--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Avoid the flourish. Do not be afraid to…" description: "\"Avoid the flourish. Do not be afraid to be weak. Do not be ashamed to be tired. You look good when you’re tired. You look like you could go on forever...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c76/leonard-cohen-448_arms_avoid-the-flourish-do-not-be-afraid-to-b_538109.jpg" --- # Avoid the flourish. Do not be afraid to be weak. Do not be… ![“Avoid the flourish. Do not be afraid to be weak. Do not be ashamed to be tired. You look good when you’re tired. You look like you could go on forever. Now come into my arms. You are the image of my beauty .” quote by Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c76/leonard-cohen-448_arms_avoid-the-flourish-do-not-be-afraid-to-b_538109.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c76/leonard-cohen-448_arms_avoid-the-flourish-do-not-be-afraid-to-b_538109.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c76/leonard-cohen-448_arms_avoid-the-flourish-do-not-be-afraid-to-b_538109.jpg) > “Avoid the flourish. Do not be afraid to be weak. Do not be ashamed to be tired. You look good when you’re tired. You look like you could go on forever. Now come into my arms. You are the image of my beauty .” [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Embrace vulnerability and fatigue as authentic parts of self, showing beauty in perseverance and intimacy. **In simple terms:** Being weak and tired is okay and can be beautiful. Key Takeaway Accept and share your authentic self. Themes vulnerability authenticity beauty perseverance Mood reflective intimate Type poetic inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - creative work - mental health - self‑care Key Concepts self‑acceptance intimacy human frailty Questions to Reflect On - How does showing fatigue change how others see you? - What does “image of my beauty” mean to you? A Different Perspective May be misinterpreted as seeking pity or weakness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-weak-4505856/) [Arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) [Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) [Avoid Flourish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoid-flourish-4505857/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Flourish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flourish/) [Flourish Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flourish-afraid-4505855/) [Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forever/) [Goes on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes-on/) [Like you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-you/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Tired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tired/) [Tired Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tired-look-1436809/) [Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak/) ## Related quotes > [“Avoid the flourish. Do not be afraid to be weak. Do not be ashamed to be tired. You look good when you’re tired. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/avoid-the-flourish-do-not-be-afraid-to-be-weak-do-not-be-ashamed-to-2/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“With you, I truly am fearless, Marcus. With you, I’m not even afraid to be weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-simcoe/with-you-i-truly-am-fearless-marcus-with-you-i-m-not-even-afraid-to/) [Marina Simcoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-simcoe/) > [“Don't be afraid to be weak Don't be too proud to be strong Just look into your heart my friend That will be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enigma/don-t-be-afraid-to-be-weak-don-t-be-too-proud-to-be-strong-just-look/) [Enigma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enigma/) > [When you have love in your life and respect what you do, you get up and do things. Yes, definitely I do feel tired,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/when-you-have-love-in-your-life-and-respect-what-you-do-you-get-up/) [Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/) > [Oh, I'm not beautiful. I can look beautiful; I can put beauty on. When I'm tired, I look bloody awful. I think I'm turning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-lumley/oh-i-m-not-beautiful-i-can-look-beautiful-i-can-put-beauty-on-when-i/) [Joanna Lumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-lumley/) > [“Normally, a girl like her wouldn't have caught my eye, but I was dying in the heat and too bored and tired to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelisa-stone/normally-a-girl-like-her-wouldn-t-have-caught-my-eye-but-i-was-dying/) [Angelisa Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelisa-stone/) > [Im tired of all this look at me I'm happy shit!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-nosbush/im-tired-of-all-this-look-at-me-i-m-happy-shit/) [Jeremy Nosbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-nosbush/) > [People flourish if they’re praised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/people-flourish-if-they-re-praised/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [With vision we flourish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-victor-hansen/with-vision-we-flourish/) [Mark Victor Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-victor-hansen/) > [“Talent is like a little seed; when nurtured, it will flourish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/talent-is-like-a-little-seed-when-nurtured-it-will-flourish/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Dear Superwoman, Seasons are there for a reason. You may not flourish now, but when it is your season, your cup will overflow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/dear-superwoman-seasons-are-there-for-a-reason-you-may-not-flourish/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [“The seed we bury in soil, Flourish, even after we die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neymat-khan/the-seed-we-bury-in-soil-flourish-even-after-we-die/) [Neymat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neymat-khan/) > [I'm definitely someone that is always on the go, and that's what I really flourish in and that will probably never change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-plum/i-m-definitely-someone-that-is-always-on-the-go-and-that-s-what-i/) [Kelsey Plum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-plum/) > [No government can be strong and flourishing while the national character is weak and degraded. A government must flourish and decay with its subjects;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-robbins-curtis/no-government-can-be-strong-and-flourishing-while-the-national/) [Benjamin Robbins Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-robbins-curtis/) > [“Incrementalism never allows innovation to flourish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-ratna/incrementalism-never-allows-innovation-to-flourish/) [Abhishek Ratna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-ratna/) ## More by Leonard Cohen > [The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold and it's overturned the order of the soul...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-blizzard-of-the-world-has-crossed-the-threshold-and-it-s/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Don't matter if you're rich and strong Don't matter if you're weak Don't matter if you write a song The nightingales repeat Don't matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/don-t-matter-if-you-re-rich-and-strong-don-t-matter-if-you-re-weak/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“You don't know me from the wind you never will, you never did I'm the little jew who wrote the Bible. I've seen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-don-t-know-me-from-the-wind-you-never-will-you-never-did-i-m-the/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“This is it I’m not coming after you I’m going to lie down for half an hour This is it I’m not going down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-is-it-i-m-not-coming-after-you-i-m-going-to-lie-down-for-half-an/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [My sense of proprietorship has been so weak that actually I didn't pay attention and I lost the copyrights on a lot of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/my-sense-of-proprietorship-has-been-so-weak-that-actually-i-didn-t/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled. But there are moments when we can... reconcile and embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-world-is-full-of-conflicts-and-full-of-things-that-cannot-be/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [ I would say the hummingbird really deserves the royalties on \[some of my songs\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-would-say-the-hummingbird-really-deserves-the-royalties-on-some-of/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [One is given to self-dramatization from time to time. I intend to live forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/one-is-given-to-self-dramatization-from-time-to-time-i-intend-to-live/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [The basic function of popular music is to create an environment for courting, lovemaking, and doing the dishes. It's useful because it addresses the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-basic-function-of-popular-music-is-to-create-an-environment-for/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Blessed are you, embrace of the falling, foundation of the light, master of the human accident.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/blessed-are-you-embrace-of-the-falling-foundation-of-the-light-master/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I continually blacken pages and scribble away, so I always have a number of songs that are half-finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-continually-blacken-pages-and-scribble-away-so-i-always-have-a/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I have nothing against the Queen of England. Even in my heart I never resented her for not being Jackie Kennedy. She is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-have-nothing-against-the-queen-of-england-even-in-my-heart-i-never/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I loved you when you opened like a lily to the heat; you see I’m just another snowman standing in the rain and sleet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-loved-you-when-you-opened-like-a-lily-to-the-heat-you-see-i-m-just/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/it-s-time-that-we-began-to-laugh-and-cry-and-cry-and-laugh-about-it/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“I followed the course From chaos to art Desire the horse Depression the cart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-followed-the-course-from-chaos-to-art-desire-the-horse-depression/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) [Explore all 543 Leonard Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## More Arms quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) [Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Comerado, this is no book,Who touches this, touches a man,(Is it night? Are we here alone?)It is I you hold, and who holds you,I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/comerado-this-is-no-book-who-touches-this-touches-a-man-is-it-night/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. I think I used four boxes of Soilex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dahmer/i-separated-the-joints-the-arm-joints-the-leg-joints-and-had-to-do/) [Jeffrey Dahmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dahmer/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [It's been a long time since I asked anything of heaven, and my arms still haven't come down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-asked-anything-of-heaven-and-my-arms/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms, by truth when it is attacked by lies, by faith when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/how-shall-freedom-be-defended-by-arms-when-it-is-attacked-by-arms-by/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) [Browse all 4,470 Arms quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Avoid the flourish. Do not be afraid to be weak. Do not be ashamed to be tired. You look good when you’re tired. You look like you could go on forever. Now come into my arms. 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