--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He shrugs. \"Doesn't help to waste my time…" description: "\"“He shrugs. \"Doesn't help to waste my time thinking about would've-beens.\" Laila whispers, \"He says to the girl with a mind full of them.”\" — Kasie West" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/kasie-west-6795_choices_he-shrugs-doesn-t-help-to-waste-my-time_2389539.jpg" --- # He shrugs. "Doesn't help to waste my time thinking about… ![“He shrugs. "Doesn't help to waste my time thinking about would've-beens." Laila whispers, "He says to the girl with a mind full of them.” quote by Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/kasie-west-6795_choices_he-shrugs-doesn-t-help-to-waste-my-time_2389539.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/kasie-west-6795_choices_he-shrugs-doesn-t-help-to-waste-my-time_2389539.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/kasie-west-6795_choices_he-shrugs-doesn-t-help-to-waste-my-time_2389539.jpg) > ““He shrugs. "Doesn't help to waste my time thinking about would've-beens." Laila whispers, "He says to the girl with a mind full of them.”” [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dwelling on past regrets wastes time; focus on present actions instead. **In simple terms:** Don’t waste time on “what‑ifs”. Key Takeaway Live in the now. Themes regret time focus Mood thoughtful determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career - personal growth - decision making Key Concepts mindfulness present‑moment awareness Questions to Reflect On - How do you let go of “would‑have‑been” thoughts? - What practices keep you present? A Different Perspective Ignoring past lessons can repeat errors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Girl Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl-mind-684134/) [Laila Whispers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laila-whispers-5946676/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind Full](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-full/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Says Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/says-girl-1082724/) [Shrugs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shrugs-272938/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [What if](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-if/) [Whispers Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whispers-says-4789045/) ## Related quotes > [“I can’t feel my fingers or the cold or the emptiness of this room because all I feel is him, everywhere,filling everything and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-can-t-feel-my-fingers-or-the-cold-or-the-emptiness-of-this-room/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“And he leans in, so carefully. Breathing and not breathing and hearts beating between us and he's so close, he's so close and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/and-he-leans-in-so-carefully-breathing-and-not-breathing-and-hearts/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [Boy: What should I do? Girl: Just follow your heart. Boy: What do you think my heart says? Girl: I don't know, i'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/boy-what-should-i-do-girl-just-follow-your-heart-boy-what-do-you/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“He shrugs as he slowly collects himself. “I guess there was a part of me that kept hoping you would rise from the dead.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-pike/he-shrugs-as-he-slowly-collects-himself-i-guess-there-was-a-part-of/) [Christopher Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-pike/) > [We have a mantra. 'Facts get shares; opinions get shrugs'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-bannon/we-have-a-mantra-facts-get-shares-opinions-get-shrugs/) [Steve Bannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-bannon/) > [“If he shrugs his shoulders, it is because he is no fool. He knows that once men are caught up in an event they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-he-shrugs-his-shoulders-it-is-because-he-is-no-fool-he-knows-that/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Facts get shares; opinions get shrugs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/facts-get-shares-opinions-get-shrugs/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She shrugs."Men" "Men." "If we can send one man to the moon, why can't we send them all there?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-hand/she-shrugs-men-men-if-we-can-send-one-man-to-the-moon-why-can-t-we/) [Cynthia Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-hand/) > [“I didn’t think it would affect you this way.” Then he looks down and shrugs. “Sometimes I forget that I can hurt you. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-didn-t-think-it-would-affect-you-this-way-then-he-looks-down-and/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“This Girl I Knew Glasses, bad bangs, patched blue jeans, creek-stained tennis shoes caked in mud, a father who sells vacuum cleaners, a mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-edwards/this-girl-i-knew-glasses-bad-bangs-patched-blue-jeans-creek-stained/) [Steve Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-edwards/) > [“Skelgill shrugs, as though perhaps there is no news as such, and now he”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-beckham/skelgill-shrugs-as-though-perhaps-there-is-no-news-as-such-and-now-he/) [Bruce Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-beckham/) > [“I’m not usually this emotional,” I say. He shrugs. “All women say that. It usually precedes an episode of batshit craziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-falkner/i-m-not-usually-this-emotional-i-say-he-shrugs-all-women-say-that-it/) [Tammy Falkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-falkner/) > [“Over The Top is my middle name.” When I look at him to see if he’s being serious, he just shrugs. “I realize it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-riley/over-the-top-is-my-middle-name-when-i-look-at-him-to-see-if-he-s/) [Alexa Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-riley/) > [“Don’t let society’s labels hold you back. If you have a true passion for something whether its sports, art, science, etc…don’t believe anyone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-g-bailey/don-t-let-society-s-labels-hold-you-back-if-you-have-a-true-passion/) [Alison G. Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-g-bailey/) > [And indeed nothing had happened, a momentous nothing, just another of the great world's shrugs of indifference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-banville/and-indeed-nothing-had-happened-a-momentous-nothing-just-another-of/) [John Banville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-banville/) ## More by Kasie West > [“But, he continues, if you need something to hold on to until you feel grounded, I make a pretty good anchor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/but-he-continues-if-you-need-something-to-hold-on-to-until-you-feel/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) > [“Thank you," he whispered against my hair. "How did that taste in your mouth?" He laughed. "Awful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/thank-you-he-whispered-against-my-hair-how-did-that-taste-in-your/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) > [“Our relationship feels different. Like someone has taken my favorite sweater and thrown it in the dryer and it doesn't fit right anymore. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/our-relationship-feels-different-like-someone-has-taken-my-favorite/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) > [“we can’t let boys define how we feel about ourselves. You have to know who you are before you should let any boy worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/we-can-t-let-boys-define-how-we-feel-about-ourselves-you-have-to-know/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) > [“Sometimes we expect more that people are capable of giving at the moment”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/sometimes-we-expect-more-that-people-are-capable-of-giving-at-the/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) > [“Sometimes I wish I were passionate about something real. Something I knew I could succeed in. Right now all my dreams are a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/sometimes-i-wish-i-were-passionate-about-something-real-something-i/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) > [“Growing up, I never felt deprived. I was always happy. It seems only lately I've started seeing everything I didn't have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/growing-up-i-never-felt-deprived-i-was-always-happy-it-seems-only/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) > [“So Caymen..." "So, Xander..." "Like the islands." "What?" "Your name. Caymen. Like the Cayman Islands. Is that your mom's favourite place to visit or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/so-caymen-so-xander-like-the-islands-what-your-name-caymen-like-the/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) > [“Confidence. I'm bad at it. I get too self-conscious. Especially about things that mean a lot to me. I feel like if I hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/confidence-i-m-bad-at-it-i-get-too-self-conscious-especially-about/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) > [“She shook her head so hard that her hair went one way and then the other. "No. Please don't apologize for that. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/she-shook-her-head-so-hard-that-her-hair-went-one-way-and-then-the/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) > [“You're not very good for my ego". "I think I'm perfect for your ego." I smile sweetly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/you-re-not-very-good-for-my-ego-i-think-i-m-perfect-for-your-ego-i/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) > [“He lay back on the rock, wadding up the towel and putting it under his head. “You know, you’re the only person I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/he-lay-back-on-the-rock-wadding-up-the-towel-and-putting-it-under-his/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) > [“Lights in the blackness. Waiting for the score. Putting on a face. Flirt a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/lights-in-the-blackness-waiting-for-the-score-putting-on-a-face-flirt/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) > [“I've tried subtle before. I'm not very good at it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/i-ve-tried-subtle-before-i-m-not-very-good-at-it/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) > [“Go sit next to him. Let him hear your voice,” his mother said. This woman had seen too many movies”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/go-sit-next-to-him-let-him-hear-your-voice-his-mother-said-this-woman/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) [Explore all 97 Kasie West quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He shrugs. \"Doesn't help to waste my time thinking about would've-beens.\" Laila whispers, \"He says to the girl with a mind full of them.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kasie West" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/he-shrugs-doesn-t-help-to-waste-my-time-thinking-about-would-ve-beens/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choices" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/he-shrugs-doesn-t-help-to-waste-my-time-thinking-about-would-ve-beens/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/kasie-west-6795_choices_he-shrugs-doesn-t-help-to-waste-my-time_2389539.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/kasie-west-6795_choices_he-shrugs-doesn-t-help-to-waste-my-time_2389539.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/kasie-west-6795_choices_he-shrugs-doesn-t-help-to-waste-my-time_2389539.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He shrugs. \"Doesn't help to waste my time thinking about would've-beens.\" Laila whispers, \"He says to the…” — Kasie West", "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": "Kasie West", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“He shrugs. \"Doesn't help to waste...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/he-shrugs-doesn-t-help-to-waste-my-time-thinking-about-would-ve-beens/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/he-shrugs-doesn-t-help-to-waste-my-time-thinking-about-would-ve-beens/#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 } } ] } ```