--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Close your eyes. Take a breath. Count to…" description: "\"“Close your eyes. Take a breath. Count to three. Let it out. Count to four.” “Shove it up your ass,” he said, hunching into himself and starting to sha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/kim-harrison-323_close-your-eyes_close-your-eyes-take-a-breath-count-to-t_2628505.png" --- # Close your eyes. Take a breath. Count to three. Let it… ![“Close your eyes. Take a breath. Count to three. Let it out. Count to four.” “Shove it up your ass,” he said, hunching into himself and starting to shake. “The last time you told me to close my eyes and count from ten, look what happened to me.” quote by Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/kim-harrison-323_close-your-eyes_close-your-eyes-take-a-breath-count-to-t_2628505.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/kim-harrison-323_close-your-eyes_close-your-eyes-take-a-breath-count-to-t_2628505.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/kim-harrison-323_close-your-eyes_close-your-eyes-take-a-breath-count-to-t_2628505.png) > ““Close your eyes. Take a breath. Count to three. Let it out. Count to four.” “Shove it up your ass,” he said, hunching into himself and starting to shake. “The last time you told me to close my eyes and count from ten, look what happened to me.”” [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A calming breathing exercise is suggested, but the speaker reacts with frustration, highlighting tension between soothing advice and personal trauma. **In simple terms:** Breathing techniques can be met with resistance when past pain is triggered. Key Takeaway Recognize when calming advice feels invalidating. Themes stress coping communication Mood frustrated tense Type advice cautionary When to use this quote - therapy sessions - conflict resolution - personal reflection Key Concepts mindfulness trauma response emotional regulation Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when calming advice feels dismissive? - What alternatives help when breathing exercises fail? A Different Perspective The technique may not work for everyone, especially if it triggers painful memories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Close Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/close-eyes/) [Close your eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/close-your-eyes/) [Count Shove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/count-shove-2170394/) [Last time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-time/) [Let Count](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-count-1421176/) [Said Hunching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-hunching-2170393/) [Shake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shake/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Ur Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ur-eyes/) ## Related quotes > [“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.' The list is long, Robert. Very long. And will grow longer still." He smiled.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-moser/how-do-i-love-thee-let-me-count-the-ways-the-list-is-long-robert-very/) [Nancy Moser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-moser/) > [Uh-huh, right. Let me count all the ways you and I aren't going there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/uh-huh-right-let-me-count-all-the-ways-you-and-i-aren-t-going-there/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/how-do-i-love-thee-let-me-count-the-ways/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [What does a kiss really mean when you cant close your eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shamix/what-does-a-kiss-really-mean-when-you-cant-close-your-eyes/) [Shamix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shamix/) > [Close your eyes and pretend it's all a bad dream. That's how I get by. -Jack Sparrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirates-of-the-caribbean/close-your-eyes-and-pretend-it-s-all-a-bad-dream-that-s-how-i-get-by/) [Pirates Of The Caribbean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirates-of-the-caribbean/) > [Music. Close your eyes and it's a rosebush blooming in time lapse so that it shoots and blossoms flow outward in a swift choreography…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/music-close-your-eyes-and-it-s-a-rosebush-blooming-in-time-lapse-so/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Close your eyes little girl. your a princess now, you own this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flyleaf/close-your-eyes-little-girl-your-a-princess-now-you-own-this-world/) [Flyleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flyleaf/) > [Staring at the bottom of your glass Hoping one day you'll make a dream last But dreams come slow and they go so fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/passenger/staring-at-the-bottom-of-your-glass-hoping-one-day-you-ll-make-a/) [Passenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/passenger/) > [“Close your eyes. Remember what we talked about that night after your concert? Living is hard. It was hard when you were thirteen, it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cora-carmack/close-your-eyes-remember-what-we-talked-about-that-night-after-your/) [Cora Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cora-carmack/) > [“When you're scared, when you close your eyes ... just know there is nothing left to fear!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/when-you-re-scared-when-you-close-your-eyes-just-know-there-is/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [No matter what you do I'll be there for you And every time you close your eyes I will be by your side 'Cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proudlesbian/no-matter-what-you-do-i-ll-be-there-for-you-and-every-time-you-close/) [ProudLesbian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proudlesbian/) > [I can't be with you today, but if you close your eyes and think; I'll be beside you in the kitchen wearing your shirt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene05/i-can-t-be-with-you-today-but-if-you-close-your-eyes-and-think-i-ll/) [Sharlene05](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharlene05/) > [Just close your eyes, the sun is going down, you'll be alright, no one can hurt you now, come morning light, you and I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/just-close-your-eyes-the-sun-is-going-down-you-ll-be-alright-no-one/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [Sit down, hold your back up, close your eyes and think about nothing' - that's not on the table for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-povitsky/sit-down-hold-your-back-up-close-your-eyes-and-think-about-nothing/) [Esther Povitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-povitsky/) > [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) ## More by Kim Harrison > [Maybe I could be friends with a ghost. I wouldn’t be able to kill him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/maybe-i-could-be-friends-with-a-ghost-i-wouldn-t-be-able-to-kill-him/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [My God", he whispered. What have I done to her? He thought, humbled. The spell was broken, but it wasn't sealed, and her soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/my-god-he-whispered-what-have-i-done-to-her-he-thought-humbled-the/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [I turned back to the mirror, seeing that there were no lines on it. It was empty. "What happened to my mirror?" I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-turned-back-to-the-mirror-seeing-that-there-were-no-lines-on-it-it/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [“Half of it was meticulously arranged as an office with her computer - faster and more powerful than an industrial-sized package of laxative -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/half-of-it-was-meticulously-arranged-as-an-office-with-her-computer/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [Actually,” I said, hesitant to bring it up, “I was thinking along the lines of a curse that can turn you human.” “Or witch?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/actually-i-said-hesitant-to-bring-it-up-i-was-thinking-along-the/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [“I’m giving you fair warning, Mr. Cormel. If you bespell Rachel, I’ll open up your head for the sunshine to come in.” - Jenks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-m-giving-you-fair-warning-mr-cormel-if-you-bespell-rachel-i-ll-open/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [The demon had trouble remembering what she was doing, but she was powerful, sort of the crazy Wendy of the lost lord-of-the-flies boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/the-demon-had-trouble-remembering-what-she-was-doing-but-she-was/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [Your hair is a tangled mess,"he said, thinking he liked it that way, like a lion's mane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/your-hair-is-a-tangled-mess-he-said-thinking-he-liked-it-that-way/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [Keep your vampire mitts off me. I'm not your friggin' blood toy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/keep-your-vampire-mitts-off-me-i-m-not-your-friggin-blood-toy/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [“From my ear Jenks snickered. “Awwww, you two are so sweet, I could fart fairy balls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/from-my-ear-jenks-snickered-awwww-you-two-are-so-sweet-i-could-fart/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [Uh... ," Ivy stammered, and I glanced up to see her eyes wide in consideration. "I'm kidding," I said. "It passed the lethal-amulet test,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/uh-ivy-stammered-and-i-glanced-up-to-see-her-eyes-wide-in/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [I'll always be here," he said softly. "You can never fill my need, never drive me away, no matter how much you give me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-ll-always-be-here-he-said-softly-you-can-never-fill-my-need-never/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [“I hoped he was right. I’d never heard of a university refusing money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-hoped-he-was-right-i-d-never-heard-of-a-university-refusing-money/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [“The rag he'd used to clean the table went into the fire behind him. "I saw what you are," he said, "and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/the-rag-he-d-used-to-clean-the-table-went-into-the-fire-behind-him-i/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [“I’m not afraid of love being difficult. If it was easy, then everyone would find it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-m-not-afraid-of-love-being-difficult-if-it-was-easy-then-everyone/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) [Explore all 672 Kim Harrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) ## More Close your eyes quotes > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [“Here, in the garden at night, it is another world, strange and yet friendly and familiar, never frightening. There is such quietness, such sweetness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hill/here-in-the-garden-at-night-it-is-another-world-strange-and-yet/) [Susan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hill/) > [Why don't you just imagine it never happened..??](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/effy-stonem/why-don-t-you-just-imagine-it-never-happened/) [Effy Stonem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/effy-stonem/) > [Sit down, hold your back up, close your eyes and think about nothing' - that's not on the table for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-povitsky/sit-down-hold-your-back-up-close-your-eyes-and-think-about-nothing/) [Esther Povitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-povitsky/) > [“With a quiet pause, he let his hand come to rest just below the triangle of blond curls that concealed her most tender flesh.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-anne-warren/with-a-quiet-pause-he-let-his-hand-come-to-rest-just-below-the/) [Tracy Anne Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-anne-warren/) > [“Instead they dream of furniture Of buying a new hat Of owning matching silverware Could you imagine that? Yes there are places in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-clayton/instead-they-dream-of-furniture-of-buying-a-new-hat-of-owning/) [Dallas Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-clayton/) > [“Imagine, Bishop, that you have a beloved cat, but that your cat is not with you. If you close your eyes and further imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-marusek/imagine-bishop-that-you-have-a-beloved-cat-but-that-your-cat-is-not/) [David Marusek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-marusek/) > [Just close your eyes, the sun is going down, you'll be alright, no one can hurt you now, come morning light, you and I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/just-close-your-eyes-the-sun-is-going-down-you-ll-be-alright-no-one/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [I can't be with you today, but if you close your eyes and think; I'll be beside you in the kitchen wearing your shirt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene05/i-can-t-be-with-you-today-but-if-you-close-your-eyes-and-think-i-ll/) [Sharlene05](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharlene05/) > [When you put a halo on concepts - gender roles, religion, nationality or pride - or you put a halo on any topic -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/when-you-put-a-halo-on-concepts-gender-roles-religion-nationality-or/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [No matter what you do I'll be there for you And every time you close your eyes I will be by your side 'Cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proudlesbian/no-matter-what-you-do-i-ll-be-there-for-you-and-every-time-you-close/) [ProudLesbian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proudlesbian/) > [“When you're scared, when you close your eyes ... just know there is nothing left to fear!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/when-you-re-scared-when-you-close-your-eyes-just-know-there-is/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [“Try a little experiment. Close your eyes and say to yourself: “I wonder what my next thought is going to be.” Then become very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/try-a-little-experiment-close-your-eyes-and-say-to-yourself-i-wonder/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [The sea answers all questions, and always in the same way; for when you read in the papers the interminable discussions and the bickering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-b-white/the-sea-answers-all-questions-and-always-in-the-same-way-for-when-you/) [E. B. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-white/) [Browse all 728 Close your eyes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/close-your-eyes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Close your eyes. Take a breath. Count to three. Let it out. 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