--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I lifted my head and looked down at him…" description: "\"“I lifted my head and looked down at him. \"And never, never, not even with my boyfriends who were nice to me, did I feel safe enough with them, safe en..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/kristen-ashley-74_good-enough_i-lifted-my-head-and-looked-down-at-him_1932208.png" --- # I lifted my head and looked down at him. "And never… ![“I lifted my head and looked down at him. "And never, never, not even with my boyfriends who were nice to me, did I feel safe enough with them, safe enough with how they felt about me, to throw attitude." His body went still but his face registered surprise and I continued. "I was scared of losing…” quote by Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/kristen-ashley-74_good-enough_i-lifted-my-head-and-looked-down-at-him_1932208.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/kristen-ashley-74_good-enough_i-lifted-my-head-and-looked-down-at-him_1932208.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/kristen-ashley-74_good-enough_i-lifted-my-head-and-looked-down-at-him_1932208.png) > ““I lifted my head and looked down at him. "And never, never, not even with my boyfriends who were nice to me, did I feel safe enough with them, safe enough with how they felt about me, to throw attitude." His body went still but his face registered surprise and I continued. "I was scared of losing them. I was scared of them not thinking I was good enough.”” [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear of rejection can make someone suppress their true feelings, even with supportive partners. **In simple terms:** Fear stops honest expression. Key Takeaway Allow vulnerability despite fear. Themes relationships self‑esteem trust Mood anxious hopeful Type emotional reflective When to use this quote - dating - friendships - family dynamics - personal growth Key Concepts attachment self‑worth communication Questions to Reflect On - What scares you most about being truly seen? - How can you build trust to express yourself? A Different Perspective Suppressing feelings may protect short‑term comfort but harms long‑term intimacy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) ## Related quotes > [“She slowly turned her head and looked at him. At his attractive, open face that could turn dark and reserved within seconds. The curve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kai-meyer/she-slowly-turned-her-head-and-looked-at-him-at-his-attractive-open/) [Kai Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kai-meyer/) > [“This is something about your father?' 'This is something about you ." Frank put his hand on my shoulder and he looked me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/this-is-something-about-your-father-this-is-something-about-you-frank/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“He shook his head and looked away, as if he was giving himself a firm lecture only he could here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roni-loren/he-shook-his-head-and-looked-away-as-if-he-was-giving-himself-a-firm/) [Roni Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roni-loren/) > [“Lottie tilted her head to one side and looked Maya up and down. "You're a little bit of a thing, but I hear you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-humphreys/lottie-tilted-her-head-to-one-side-and-looked-maya-up-and-down-you-re/) [Sara Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-humphreys/) > [He lifed his head and looked down at her seriously. "Could you," he began, then he had to clear his throat. "Could you learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-kurland/he-lifed-his-head-and-looked-down-at-her-seriously-could-you-he-began/) [Lynn Kurland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-kurland/) > [I'd watch your mouth", he said, tilting his head as he looked at my ID."The last lunker who laughed at her picture spent the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-d-watch-your-mouth-he-said-tilting-his-head-as-he-looked-at-my-id/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [“He had a matching bandage on his head. We looked like two idiots who’d decided to have a head-butting competition”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrington/he-had-a-matching-bandage-on-his-head-we-looked-like-two-idiots-who-d/) [Kim Harrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrington/) > [My dad thought my head looked like a basketball, so he set one inside my crib.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-bradley/my-dad-thought-my-head-looked-like-a-basketball-so-he-set-one-inside/) [Shawn Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-bradley/) > [“Collin, how do you do it?” He tilted his head as he looked at me. “Do what?” “Make me feel this way.” “I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gulla/collin-how-do-you-do-it-he-tilted-his-head-as-he-looked-at-me-do-what/) [Nicole Gulla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-gulla/) > [“Montag shook his head. He looked at a blank wall. The girl's face was there, really quite beautiful in memory: astonishing, in fact. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/montag-shook-his-head-he-looked-at-a-blank-wall-the-girl-s-face-was/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“I don't know how it happened. Through the din of the crowd, I heard this tiny scream. As small and distant as it was,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-oliver/i-don-t-know-how-it-happened-through-the-din-of-the-crowd-i-heard/) [Tess Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-oliver/) > [We have to get the Diamond. And Cesare’s head.” They looked at me. “Why the head?” Doolittle asked. “Because it’s easy to carry and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/we-have-to-get-the-diamond-and-cesare-s-head-they-looked-at-me-why/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“She looked up, over the bandage that was nestled under her chin, and saw that the big-belly man with the red beard was starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/she-looked-up-over-the-bandage-that-was-nestled-under-her-chin-and/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [“But what was making her unhappy? Where was the extraordinary catastrophe that had wrecked her life?She raised her head and looked around, as though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/but-what-was-making-her-unhappy-where-was-the-extraordinary/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [“She grabbed her clutch bag and circled her arms around his neck. "Caulder McCutchen, I'm really not sure what you are." He lifted his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-mccoy-dressel/she-grabbed-her-clutch-bag-and-circled-her-arms-around-his-neck/) [Mary J. McCoy-Dressel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-mccoy-dressel/) ## More by Kristen Ashley > [“We both suffered but neither of us stopped living our lives and we got so much out of them, so, so much. And now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/we-both-suffered-but-neither-of-us-stopped-living-our-lives-and-we/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“Makes him feel however Slim feels that makes him get close to you anytime you're even a little near, like any moment a lion's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/makes-him-feel-however-slim-feels-that-makes-him-get-close-to-you/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“They didn't understand, it not being directed at them, what that smile could do. The power of it. It was like every time he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/they-didn-t-understand-it-not-being-directed-at-them-what-that-smile/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“... it isn’t the kids who have two parents and a stable home who are the luckiest ones. It’s the kids who know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/it-isn-t-the-kids-who-have-two-parents-and-a-stable-home-who-are-the/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“Holy fuck, Jesus, shit, you’re Tatum Jackson”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/holy-fuck-jesus-shit-you-re-tatum-jackson/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“Some bikers have a code about who they put on the backs of their bikes and when. Rally, party, road trip, could be whoever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/some-bikers-have-a-code-about-who-they-put-on-the-backs-of-their/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“A man’s any man at all, no one fucks with his woman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/a-man-s-any-man-at-all-no-one-fucks-with-his-woman/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“You should feel free to feel how you want and don't think of what people think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/you-should-feel-free-to-feel-how-you-want-and-don-t-think-of-what/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“I get you’re scared and I know why. But if I didn’t have somethin’ to offer that I’m gonna bust my balls to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/i-get-you-re-scared-and-i-know-why-but-if-i-didn-t-have-somethin-to/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“Sometimes it happens in weird ways,” she whispered before she let me go, “but dreams come true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/sometimes-it-happens-in-weird-ways-she-whispered-before-she-let-me-go/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“Everything that was Chace Keaton urged him to follow her. To ask her to dinner. To get to know her. To find the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/everything-that-was-chace-keaton-urged-him-to-follow-her-to-ask-her/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“If you worked hard for it, if you didn't give up, even when you found your way and you thought you had everything, life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/if-you-worked-hard-for-it-if-you-didn-t-give-up-even-when-you-found/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“See, that's the beauty of books. We get to take what we want out of them and it can be different for everyone. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/see-that-s-the-beauty-of-books-we-get-to-take-what-we-want-out-of/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“His fingers curled around her neck and he put his forehead to hers before sharing, “I remember, Rocky. I remember everything. I remember every……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/his-fingers-curled-around-her-neck-and-he-put-his-forehead-to-hers/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“Tex looked at Duke “She’s got spunk,” he said. “Where I come from, we call it sass,” Duke replied. “Where I come from, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/tex-looked-at-duke-she-s-got-spunk-he-said-where-i-come-from-we-call/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) [Explore all 1,600 Kristen Ashley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) ## More Good enough quotes > [“Ain’t got no shit to fuckin worry on, dig. Ladybird good enough to handle any all comes she fuckin way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacia-kane/ain-t-got-no-shit-to-fuckin-worry-on-dig-ladybird-good-enough-to/) [Stacia Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacia-kane/) > [Don't listen to people who say trying your best is good enough, It's not. First is first! Second is last!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-ryan-of-hereford/don-t-listen-to-people-who-say-trying-your-best-is-good-enough-it-s/) Sir Ryan Of Hereford > [With my songs, the question is always, 'Can you pull it off live, alone on just an acoustic guitar?' That's the litmus test. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-colvin/with-my-songs-the-question-is-always-can-you-pull-it-off-live-alone/) [Shawn Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-colvin/) > [Being of Indian heritage is a challenge - and it's a blessing as well sometimes - because being good isn't good enough. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-dhawan/being-of-indian-heritage-is-a-challenge-and-it-s-a-blessing-as-well/) [Sacha Dhawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-dhawan/) > [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [~You told me that you have feelings me then next thing you know you ignore me then I see you flirting with other girls……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-eyes/you-told-me-that-you-have-feelings-me-then-next-thing-you-know-you/) Angel\_eyes > [“Something had been confirmed: I was worth giving a shit about; I was getting to be a successful sick person. Sick is when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-hornbacher/something-had-been-confirmed-i-was-worth-giving-a-shit-about-i-was/) [Marya Hornbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-hornbacher/) > [The first thing you put on in the morning is your lingerie, and you have to look at yourself and tell yourself that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain-dove/the-first-thing-you-put-on-in-the-morning-is-your-lingerie-and-you/) [Rain Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain-dove/) > [I may never be good enough for everybody. But I'll always be the best for someone who's contented to have me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-may-never-be-good-enough-for-everybody-but-i-ll-always-be-the-best/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The fear of not being good enough, the fear of disappointing other people and the fear of failure can really hurt one's personality and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/the-fear-of-not-being-good-enough-the-fear-of-disappointing-other/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [“Why do people kill themselves? I think they do it when they can no longer find a reason to keep going. When nothing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beth-miller/why-do-people-kill-themselves-i-think-they-do-it-when-they-can-no/) [Mary Beth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beth-miller/) > [I wasn't good enough. I had a little talent but not enough. There is nothing more discouraging than having just a little talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosamunde-pilcher/i-wasn-t-good-enough-i-had-a-little-talent-but-not-enough-there-is/) [Rosamunde Pilcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosamunde-pilcher/) > [You can look at everything from pre-Heisman to post-Heisman, and I think that's why it ranks up at the top, because before then, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sanders/you-can-look-at-everything-from-pre-heisman-to-post-heisman-and-i/) [Barry Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sanders/) > [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 didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) [Browse all 2,935 Good enough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I lifted my head and looked down at him. \"And never, never, not even with my boyfriends who were nice to me, did I feel safe enough with them, safe enough with how they felt about me, to throw attitude.\" His body went still but his face registered surprise and I continued. \"I was scared of losing them. I was scared of them not thinking I was good enough.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kristen Ashley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/i-lifted-my-head-and-looked-down-at-him-and-never-never-not-even-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Good enough" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/i-lifted-my-head-and-looked-down-at-him-and-never-never-not-even-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/kristen-ashley-74_good-enough_i-lifted-my-head-and-looked-down-at-him_1932208.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/kristen-ashley-74_good-enough_i-lifted-my-head-and-looked-down-at-him_1932208.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/kristen-ashley-74_good-enough_i-lifted-my-head-and-looked-down-at-him_1932208.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I lifted my head and looked down at him. \"And never, never, not even with my boyfriends who were nice to me…” — Kristen Ashley", "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": "Kristen Ashley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I lifted my head and looked...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/i-lifted-my-head-and-looked-down-at-him-and-never-never-not-even-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/i-lifted-my-head-and-looked-down-at-him-and-never-never-not-even-with/#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 } } ] } ```