The theory works fine until we face the inevitable challenges. Our conditioning of denial in no way equips us to deal with the difficult times that not one of us escapes. Cleo's motto seemed to…” quote by Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7a/helen-brown-30660_difficult-time_people-persuade-themselves-they-deserve_2388458.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7a/helen-brown-30660_difficult-time_people-persuade-themselves-they-deserve_2388458.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7a/helen-brown-30660_difficult-time_people-persuade-themselves-they-deserve_2388458.jpg) > ““People persuade themselves they deserve easy lives, that being human makes us somehow exempt from pain. The theory works fine until we face the inevitable challenges. Our conditioning of denial in no way equips us to deal with the difficult times that not one of us escapes. Cleo's motto seemed to be: Life's tough and that's okay, because life is also fantastic. Love it, live it - but don't be fooled into thinking it's not harsh sometimes. Those who've survived periods of bleakness are often better at savoring good times and wise enough to understand that good times are actually great.”” [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is a mix of hardship and wonder; accepting both leads to richer appreciation and resilience. **In simple terms:** Hardship and joy coexist; embrace both. Key Takeaway Accept difficulty, cherish joy. Themes resilience balance appreciation Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - mental health - career setbacks - relationship struggles - creative blocks Key Concepts existentialism psychology positive psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you honor pain while seeking joy? - What practices help you savor good moments? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on positivity can ignore necessary grief processing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cleo Motto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cleo-motto-2968195/) [Difficult time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-time/) [Difficult times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-times/) [Escapes Cleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escapes-cleo-5940102/) [Good times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-times/) [Life Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-tough/) [Motto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motto/) [Motto Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motto-life-855217/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Cleo's motto seemed to be: Life's tough and that's okay, because life is also fantastic. Love it, live it - but don't be fooled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/cleo-s-motto-seemed-to-be-life-s-tough-and-that-s-okay-because-life/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [There is something very healthy about finding support from others during difficult times. I needed it for my own healing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/there-is-something-very-healthy-about-finding-support-from-others/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [There are 3 types of people in your life: those who helped you in your difficult times, those who left you in your difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/there-are-3-types-of-people-in-your-life-those-who-helped-you-in-your/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [If you love helping people, and you love trying to bring comfort and peace to their life at a very, very difficult time, youre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-southerland/if-you-love-helping-people-and-you-love-trying-to-bring-comfort-and/) [Steve Southerland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-southerland/) > [Often the deep valleys of our PRESENT will be UNDERSTOOD only by LOOKING BACK on them from the mountains of our FUTURE experience. Often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/often-the-deep-valleys-of-our-present-will-be-understood-only-by/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [The Greek people have gone through some very difficult times and there's still a hard road ahead, but despite those hardships, Greece has continued…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-greek-people-have-gone-through-some-very-difficult-times-and/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“yes, we are going to suffer, we will have difficult times, and we will experience many disappointments- but all of this is transitory; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/yes-we-are-going-to-suffer-we-will-have-difficult-times-and-we-will/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [When you face difficult times, know that challenges are not sent to destroy you. They're sent to promote, increase and strengthen you and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/when-you-face-difficult-times-know-that-challenges-are-not-sent-to/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [We all have difficult times. We can view them as challenges, work through them and learn valuable lessons through our past mistake or allow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/we-all-have-difficult-times-we-can-view-them-as-challenges-work/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [With every failure, every crisis, every difficult time, I say - What is this here to teach me? And as soon as you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/with-every-failure-every-crisis-every-difficult-time-i-say-what-is/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [ I can assure the conspiracy theorists who have very effectively savaged \[Gerald\] Posner in their books that they're going to have a much, much… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/i-can-assure-the-conspiracy-theorists-who-have-very-effectively/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [Most single people I know, myself included, have a difficult time even meeting up with the people they like, be it busy schedules, texting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aziz-ansari/most-single-people-i-know-myself-included-have-a-difficult-time-even/) [Aziz Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aziz-ansari/) > [“Watching someone you love go through difficult times is like being trapped in your own body but paralyzed. You want to yell at them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-van-dyken/watching-someone-you-love-go-through-difficult-times-is-like-being/) [Rachel Van Dyken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-van-dyken/) > [True friends not only support you in difficult times, but also help with a way out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/true-friends-not-only-support-you-in-difficult-times-but-also-help/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Truth of life is that in difficult times, my family was my backbone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manisha-koirala/truth-of-life-is-that-in-difficult-times-my-family-was-my-backbone/) [Manisha Koirala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manisha-koirala/) ## More by Helen Brown > [“In the back of the fridge I checked out some stewed apples destined to fester. I examined them closely and reckoned they had only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/in-the-back-of-the-fridge-i-checked-out-some-stewed-apples-destined/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [“The past five years had informed me about human sorrow. While no two griefs are the same, nobody understands suffering like those who've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/the-past-five-years-had-informed-me-about-human-sorrow-while-no-two/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [“Guilt isn't in cat vocabulary. They never suffer remorse for eating too much, sleeping too long or hogging the warmest cushion in the house.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/guilt-isn-t-in-cat-vocabulary-they-never-suffer-remorse-for-eating/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [“Then there was the realisation that I didn't actually feel that much better when I was thin(ner). In fact the 'thin' version felt worse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/then-there-was-the-realisation-that-i-didn-t-actually-feel-that-much/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [“Cleo's motto seemed to be: Life's tough and that's okay, because life is also fantastic. Love it, live it - but don't be fooled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/cleo-s-motto-seemed-to-be-life-s-tough-and-that-s-okay-because-life/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [“I was in love with Philip, but had ongoing proof that romantic love is like a swimming pool. People fall into it and scramble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/i-was-in-love-with-philip-but-had-ongoing-proof-that-romantic-love-is/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [“It didn't seem the right time to tell him where the worst monsters hide. They conceal themselves cleverly inside our heads and wait for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/it-didn-t-seem-the-right-time-to-tell-him-where-the-worst-monsters/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [“One of the many ways in which cats are superior to humans is their mastery of time. By making no attempt to dissect years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/one-of-the-many-ways-in-which-cats-are-superior-to-humans-is-their/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [ “You'd know if you were \[a cat person\]. It's like being a Christian or a Muslim. You just KNOW when you are one.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/you-d-know-if-you-were-a-cat-person-it-s-like-being-a-christian-or-a/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [“Great joy doesn't obliterate grief. Both can be encompassed at the same time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/great-joy-doesn-t-obliterate-grief-both-can-be-encompassed-at-the/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [“I used to wish I had an easier life," he mused. "Some families sail through years with nothing touching them. They have no tragedies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/i-used-to-wish-i-had-an-easier-life-he-mused-some-families-sail/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [“A mother cat is rightfully called a Queen. Personally, I think it would be great if pregnant women were also called Queens. If the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/a-mother-cat-is-rightfully-called-a-queen-personally-i-think-it-would/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [“Her observation skills were astringent enough to qualify as an ingredient for aftershave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/her-observation-skills-were-astringent-enough-to-qualify-as-an/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) [Explore all 14 Helen Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) ## More Difficult time quotes > [Don't compare your career to anyone else's. It's tough when you're in a business that's competitive. I was having a difficult time with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-brooks/don-t-compare-your-career-to-anyone-else-s-it-s-tough-when-you-re-in/) [Danielle Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-brooks/) > [Everyone knows that when you go through a divorce, it's a really difficult time for both parties and you've all - you believe, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mills/everyone-knows-that-when-you-go-through-a-divorce-it-s-a-really/) [Heather Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mills/) > [Washington culture has always had a difficult time acknowledging untruth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/washington-culture-has-always-had-a-difficult-time-acknowledging/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Truth of life is that in difficult times, my family was my backbone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manisha-koirala/truth-of-life-is-that-in-difficult-times-my-family-was-my-backbone/) [Manisha Koirala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manisha-koirala/) > [I did not come to Mumbai to act. I came here to look for a job as our business had shut down, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anupriya-goenka/i-did-not-come-to-mumbai-to-act-i-came-here-to-look-for-a-job-as-our/) [Anupriya Goenka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anupriya-goenka/) > [True friends not only support you in difficult times, but also help with a way out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/true-friends-not-only-support-you-in-difficult-times-but-also-help/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“Watching someone you love go through difficult times is like being trapped in your own body but paralyzed. You want to yell at them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-van-dyken/watching-someone-you-love-go-through-difficult-times-is-like-being/) [Rachel Van Dyken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-van-dyken/) > [“It’s easy to see what to do once it’s already been done. The difficult time is before it’s to be done, and while you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/it-s-easy-to-see-what-to-do-once-it-s-already-been-done-the-difficult/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“sometimes our lives have moments of great disappointment. It’s difficult at the time, but we have to move beyond.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-charles/sometimes-our-lives-have-moments-of-great-disappointment-it-s/) [Nicky Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-charles/) > [Even when there was a difficult time for me I was always focused on my job or I was always working hard. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukasz-fabianski/even-when-there-was-a-difficult-time-for-me-i-was-always-focused-on/) [Lukasz Fabianski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukasz-fabianski/) > [Most single people I know, myself included, have a difficult time even meeting up with the people they like, be it busy schedules, texting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aziz-ansari/most-single-people-i-know-myself-included-have-a-difficult-time-even/) [Aziz Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aziz-ansari/) > [ I can assure the conspiracy theorists who have very effectively savaged \[Gerald\] Posner in their books that they're going to have a much, much… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/i-can-assure-the-conspiracy-theorists-who-have-very-effectively/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [With every failure, every crisis, every difficult time, I say - What is this here to teach me? And as soon as you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/with-every-failure-every-crisis-every-difficult-time-i-say-what-is/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [We all have difficult times. We can view them as challenges, work through them and learn valuable lessons through our past mistake or allow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/we-all-have-difficult-times-we-can-view-them-as-challenges-work/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [When you face difficult times, know that challenges are not sent to destroy you. They're sent to promote, increase and strengthen you and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/when-you-face-difficult-times-know-that-challenges-are-not-sent-to/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) [Browse all 667 Difficult time quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-time/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“People persuade themselves they deserve easy lives, that being human makes us somehow exempt from pain. The theory works fine until we face the inevitable challenges. Our conditioning of denial in no way equips us to deal with the difficult times that not one of us escapes. Cleo's motto seemed to be: Life's tough and that's okay, because life is also fantastic. Love it, live it - but don't be fooled into thinking it's not harsh sometimes. 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