--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wherever you go, there you are. Whatever…" description: "\"Wherever you go, there you are. Whatever you wind up doing, that's what you've wound up doing. Whatever you are thinking right now, that's what's on yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_handle_wherever-you-go-there-you-are-whatever-y_1993064.png" --- # Wherever you go, there you are. Whatever you wind up… ![“Wherever you go, there you are. Whatever you wind up doing, that's what you've wound up doing. Whatever you are thinking right now, that's what's on your mind. Whatever has happened to you, it has already happened. The important question is, "how are you going to handle it?" … Like it or not, this…” quote by Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_handle_wherever-you-go-there-you-are-whatever-y_1993064.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_handle_wherever-you-go-there-you-are-whatever-y_1993064.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_handle_wherever-you-go-there-you-are-whatever-y_1993064.png) > “Wherever you go, there you are. Whatever you wind up doing, that's what you've wound up doing. Whatever you are thinking right now, that's what's on your mind. Whatever has happened to you, it has already happened. The important question is, "how are you going to handle it?" … Like it or not, this moment is all we really have to work with.” [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote stresses present‑moment awareness and personal responsibility for how we respond to circumstances. **In simple terms:** Focus on the now and choose your reaction. Key Takeaway Own your response to each moment. Themes mindfulness responsibility presence Mood calm reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - stress management - daily meditation - decision making - therapy sessions Key Concepts psychology existentialism self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - How does your current mindset shape your actions? - What small step can you take to stay grounded? A Different Perspective It can be hard to stay present when emotions run high. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Important questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-questions/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind/) [Wounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wounds/) ## Related quotes > [Ask: is what I'm doing and thinking right now bringing me closer to myself or farther away? Opening my heart or closing it? You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/ask-is-what-i-m-doing-and-thinking-right-now-bringing-me-closer-to/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [“The only evil is that I don't mind that it happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-b-cooney/the-only-evil-is-that-i-don-t-mind-that-it-happened/) [Caroline B. Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-b-cooney/) > [I used to have a theory in my mind that if no serious move had happened before I was 38 - not 40, oddly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-corbett/i-used-to-have-a-theory-in-my-mind-that-if-no-serious-move-had/) [Ronnie Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-corbett/) > [“For a moment Carl tried to picture everything in his mind, and then it happened. Somewhere inside of him, where cause and effect were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jussi-adler-olsen/for-a-moment-carl-tried-to-picture-everything-in-his-mind-and-then-it/) [Jussi Adler-Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jussi-adler-olsen/) > [“Why can’t you just look into my mind and see what happened for yourself? You erased my memory, can’t you bring it back? -I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/why-can-t-you-just-look-into-my-mind-and-see-what-happened-for/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [It's the pleasure of the moment that really matters to someone with dementia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rippon/it-s-the-pleasure-of-the-moment-that-really-matters-to-someone-with/) [Angela Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rippon/) > [“Shoulds' come only from leftover thinking. If we are truly in this moment (the only one there really is), we don’t should on ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-corbet/shoulds-come-only-from-leftover-thinking-if-we-are-truly-in-this/) Kelly Corbet > [I've worked with actors who are like, 'I don't even want to know where the camera is; I just want to feel like this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/i-ve-worked-with-actors-who-are-like-i-don-t-even-want-to-know-where/) [Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/) > [It is in that moment, when you really lay down your cards and see the relationship for what it was, that you'll find the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-behrendt/it-is-in-that-moment-when-you-really-lay-down-your-cards-and-see-the/) [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) > [“Just be where you are. Right now. Be in this moment only. That’s all that really counts……One breath at a time. It’s all we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-eliot/just-be-where-you-are-right-now-be-in-this-moment-only-that-s-all/) [Anne Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-eliot/) > [If you are not living this moment, you are not really living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/if-you-are-not-living-this-moment-you-are-not-really-living/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [The hard part is waiting for that moment if you really like them...Or getting disappointed when your phone rings and it's not him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/the-hard-part-is-waiting-for-that-moment-if-you-really-like-them-or/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [You reach your audience at the moment when you really have something to say - that is, when you're not just delivering a performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-quasthoff/you-reach-your-audience-at-the-moment-when-you-really-have-something/) Thomas Quasthoff > [When I play, I'm so in the moment that I can't really remember what happened afterwards. It's a rare experience for a thinking person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/when-i-play-i-m-so-in-the-moment-that-i-can-t-really-remember-what/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) > [I don't want to look up and think, 'Wow, I had a moment to really be a part of changing the world, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/logan-browning/i-don-t-want-to-look-up-and-think-wow-i-had-a-moment-to-really-be-a/) [Logan Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/logan-browning/) ## More by Jon Kabat-Zinn > [Karma is often wrongly confused with the notion of a fixed destiny. It is more like an accumulation of tendencies that can lock us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/karma-is-often-wrongly-confused-with-the-notion-of-a-fixed-destiny-it/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Living in a chronic state of unawareness can cause us to miss much of what is most beautiful and meaningful in our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/living-in-a-chronic-state-of-unawareness-can-cause-us-to-miss-much-of/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Mindfulness means moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness. It is cultivated by refining our capacity to pay attention, intentionally, in the present moment, and then sustaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/mindfulness-means-moment-to-moment-non-judgmental-awareness-it-is/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Paying attention and awareness are universal capacities of human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/paying-attention-and-awareness-are-universal-capacities-of-human/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“One practical way to do this is to look at other people and ask yourself if you are really seeing them or just your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/one-practical-way-to-do-this-is-to-look-at-other-people-and-ask/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [I thought it was a stroke of genius that Hans Selye used the word stress, because it's true that if you don't know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/i-thought-it-was-a-stroke-of-genius-that-hans-selye-used-the-word/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“dwell in stillness and to observe without reacting and without judging.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/dwell-in-stillness-and-to-observe-without-reacting-and-without-judging/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Generosity is another quality which, like patience, letting go, non-judging, and trust, provides a solid foundation for mindfulness practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/generosity-is-another-quality-which-like-patience-letting-go-non/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [The little things? The little moments? They aren't little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/the-little-things-the-little-moments-they-aren-t-little/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Arriving someplace more desirable at some future time is an illusion. This is it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/arriving-someplace-more-desirable-at-some-future-time-is-an-illusion/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“Give yourself permission to allow this moment to be exactly as it is, and allow yourself to be exactly as you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/give-yourself-permission-to-allow-this-moment-to-be-exactly-as-it-is/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Generosity is another quality which, like patience, letting go, non-judging, and trust, provides a solid foundation for mindfulness practice. You might experiment with using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/generosity-is-another-quality-which-like-patience-letting-go-non-2/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Science gave me a cosmic religious feeling, and I would get the same feeling when I was dragged to the Met and the Museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/science-gave-me-a-cosmic-religious-feeling-and-i-would-get-the-same/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Look at other people and ask yourself if you are really seeing them or just your thoughts about them… Without knowing it, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/look-at-other-people-and-ask-yourself-if-you-are-really-seeing-them/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“In fact, even if distraction does alleviate your pain or help to cope with it some of the time, bringing mindfulness to it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/in-fact-even-if-distraction-does-alleviate-your-pain-or-help-to-cope/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) [Explore all 252 Jon Kabat-Zinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) ## More Handle quotes > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [Singing is the love of my life, but I was ready to give it all up because I couldn't handle people talking about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-nicks/singing-is-the-love-of-my-life-but-i-was-ready-to-give-it-all-up/) [Stevie Nicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-nicks/) > [A lie always needs a truth for a handle to it. The worst lies are those whose blade is false, but whose handle is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-lie-always-needs-a-truth-for-a-handle-to-it-the-worst-lies-are/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [As we go through this transition where a lot more people will be reading on devices, nobody is paying enough attention to make sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/as-we-go-through-this-transition-where-a-lot-more-people-will-be/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [There are a lot of impractical things about owning a Porsche. But they're all offset by the driving experience. It really is unique. Lamborghinis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-o-leary/there-are-a-lot-of-impractical-things-about-owning-a-porsche-but-they/) [Kevin O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-o-leary/) > [A perfect movie is a different thing, but a funny movie is easy. I was really happy that I got everyone that I got.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/a-perfect-movie-is-a-different-thing-but-a-funny-movie-is-easy-i-was/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [The amount of truth a relationship can handle is proportional to the amount of perceived love that's present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/the-amount-of-truth-a-relationship-can-handle-is-proportional-to-the/) [Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/) > [Love and hate, despite their polar opposites, are both feelings that are induced by passion. I can handle that. It's the indifference I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/love-and-hate-despite-their-polar-opposites-are-both-feelings-that/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [Everyone thinks they've won the Magical Belief Lottery. Everyone thinks they more or less have a handle on things, that they, as opposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/everyone-thinks-they-ve-won-the-magical-belief-lottery-everyone/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [ If \[Donald\] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of-health-care-that-s-going-to/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I don't think I suffered with depression, I don't think I'm a depressed type of person - I just think I suffered a depression…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-o-sullivan/i-don-t-think-i-suffered-with-depression-i-don-t-think-i-m-a/) [Ronnie O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-o-sullivan/) > [I was so unsuccessful for so long. I was used to the word no. I was used to you're not good enough or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamar-braxton/i-was-so-unsuccessful-for-so-long-i-was-used-to-the-word-no-i-was/) [Tamar Braxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamar-braxton/) > [I stay away from negative relationships. They are energy-sapping vampires. I can't handle them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preity-zinta/i-stay-away-from-negative-relationships-they-are-energy-sapping/) [Preity Zinta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preity-zinta/) Browse all 2,008 Handle quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Wherever you go, there you are. Whatever you wind up doing, that's what you've wound up doing. Whatever you are thinking right now, that's what's on your mind. Whatever has happened to you, it has already happened. The important question is, \"how are you going to handle it?\" … Like it or not, this moment is all we really have to work with.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jon Kabat-Zinn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/wherever-you-go-there-you-are-whatever-you-wind-up-doing-that-s-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Handle" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/wherever-you-go-there-you-are-whatever-you-wind-up-doing-that-s-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_handle_wherever-you-go-there-you-are-whatever-y_1993064.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_handle_wherever-you-go-there-you-are-whatever-y_1993064.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_handle_wherever-you-go-there-you-are-whatever-y_1993064.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Wherever you go, there you are. Whatever you wind up doing, that's what you've wound up doing. Whatever you…” — Jon Kabat-Zinn", "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": "Jon Kabat-Zinn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Wherever you go, there you are....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/wherever-you-go-there-you-are-whatever-you-wind-up-doing-that-s-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/wherever-you-go-there-you-are-whatever-you-wind-up-doing-that-s-what/#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 } } ] } ```