--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't tell me what to feel" description: "\"You can't tell me what to feel\" — Lauren Oliver" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d16/lauren-oliver-109_feel_you-can-t-tell-me-what-to-feel-141666_141666.png" --- # You can't tell me what to feel ![“You can't tell me what to feel” quote by Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d16/lauren-oliver-109_feel_you-can-t-tell-me-what-to-feel-141666_141666.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d16/lauren-oliver-109_feel_you-can-t-tell-me-what-to-feel-141666_141666.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d16/lauren-oliver-109_feel_you-can-t-tell-me-what-to-feel-141666_141666.png) > “You can't tell me what to feel” [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement declares personal autonomy over emotional experience, rejecting external dictation of feelings. **In simple terms:** You control your own emotions. Key Takeaway Own your feelings, don’t let others dictate them. Themes autonomy emotion self‑determination boundaries Mood assertive reflective Type psychological motivational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - personal growth workshops - creative writing Key Concepts personal agency emotional freedom Questions to Reflect On - What emotions do you let others control? - How can you reclaim emotional ownership? A Different Perspective May ignore social influence on emotions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Sometimes you just cant tell someone how you feel, you can never really find the right words to make them understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-just-cant-tell-someone-how-you-feel-you-can-never/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We're on the other side of the fence now, Lena,' she says, tiredly, as she passes. "Don't you get it? You can't tell me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/we-re-on-the-other-side-of-the-fence-now-lena-she-says-tiredly-as-she/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [If I've been working a lot and I've been away from my kids, then I don't go to the gym. It's okay to miss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doutzen-kroes/if-i-ve-been-working-a-lot-and-i-ve-been-away-from-my-kids-then-i-don/) [Doutzen Kroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doutzen-kroes/) > [Women tell us that they do feel patronized. They do feel like they don't have the time and the space to have their questions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sallie-krawcheck/women-tell-us-that-they-do-feel-patronized-they-do-feel-like-they-don/) [Sallie Krawcheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sallie-krawcheck/) > [Just lie to my ears, tell me you feel the same thats all i've been dying to hear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/just-lie-to-my-ears-tell-me-you-feel-the-same-thats-all-i-ve-been/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [There will be a day I will tell you how I feel..But I dont think I will,It might come out but it might not.I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/there-will-be-a-day-i-will-tell-you-how-i-feel-but-i-dont-think-i/) [Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/) > [You dont know how I feel so dont tell me that I feel a certain way because your not me and you dont know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-dont-know-how-i-feel-so-dont-tell-me-that-i-feel-a-certain-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't cheat boy tell her how you feel if you think the other girl is for u ,but make sure it not just physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrcountry/don-t-cheat-boy-tell-her-how-you-feel-if-you-think-the-other-girl-is/) MrCountry > [“Do you want me, baby? Tell me you want me. Tell me you feel this too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-l-jennings/do-you-want-me-baby-tell-me-you-want-me-tell-me-you-feel-this-too/) [S.L. Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-l-jennings/) > [“We're taking you to the hospital,' it said, 'you're going into shock. Can you tell us how you feel?' 'I feel ...' What do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/we-re-taking-you-to-the-hospital-it-said-you-re-going-into-shock-can/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [That moment you tell him how you feel and just sit there with a why-did-i-do-that look on your face waiting to see what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-marie/that-moment-you-tell-him-how-you-feel-and-just-sit-there-with-a-why/) [Cassandra Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-marie/) > [The only reason I don't tell you how I feel is because I love you too much to lose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-reason-i-don-t-tell-you-how-i-feel-is-because-i-love-you-too/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always tell someone how you feel, because opportunities are lost in the blink of an eye but regret can last for a lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-tell-someone-how-you-feel-because-opportunities-are-lost-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm afraid to tell you how I feel cause I don't want to lose you. so I'm just going to be quite and keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/purple-s-heart/i-m-afraid-to-tell-you-how-i-feel-cause-i-don-t-want-to-lose-you-so-i/) [Purple's Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/purple-s-heart/) > [“I want you to tell me that you feel the same way for me. And I’d like you to tell me those feelings are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nessie-q/i-want-you-to-tell-me-that-you-feel-the-same-way-for-me-and-i-d-like/) [Nessie Q](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nessie-q/) ## More by Lauren Oliver > [“My aunt Carol hasn’t heard her say a word in the whole six years and three months of Grace’s life—not a single syllable. Carol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/my-aunt-carol-hasn-t-heard-her-say-a-word-in-the-whole-six-years-and/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [This is what happens when you try to help people. You get screwed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/this-is-what-happens-when-you-try-to-help-people-you-get-screwed/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [We'll walk together holding hands, and kiss in broad daylight, and love each other as much as we want to, and no one will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/we-ll-walk-together-holding-hands-and-kiss-in-broad-daylight-and-love/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“It seem absurd to me that they don't know, haven't felt any change or tremor, even as my life has been completely turned upside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/it-seem-absurd-to-me-that-they-don-t-know-haven-t-felt-any-change-or/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“At least when I'm sleeping I can dream myself back to Alex, can dream myself into a different world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/at-least-when-i-m-sleeping-i-can-dream-myself-back-to-alex-can-dream/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [People are like ants: Just a few of them give all the orders. And most of them spend their lives getting squashed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/people-are-like-ants-just-a-few-of-them-give-all-the-orders-and-most/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Summer explodes into Portland. In early June the heat was there but not the color--the green were still pale and tentative, the morning had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/summer-explodes-into-portland-in-early-june-the-heat-was-there-but/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Mistake, mistake, mistake. A strange word: stinging, somehow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/mistake-mistake-mistake-a-strange-word-stinging-somehow/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [I wonder if it's ever really possible to know the truth about someone else, or if the best we can do is just stumble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-wonder-if-it-s-ever-really-possible-to-know-the-truth-about-someone/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“Julian is somewhere among those lights, in that blur of people and buildings. I wonder whether he's scared. I wonder whether he's thinking of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/julian-is-somewhere-among-those-lights-in-that-blur-of-people-and/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [A room full of words that are nearly the truth but not quite, each note fluttering off the steam of its rose like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/a-room-full-of-words-that-are-nearly-the-truth-but-not-quite-each/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“She’s the kind of person who makes you feel drunk just by being around her, like suddenly the world’s edges are dulled and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/she-s-the-kind-of-person-who-makes-you-feel-drunk-just-by-being/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“Stop!” His voice rings out sharply, hard as a slap. He releases me and I stumble backward. “Alex is dead, do you hear me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/stop-his-voice-rings-out-sharply-hard-as-a-slap-he-releases-me-and-i/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [..in that moment i realize how much i love the little everyday routines of my life..the details that are my life's special pattern, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/in-that-moment-i-realize-how-much-i-love-the-little-everyday-routines/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“You can't judge a book by its steel-toed combat boots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/you-can-t-judge-a-book-by-its-steel-toed-combat-boots/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) [Explore all 1,181 Lauren Oliver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) ## More Feel quotes > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [I feel I handle the pressure situations well, and that's why I want to be there at the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ab-de-villiers/i-feel-i-handle-the-pressure-situations-well-and-that-s-why-i-want-to/) [AB de Villiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ab-de-villiers/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I feel as though I've fooled the world into thinking I'm an adult and now they're letting me procreate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-murray/i-feel-as-though-i-ve-fooled-the-world-into-thinking-i-m-an-adult-and/) [George Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-murray/) > [I feel like I could eat the world raw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-feel-like-i-could-eat-the-world-raw/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [I like to wear bodysuits and things that make me feel really active and athletic and also really sensual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-hawley-weld/i-like-to-wear-bodysuits-and-things-that-make-me-feel-really-active/) [Sophie Hawley-Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-hawley-weld/) > [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/) [Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/) > [You make me feel brand new today. Even my day is full of trials and pain…Thanks for everything...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lantapi/you-make-me-feel-brand-new-today-even-my-day-is-full-of-trials-and/) [Richard Lantapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lantapi/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I don't know how people feel,that's the beauty of TV, is they can see us, but we can't see them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-know-how-people-feel-that-s-the-beauty-of-tv-is-they-can-see/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/) [Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/) Browse all 26,675 Feel quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't tell me what to feel", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lauren Oliver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/you-can-t-tell-me-what-to-feel/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feel" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/you-can-t-tell-me-what-to-feel/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d16/lauren-oliver-109_feel_you-can-t-tell-me-what-to-feel-141666_141666.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d16/lauren-oliver-109_feel_you-can-t-tell-me-what-to-feel-141666_141666.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d16/lauren-oliver-109_feel_you-can-t-tell-me-what-to-feel-141666_141666.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't tell me what to feel” — Lauren Oliver", "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": "Lauren Oliver", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can't tell me what to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/you-can-t-tell-me-what-to-feel/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/you-can-t-tell-me-what-to-feel/#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 } } ] } ```