--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't stop to think about how my…" description: "\"“I didn't stop to think about how my normal had never been so great in the first place.\" \"And I was a mess. I'd been holding my secrets inside for so l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/336/linda-gerber-49277_first-place_i-didn-t-stop-to-think-about-how-my-norm_2850791.jpg" --- # I didn't stop to think about how my normal had never been… ![“I didn't stop to think about how my normal had never been so great in the first place." "And I was a mess. I'd been holding my secrets inside for so long, I had lost all sense of perspective." "If we can do what we're meant to do, I think we can make them stop.” quote by Linda Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/336/linda-gerber-49277_first-place_i-didn-t-stop-to-think-about-how-my-norm_2850791.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/336/linda-gerber-49277_first-place_i-didn-t-stop-to-think-about-how-my-norm_2850791.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/336/linda-gerber-49277_first-place_i-didn-t-stop-to-think-about-how-my-norm_2850791.jpg) > ““I didn't stop to think about how my normal had never been so great in the first place." "And I was a mess. I'd been holding my secrets inside for so long, I had lost all sense of perspective." "If we can do what we're meant to do, I think we can make them stop.”” [Linda Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-gerber/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on unrecognized privilege, personal turmoil, and the belief that fulfilling one's purpose can halt external threats. **In simple terms:** Recognizing privilege, coping with inner chaos, and believing purpose can stop harm. Key Takeaway Acknowledge privilege, address inner conflict, act on purpose. Themes privilege self-awareness purpose resilience Mood reflective determined hopeful Type motivational philosophical emotional When to use this quote - personal crisis - activism - mental health - community organizing Key Concepts psychology social dynamics meaning-making Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing privilege change your actions? - What purpose drives you to confront challenges? A Different Perspective Purpose alone may not eliminate systemic problems without collective action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Holding Secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holding-secrets-3267978/) [Meant Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meant-think-1200874/) [Secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrets/) [Stop Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stop-think/) [Think Normal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-normal/) ## Related quotes > [“There can be, if I forebode aright, no power, short of the Divine mercy, to disclose, whether by uttered words, or by type or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-can-be-if-i-forebode-aright-no-power-short-of-the-divine-mercy/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“Sharing secrets is the way in which women tie themselves together, for it reveals complicity and trust. 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It just meant that he could only think properly about things if he cut away all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/ridcully-was-simple-minded-this-doesn-t-mean-stupid-it-just-meant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Sometimes I wonder if maybe we'll ever get back together, and then I realize that we'll never really be over. In a way it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-i-wonder-if-maybe-we-ll-ever-get-back-together-and-then-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Its not that we arent meant to be together, I think that were just not ready for forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-not-that-we-arent-meant-to-be-together-i-think-that-were-just-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Secrets can't consume you, but watch for the shame that closes your lips in the first place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-viramontez/secrets-can-t-consume-you-but-watch-for-the-shame-that-closes-your/) [Jackie Viramontez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-viramontez/) > [At the secret CIA training facility called 'The Farm,' aspiring case-officers learn how to recruit spies and steal secrets. As a former CIA officer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hurd/at-the-secret-cia-training-facility-called-the-farm-aspiring-case/) [Will Hurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hurd/) > [I wouldn't say I'm normal. But I'm relatively stable. When I think of normal, I think of mediocrity, and mediocrity scares the f--- out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-anderson/i-wouldn-t-say-i-m-normal-but-i-m-relatively-stable-when-i-think-of/) [Gillian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-anderson/) > [“Despite what you might think, NORMAL people do NOT cause problems, misfortunes, conflicts, distress or accidents. And when they do, they CAN apologize and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/despite-what-you-might-think-normal-people-do-not-cause-problems/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [TV and social media has such as huge impact for what we think is normal and what is OK. And that's for good and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-ponder/tv-and-social-media-has-such-as-huge-impact-for-what-we-think-is/) [Samantha Ponder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-ponder/) > [What do you think it is to be normal?' Why in the world would you want to be?' she says. I don't know. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-jones/what-do-you-think-it-is-to-be-normal-why-in-the-world-would-you-want/) [Patrick Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-jones/) ## More by Linda Gerber > [“Never use limitations as an excuse for mediocrity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-gerber/never-use-limitations-as-an-excuse-for-mediocrity/) [Linda Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-gerber/) > [“He used you, yeah. But what if you hadn't come? My family would have run again, but we would never have been free. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-gerber/he-used-you-yeah-but-what-if-you-hadn-t-come-my-family-would-have-run/) [Linda Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-gerber/) > [“Do I like living with Daniel's family? No. Would I ever tell him that? No. I know I'm all about honesty and saying what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-gerber/do-i-like-living-with-daniel-s-family-no-would-i-ever-tell-him-that/) [Linda Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-gerber/) > [“A pool just isn't the same as the ocean. It has no energy. 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When tests are used as selections devices, they're not a neutral tool; they become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-whyte/but-the-process-should-not-be-confused-with-science-when-tests-are/) [William H. Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-whyte/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. 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There is the branch,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/we-heard-about-people-who-go-back-to-their-roots-that-is-good-but-don/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [Don't be afraid of failure, be afraid of not trying in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/don-t-be-afraid-of-failure-be-afraid-of-not-trying-in-the-first-place/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [“If you have the ability and the opportunity to help someone, but you don't do anything just because you're scared or it's inconvenient or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bree-despain/if-you-have-the-ability-and-the-opportunity-to-help-someone-but-you/) [Bree Despain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bree-despain/) > [Every penny we spend comes from the taxpayer. 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