--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first thing was, I learned to forgive…" description: "\"The first thing was, I learned to forgive myself. Then, I told myself, \"Go ahead and do whatever you want, it's okay by me.\"\" — Jack Handey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d7/jack-handey-829_deep-thought_the-first-thing-was-i-learned-to-forgive_973256.jpg" --- # The first thing was, I learned to forgive myself. Then, I… ![“The first thing was, I learned to forgive myself. Then, I told myself, "Go ahead and do whatever you want, it's okay by me."” quote by Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d7/jack-handey-829_deep-thought_the-first-thing-was-i-learned-to-forgive_973256.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d7/jack-handey-829_deep-thought_the-first-thing-was-i-learned-to-forgive_973256.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d7/jack-handey-829_deep-thought_the-first-thing-was-i-learned-to-forgive_973256.jpg) > “The first thing was, I learned to forgive myself. Then, I told myself, "Go ahead and do whatever you want, it's okay by me."” [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Learning self‑forgiveness opens the path to authentic freedom and personal choice. **In simple terms:** Forgiving yourself lets you act freely. Key Takeaway Embrace self‑compassion and act without self‑judgment. Themes self‑acceptance freedom authenticity Mood reflective empowering Type advice motivational When to use this quote - overcoming guilt - creative projects - career pivots - relationship decisions Key Concepts psychology personal growth mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How does forgiving yourself change your decisions? - What limits should you set after self‑acceptance? A Different Perspective Self‑acceptance may lead to reckless behavior without boundaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deep thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-thought/) [Forgive Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-myself/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiving/) ## Related quotes > [“I learned long ago that in order to heal my wounds, I must have the courage to face up to them. 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She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/when-he-reached-the-doorman-he-stopped-did-you-see-miss-christian/) [Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/) > [Could you forgive me if I told you that I cared? Would you be sorry if I swore that I'd be there?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/five-finger-death-punch/could-you-forgive-me-if-i-told-you-that-i-cared-would-you-be-sorry-if/) [Five Finger Death Punch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/five-finger-death-punch/) > [When women feel they have learned to forgive their mothers - and men, their fathers - all it usually means is that they've decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/when-women-feel-they-have-learned-to-forgive-their-mothers-and-men/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [Yes I've changed I'm stronger I've learned a lot from being hurt too many times I've learned to forgive&never be the reason of anyone's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yes-i-ve-changed-i-m-stronger-i-ve-learned-a-lot-from-being-hurt-too/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I learned to forgive, it was like a million pounds were lifted from me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/when-i-learned-to-forgive-it-was-like-a-million-pounds-were-lifted/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [Through my experiences, I was living with anger and hatred, which was a really bad thing for me. Then I learned how to forgive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phan-thi-kim-phuc/through-my-experiences-i-was-living-with-anger-and-hatred-which-was-a/) [Phan Thi Kim Phuc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phan-thi-kim-phuc/) > [I know for a very short time, we have so many stuff in life that we dont really understand, for the fact that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chutie-luv-laranjo/i-know-for-a-very-short-time-we-have-so-many-stuff-in-life-that-we/) Chutie Luv Laranjo > [I didn't have a catharsis for my childhood pain, most of us don't, and until I learned how to forgive those people and let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-perry/i-didn-t-have-a-catharsis-for-my-childhood-pain-most-of-us-don-t-and/) [Tyler Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-perry/) > [I know I could never forgive myself if I elected to live without humane purpose, without trying to help the poor and unfortunate, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/i-know-i-could-never-forgive-myself-if-i-elected-to-live-without/) [Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/) > [I grew up on network sitcoms. If those are gone when I'm 65 years old, I would never forgive myself for not stepping up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/i-grew-up-on-network-sitcoms-if-those-are-gone-when-i-m-65-years-old/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [My children forgave me at a time when I could barely forgive myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatum-o-neal/my-children-forgave-me-at-a-time-when-i-could-barely-forgive-myself/) [Tatum O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatum-o-neal/) > [I've always loved to dance and keep fit but more recently I feel like I cannot keep up any longer and my back starts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-ve-always-loved-to-dance-and-keep-fit-but-more-recently-i-feel-like/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) ## More by Jack Handey > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I think the best Thanksgiving we ever had was one where we didn't even have a turkey. Mom and Dad sat us kids down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-think-the-best-thanksgiving-we-ever-had-was-one-where-we-didn-t/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [At first I thought, if I were Superman, a perfect secret identity would be "Clark Kent, Dentist," because you could save money on tooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/at-first-i-thought-if-i-were-superman-a-perfect-secret-identity-would/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Sometimes I wonder if I'm patriotic enough. Yes, I want to kill people, but on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-i-wonder-if-i-m-patriotic-enough-yes-i-want-to-kill-people/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I don't understand people who say life is a mystery, because what is it they want to know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-don-t-understand-people-who-say-life-is-a-mystery-because-what-is/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [It's probably not a good idea to be chewing on a toothpick if you're talking to the president, because what if he tells a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/it-s-probably-not-a-good-idea-to-be-chewing-on-a-toothpick-if-you-re/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Probably to a shark, about the funniest thing there is is a wounded seal, trying to swim to shore, because WHERE DOES HE THINK…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/probably-to-a-shark-about-the-funniest-thing-there-is-is-a-wounded/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I wish I lived back in the Old West days, because I'd save up my money for about twenty years so I could buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-wish-i-lived-back-in-the-old-west-days-because-i-d-save-up-my-money/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Why do there have to be rules for everything? It's gotten to the point that rules dominate just about every aspect of our lives.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/why-do-there-have-to-be-rules-for-everything-it-s-gotten-to-the-point/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Most people don't realize that large pieces of coral, which have been painted brown and attached to the skull by common wood screws, can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/most-people-don-t-realize-that-large-pieces-of-coral-which-have-been/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Here's a suggestion for a new animal, if some new ones get created or evolve: something that stings you, then laughs at you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/here-s-a-suggestion-for-a-new-animal-if-some-new-ones-get-created-or/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [When you go ice-skating, try not to swing your arms too much, because that really annoys me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-you-go-ice-skating-try-not-to-swing-your-arms-too-much-because/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [When you go to a party at somebody's house, don't automatically assume that the drinks are free. Ask, and ask often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-you-go-to-a-party-at-somebody-s-house-don-t-automatically-assume/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [He was a cowboy, mister, and he loved the land. He loved it so much he made a woman out of dirt and married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/he-was-a-cowboy-mister-and-he-loved-the-land-he-loved-it-so-much-he/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [If you were a gladiator in olden days, I bet the inefficiency of how the gladiator fights were organized and scheduled would just drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/if-you-were-a-gladiator-in-olden-days-i-bet-the-inefficiency-of-how/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) [Explore all 358 Jack Handey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) ## More Deep thought quotes > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I had always assumed that the right way to do it was to these engineers, put them in offices by themselves with doors that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/i-had-always-assumed-that-the-right-way-to-do-it-was-to-these/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [The amount you give isn't important. What matters is what that amount represents in terms of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-amount-you-give-isn-t-important-what-matters-is-what-that-amount/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [As the light changed from red to green to yellow and back to red again, I sat there thinking about life. Was it nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-the-light-changed-from-red-to-green-to-yellow-and-back-to-red/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never knew an early-rising, hard-working, prudent man, careful of his earnings, and strictly honest who complained of bad luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-never-knew-an-early-rising-hard-working-prudent-man-careful-of-his/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The biggest battle in life is with yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-biggest-battle-in-life-is-with-yourself/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [At first I thought, if I were Superman, a perfect secret identity would be "Clark Kent, Dentist," because you could save money on tooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/at-first-i-thought-if-i-were-superman-a-perfect-secret-identity-would/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Be bold in your caring, and be bold in your dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/be-bold-in-your-caring-and-be-bold-in-your-dreaming/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [Sometimes I wonder if I'm patriotic enough. Yes, I want to kill people, but on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-i-wonder-if-i-m-patriotic-enough-yes-i-want-to-kill-people/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I don't understand people who say life is a mystery, because what is it they want to know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-don-t-understand-people-who-say-life-is-a-mystery-because-what-is/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I guess I kinda lost control, because in the middle of the play I ran up and lit the evil puppet villain on fire.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-guess-i-kinda-lost-control-because-in-the-middle-of-the-play-i-ran/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's probably not a good idea to be chewing on a toothpick if you're talking to the president, because what if he tells a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/it-s-probably-not-a-good-idea-to-be-chewing-on-a-toothpick-if-you-re/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I release all criticism. I only give out that which I wish to receive in return. My love and acceptance of others is mirrored…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/i-release-all-criticism-i-only-give-out-that-which-i-wish-to-receive/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [Probably to a shark, about the funniest thing there is is a wounded seal, trying to swim to shore, because WHERE DOES HE THINK…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/probably-to-a-shark-about-the-funniest-thing-there-is-is-a-wounded/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I wish I lived back in the Old West days, because I'd save up my money for about twenty years so I could buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-wish-i-lived-back-in-the-old-west-days-because-i-d-save-up-my-money/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) [Browse all 683 Deep thought quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-thought/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first thing was, I learned to forgive myself. 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