--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To guard themselves is the way of people…" description: "\"“To guard themselves is the way of people whose instinct is to nurture and protect.”\" — Iris Johansen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ef/iris-johansen-14473_quote_to-guard-themselves-is-the-way-of-people_1702881.jpg" --- # To guard themselves is the way of people whose instinct is… ![“To guard themselves is the way of people whose instinct is to nurture and protect.” quote by Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ef/iris-johansen-14473_quote_to-guard-themselves-is-the-way-of-people_1702881.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ef/iris-johansen-14473_quote_to-guard-themselves-is-the-way-of-people_1702881.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ef/iris-johansen-14473_quote_to-guard-themselves-is-the-way-of-people_1702881.jpg) > ““To guard themselves is the way of people whose instinct is to nurture and protect.”” [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People who feel a strong protective instinct tend to prioritize safety and caregiving over personal risk. **In simple terms:** Protective people focus on safety and care. Key Takeaway Cultivate awareness of your protective instincts. Themes care protection instincts Mood thoughtful concerned Type advice reflective When to use this quote - parenting - healthcare - community leadership - emergency response Key Concepts psychology human behavior Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance protection with independence? - When does caring become controlling? A Different Perspective Overprotectiveness can limit growth and autonomy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Keep your guard up, only way to not get hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/keep-your-guard-up-only-way-to-not-get-hurt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is vital for artists to nurture and protect that which will make their vision unique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fulton-alt/it-is-vital-for-artists-to-nurture-and-protect-that-which-will-make/) [Jane Fulton Alt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fulton-alt/) > [Manhood is defined and decided by the ability to nurture and to protect, by the capability to provide and to sustain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/manhood-is-defined-and-decided-by-the-ability-to-nurture-and-to/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [“As a Father, I willingly nurture & protect the Soul's of all those - I love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleesha/as-a-father-i-willingly-nurture-protect-the-soul-s-of-all-those-i-love/) [Eleesha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleesha/) > [I know when people are with me or not. It's an instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/youngboy-never-broke-again/i-know-when-people-are-with-me-or-not-it-s-an-instinct/) YoungBoy Never Broke Again > [People's instinct when they hear someone is madly obsessed with Star Wars or Harry Potter or something like that, they think that it's odd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-felton/people-s-instinct-when-they-hear-someone-is-madly-obsessed-with-star/) [Tom Felton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-felton/) > [“In the business people with expertise, experience and evidence will make more profitable decisions than people with instinct, intuition and imagination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/in-the-business-people-with-expertise-experience-and-evidence-will/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Her only gift was knowing people almost by instinct, she thought, walking on. If you put her in a room with someone, up went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/her-only-gift-was-knowing-people-almost-by-instinct-she-thought/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“I think that people have an instinct for a family. You look until you find a mother, a father, a sister, a brother. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/i-think-that-people-have-an-instinct-for-a-family-you-look-until-you/) [Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/) > [“Some, in an effort to protect and preserve the gospel message, have become like the guards in that museum, fueled by fear that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-hipps/some-in-an-effort-to-protect-and-preserve-the-gospel-message-have/) Shane Hipps > [You don't have to run from baseline to baseline when you play guard. That helps me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-havlicek/you-don-t-have-to-run-from-baseline-to-baseline-when-you-play-guard/) [John Havlicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-havlicek/) > [This miracle of me is mine to own and keep, and mine to guard, and mine to use, and mine to kneel before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/this-miracle-of-me-is-mine-to-own-and-keep-and-mine-to-guard-and-mine/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [The coffers are full of money and equipment for the Ferguson Police and the Missouri National Guard to put down a potential uprising, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/the-coffers-are-full-of-money-and-equipment-for-the-ferguson-police/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [First at the outset, let me commend the great men and women of the United States Coast Guard for what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-fossella/first-at-the-outset-let-me-commend-the-great-men-and-women-of-the/) [Vito Fossella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-fossella/) > [There's always a good point guard in this league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/there-s-always-a-good-point-guard-in-this-league/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) ## More by Iris Johansen > [“He had never dreamed anyone would ever care enough to venture into the darkness to pull him into the light. He felt bewildered and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/he-had-never-dreamed-anyone-would-ever-care-enough-to-venture-into/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) > [“Thank you," he said politely. "Though I doubt if such extreme measures were necessary in my case. I'm not a warlike man." "Too much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/thank-you-he-said-politely-though-i-doubt-if-such-extreme-measures/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) > [The greatest compliment a writer can be given is that a story and character hold a reader spellbound. Im caught up in the story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/the-greatest-compliment-a-writer-can-be-given-is-that-a-story-and/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) > [“They say anticipation makes pleasure more intense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/they-say-anticipation-makes-pleasure-more-intense/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) > [“himself like a comet.” “A supernova,” Venable said. “He went back to traditional values”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/himself-like-a-comet-a-supernova-venable-said-he-went-back-to/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) > [If your feet are firmly planted on the grount you'll never be able to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/if-your-feet-are-firmly-planted-on-the-grount-you-ll-never-be-able-to/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) > [“wanted life, but deep in her heart of hearts she only wanted”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/wanted-life-but-deep-in-her-heart-of-hearts-she-only-wanted/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) > [I write 'by the seat of my pants.' I love to do research. I am inspired by contemporary writers and contemporary events. I live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/i-write-by-the-seat-of-my-pants-i-love-to-do-research-i-am-inspired/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) > [“I'm only Superman, I'm not God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/i-m-only-superman-i-m-not-god/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) > [“Bradford watched her leave the stable. "Unusual woman. I feel quite intoxicated." He laughed. "But then I felt intoxicated before I met her, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/bradford-watched-her-leave-the-stable-unusual-woman-i-feel-quite/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) > [We're trained to believe we should cling to one person only. Yet there are so many people who pass in and out of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/we-re-trained-to-believe-we-should-cling-to-one-person-only-yet-there/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) > [Hatred can eat at you until there's nothing left, until you become the thing you hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/hatred-can-eat-at-you-until-there-s-nothing-left-until-you-become-the/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) > [In the end, we all have to decide what we're willing to give up for payback. We all have parents or grandparents or children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/in-the-end-we-all-have-to-decide-what-we-re-willing-to-give-up-for/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) > [come and get it, you dumbass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/come-and-get-it-you-dumbass/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) > [“I’d want to hold you if you were going to lead me down to hell. Because if that’s where you were, that’s where I’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/i-d-want-to-hold-you-if-you-were-going-to-lead-me-down-to-hell/) [Iris Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) [Explore all 46 Iris Johansen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/) ## More Guard quotes > [There's always a good point guard in this league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/there-s-always-a-good-point-guard-in-this-league/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) > [First at the outset, let me commend the great men and women of the United States Coast Guard for what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-fossella/first-at-the-outset-let-me-commend-the-great-men-and-women-of-the/) [Vito Fossella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-fossella/) > [The coffers are full of money and equipment for the Ferguson Police and the Missouri National Guard to put down a potential uprising, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/the-coffers-are-full-of-money-and-equipment-for-the-ferguson-police/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [This miracle of me is mine to own and keep, and mine to guard, and mine to use, and mine to kneel before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/this-miracle-of-me-is-mine-to-own-and-keep-and-mine-to-guard-and-mine/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [You don't have to run from baseline to baseline when you play guard. That helps me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-havlicek/you-don-t-have-to-run-from-baseline-to-baseline-when-you-play-guard/) [John Havlicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-havlicek/) > [“Some, in an effort to protect and preserve the gospel message, have become like the guards in that museum, fueled by fear that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-hipps/some-in-an-effort-to-protect-and-preserve-the-gospel-message-have/) Shane Hipps > [Well, for me, my favourite 'Indiana Jones' is 'The Last Crusade,' because you get tears in your eyes when you see the old guard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-winstone/well-for-me-my-favourite-indiana-jones-is-the-last-crusade-because/) [Ray Winstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-winstone/) > [I don't know how many people have ever seen the National Guard break in somewhere, but they mean business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzie-smith/i-don-t-know-how-many-people-have-ever-seen-the-national-guard-break/) [Ozzie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzie-smith/) > [I still say, to this day, I could not guard Nigel Lloyd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nurse/i-still-say-to-this-day-i-could-not-guard-nigel-lloyd/) [Nick Nurse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nurse/) > [I can't think of much higher praise to give a player than to say, 'This point guard reminds me of Jason Kidd.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howland/i-can-t-think-of-much-higher-praise-to-give-a-player-than-to-say-this/) [Ben Howland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howland/) > [Who will guard the guards ? If we're the guards of society, then who will watch us and make sure that we're not dangerous?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/who-will-guard-the-guards-if-we-re-the-guards-of-society-then-who/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [Who is to guard the guards themselves?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/who-is-to-guard-the-guards-themselves/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [I can always make trouble for who I guard and control the effort I bring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/i-can-always-make-trouble-for-who-i-guard-and-control-the-effort-i/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) > [Defensively, I think I'm very versatile, I can guard different positions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-knox/defensively-i-think-i-m-very-versatile-i-can-guard-different-positions/) [Kevin Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-knox/) > [“Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-henry/guard-with-jealous-attention-the-public-liberty-suspect-everyone-who/) [Patrick Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-henry/) Browse all 567 Guard quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To guard themselves is the way of people whose instinct is to nurture and protect.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Iris Johansen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/to-guard-themselves-is-the-way-of-people-whose-instinct-is-to-nurture/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Guard" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/to-guard-themselves-is-the-way-of-people-whose-instinct-is-to-nurture/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ef/iris-johansen-14473_quote_to-guard-themselves-is-the-way-of-people_1702881.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ef/iris-johansen-14473_quote_to-guard-themselves-is-the-way-of-people_1702881.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ef/iris-johansen-14473_quote_to-guard-themselves-is-the-way-of-people_1702881.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To guard themselves is the way of people whose instinct is to nurture and protect.” — Iris Johansen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Iris Johansen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-johansen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“To guard themselves is the way...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/to-guard-themselves-is-the-way-of-people-whose-instinct-is-to-nurture/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-johansen/to-guard-themselves-is-the-way-of-people-whose-instinct-is-to-nurture/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```