--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Break the Shell”: “Child, it’s time to…" description: "\"Break the Shell”: “Child, it’s time to break the shell Life’s gonna hurt but it’s meant to be felt You cannot touch the sky from inside yourself You ca..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/india-arie-2-7871_break_break-the-shell-child-it-s-time-to-break_1266388.jpg" --- # Break the Shell”: “Child, it’s time to break the shell… ![“Break the Shell”: “Child, it’s time to break the shell Life’s gonna hurt but it’s meant to be felt You cannot touch the sky from inside yourself You cannot fly until you break the shell.” quote by India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/india-arie-2-7871_break_break-the-shell-child-it-s-time-to-break_1266388.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/india-arie-2-7871_break_break-the-shell-child-it-s-time-to-break_1266388.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/india-arie-2-7871_break_break-the-shell-child-it-s-time-to-break_1266388.jpg) > “Break the Shell”: “Child, it’s time to break the shell Life’s gonna hurt but it’s meant to be felt You cannot touch the sky from inside yourself You cannot fly until you break the shell.” [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal growth requires confronting pain and shedding limiting beliefs to reach higher potential. **In simple terms:** Growth needs pain and breaking limits. Key Takeaway Embrace discomfort to evolve. Themes self‑growth pain transformation Mood determined hopeful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - relationship therapy - personal development - creative projects - overcoming fear Key Concepts psychology self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What limiting belief holds you back? - How can you safely face discomfort? A Different Perspective Pain alone isn’t sufficient; supportive environment matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Flying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flying/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [In fact, we started off with two or three different shells and the shell had life of its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-thompson/in-fact-we-started-off-with-two-or-three-different-shells-and-the/) [Ken Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-thompson/) > [The shell must be cracked apart if what is in it is to come out, for if you want the kernel you must break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/the-shell-must-be-cracked-apart-if-what-is-in-it-is-to-come-out-for/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [If you seek the kernel, then you must break the shell. An likewise, if you would know the reality of Nature, you must destroy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/if-you-seek-the-kernel-then-you-must-break-the-shell-an-likewise-if/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [“A good shell has to have life and resiliency to get in harmony with the swing of the crew.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-james-brown/a-good-shell-has-to-have-life-and-resiliency-to-get-in-harmony-with/) [Daniel James Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-james-brown/) > [The shell must be cracked apart if what is in it is to come out, for if you want the kernel you must break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/the-shell-must-be-cracked-apart-if-what-is-in-it-is-to-come-out-for-2/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [NOW is always the best time to break out of your shell and show the world who you really are and what youre really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/now-is-always-the-best-time-to-break-out-of-your-shell-and-show-the/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [“I am most spectacular in convalescence / of the night sky / when I break the shell / in search of silence as a plot device”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-kent/i-am-most-spectacular-in-convalescence-of-the-night-sky-when-i-break/) Aaron Kent > [“The bird dares to break the shell, then the shell breaks open and the bird can fly openly. 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Find that mutual respect and adoration will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-elle-smith/love-isn-t-supposed-to-hurt-us-it-s-meant-to-heal-you-are-worthy-of/) [Alexandra Elle Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-elle-smith/) > [I never meant to hurt you no I only meant to do this to myself, do this to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-great-escape/i-never-meant-to-hurt-you-no-i-only-meant-to-do-this-to-myself-do/) The Great Escape > [“It was the worst part about falling in love with someone. At some point, they were destined to hurt you, whether they meant to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/logan-patricks/it-was-the-worst-part-about-falling-in-love-with-someone-at-some/) [Logan Patricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/logan-patricks/) > [“What you're going through is not meant to hurt you, but meant to deliver you from the evil oppressing you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-coron/what-you-re-going-through-is-not-meant-to-hurt-you-but-meant-to/) [Jeanette Coron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-coron/) > [Here we again Loving you has caused me so much pain But you don't see it, you never see it So why apologize I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-braxton/here-we-again-loving-you-has-caused-me-so-much-pain-but-you-don-t-see/) [Toni Braxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-braxton/) > [“I thought I could ever want another living soul, gently, softly, and, with the kindness one Jew extends to another, work his way into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/i-thought-i-could-ever-want-another-living-soul-gently-softly-and/) [André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/) ## More by India.Arie > [Every mountain needs someone to climb it, Every ocean needs someone to dive in, Every dream needs someone to wish it, Every adventure needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/every-mountain-needs-someone-to-climb-it-every-ocean-needs-someone-to/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [Because of what I've chosen to do for my work in the world, almost every time that there's something that I'm afraid to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/because-of-what-i-ve-chosen-to-do-for-my-work-in-the-world-almost/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [I do experiment with lots of different genres. In making music, I don't think of genre like, "I want to do this, because I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/i-do-experiment-with-lots-of-different-genres-in-making-music-i-don-t/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [There aint no substitute for the truth, either it is or it isnt. You see the truth it needs no proof, either it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/there-aint-no-substitute-for-the-truth-either-it-is-or-it-isnt-you/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [What did not demolish me simply polished me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/what-did-not-demolish-me-simply-polished-me/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [Because you never know where life is gonna take you, And you can’t change where you’ve been, But today, I have the opportunity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/because-you-never-know-where-life-is-gonna-take-you-and-you-can-t/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [It's not fair that people ignore AIDS in Africa because it's Africa. It's not fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/it-s-not-fair-that-people-ignore-aids-in-africa-because-it-s-africa/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [In the music industry it's just you're either Black or white, and this is the box you get put in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/in-the-music-industry-it-s-just-you-re-either-black-or-white-and-this/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [Eating is not one of the things that I do now to deal with pain, because I don't ever want to do that. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/eating-is-not-one-of-the-things-that-i-do-now-to-deal-with-pain/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [It's always sad to me when certain people are excluded from being considered beautiful... because of someone else's expectation. That bothers me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/it-s-always-sad-to-me-when-certain-people-are-excluded-from-being/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [My body is beautiful and sacred, and I'm going to celebrate it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/my-body-is-beautiful-and-sacred-and-i-m-going-to-celebrate-it/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [I will be patient, kind, faithful and true To a man who loves music a man who loves art Respect's the spirit world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/i-will-be-patient-kind-faithful-and-true-to-a-man-who-loves-music-a/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [Back when I had a little, I thought that I needed a lot. A little was overrated, but a lot was a little too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/back-when-i-had-a-little-i-thought-that-i-needed-a-lot-a-little-was/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [I managed because of my mother. I managed because I'm strong. I managed the same way every other abuse survivor survives, you just do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/i-managed-because-of-my-mother-i-managed-because-i-m-strong-i-managed/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [God is infinitely creative, and everyone's different, and everyone has a different path, a different lesson, a different song, a different face, a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/god-is-infinitely-creative-and-everyone-s-different-and-everyone-has/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) [Explore all 86 India.Arie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) ## More Break quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. 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No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) > [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I hadn't worked for a year when I had my Prison Break audition and it was the easiest audition I've ever had. I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-hadn-t-worked-for-a-year-when-i-had-my-prison-break-audition-and-it/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [If you strike upon a thought that baffles you, break off from that entanglement and try another, so shall your wits be fresh to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/if-you-strike-upon-a-thought-that-baffles-you-break-off-from-that/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [“A hole ain’t nothing either, but you can still break your neck in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-donati/a-hole-ain-t-nothing-either-but-you-can-still-break-your-neck-in-it/) [Sara Donati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-donati/) > [“I break things, a lot of things, but I don’t want one of them to be you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-break-things-a-lot-of-things-but-i-don-t-want-one-of-them-to-be-you/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Motor racing's less of a sport these days than a commercial break doing 150 mph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dunne/motor-racing-s-less-of-a-sport-these-days-than-a-commercial-break/) Peter Dunne > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [The purpose is to be in gratitude forever. 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