--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Start with kindness, and start with…" description: "\"“Start with kindness, and start with yourself. Dare to be as good to yourself as you would be to someone you truly loved—because that’s how you should ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/018/lizzie-velasquez-8913_friendship_start-with-kindness-and-start-with-yours_1173937.jpg" --- # Start with kindness, and start with yourself. Dare to be… ![“Start with kindness, and start with yourself. Dare to be as good to yourself as you would be to someone you truly loved—because that’s how you should feel about yourself. Dare to treat yourself as a dear and precious friend.” quote by Lizzie Velásquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/018/lizzie-velasquez-8913_friendship_start-with-kindness-and-start-with-yours_1173937.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/018/lizzie-velasquez-8913_friendship_start-with-kindness-and-start-with-yours_1173937.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/018/lizzie-velasquez-8913_friendship_start-with-kindness-and-start-with-yours_1173937.jpg) > ““Start with kindness, and start with yourself. Dare to be as good to yourself as you would be to someone you truly loved—because that’s how you should feel about yourself. Dare to treat yourself as a dear and precious friend.”” [Lizzie Velásquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Treat yourself with the same compassion you’d give a loved one, recognizing self‑kindness as essential for wellbeing. **In simple terms:** Be as kind to yourself as to a dear friend. Key Takeaway Practice self‑compassion daily. Themes self‑kindness self‑esteem mental health personal growth Mood gentle encouraging Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - daily self‑talk - stressful moments - recovering from setbacks - setting boundaries - seeking therapy Key Concepts compassion self‑love psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you show love to yourself without neglecting others? - What small act of kindness can you give yourself today? A Different Perspective Self‑kindness can feel selfish if not balanced with responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) ## Related quotes > [There's something about the Oscar that gives you sort of stripes where you feel you can dare to walk into a studio like Universal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benicio-del-toro/there-s-something-about-the-oscar-that-gives-you-sort-of-stripes/) [Benicio Del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benicio-del-toro/) > [So it's not about what you do. It can't be, can it? It has to be about how you are, how you love, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/so-it-s-not-about-what-you-do-it-can-t-be-can-it-it-has-to-be-about/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [My advice to women in general- Even if you're doing a nine-to-five job, treat yourself like a boss. Not arrogant, but be sure of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/my-advice-to-women-in-general-even-if-you-re-doing-a-nine-to-five-job/) [Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/) > [I think everybody can be beautiful. Anybody can have beauty. It's about how you look at the world, in a way, and how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-peyton/i-think-everybody-can-be-beautiful-anybody-can-have-beauty-it-s-about/) [Elizabeth Peyton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-peyton/) > [Treat yourself as a Queen, and you'll attract a King.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-barton/treat-yourself-as-a-queen-and-you-ll-attract-a-king/) [Karina Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-barton/) > [If you knew who you really are, you would always treat yourself with respect. You would be in awe of yourself!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-knew-who-you-really-are-you-would-always-treat-yourself-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Today, make yourself a priority and treat yourself accordingly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/today-make-yourself-a-priority-and-treat-yourself-accordingly/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [I'm not one of those regimental people who never eats certain things - that's not life. You've got to live; you've got to eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alesha-dixon/i-m-not-one-of-those-regimental-people-who-never-eats-certain-things/) [Alesha Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alesha-dixon/) > [I think you need to have a day or two when you treat yourself, because it brings happiness, it stimulates your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriano-zumbo/i-think-you-need-to-have-a-day-or-two-when-you-treat-yourself-because/) [Adriano Zumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriano-zumbo/) > [You have to treat yourself every once in a while, get to the fun stuff!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-klum/you-have-to-treat-yourself-every-once-in-a-while-get-to-the-fun-stuff/) [Heidi Klum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-klum/) > [“People don't treat you how you treat them, they treat you how you treat yourself”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanesia-harris/people-don-t-treat-you-how-you-treat-them-they-treat-you-how-you/) [Tanesia Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanesia-harris/) > [You'll never love yourself half as much as I love you, youll never treat yourself right, but I want you to, if I let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-direction/you-ll-never-love-yourself-half-as-much-as-i-love-you-youll-never/) [One Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-direction/) > [Coming to appreciate your worth can, in some cases, dramatically improve your circumstances by changing the choices you make and the actions you take.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/coming-to-appreciate-your-worth-can-in-some-cases-dramatically/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [Treat yourself like an overweight, out of shape person and that's what you will be. Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) > [You have to treat yourself. Life is too short to deprive yourself of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathalie-emmanuel/you-have-to-treat-yourself-life-is-too-short-to-deprive-yourself-of/) [Nathalie Emmanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathalie-emmanuel/) ## More by Lizzie Velásquez > [Often I'm told I'm an inspiration to people which I will forever be grateful for. But the reality is that I'm only able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/often-i-m-told-i-m-an-inspiration-to-people-which-i-will-forever-be/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [I believe there definitely are good things about social networking. It's a way for people to connect all around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/i-believe-there-definitely-are-good-things-about-social-networking-it/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [You are the biggest influencer in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/you-are-the-biggest-influencer-in-your-life/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [“The love that family members share is essential, and it’s so important to highlight it no matter what else might be happening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/the-love-that-family-members-share-is-essential-and-it-s-so-important/) [Lizzie Velásquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [Whether it's your personal life, your work life, your school life, your confidence, everything will fit once you believe in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/whether-it-s-your-personal-life-your-work-life-your-school-life-your/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [“No one else has the same story as you, and that's a good thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/no-one-else-has-the-same-story-as-you-and-that-s-a-good-thing/) [Lizzie Velásquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [“If you always keep your true feelings and your inner wounds to yourself, the best that can result is emotional isolation from everyone around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/if-you-always-keep-your-true-feelings-and-your-inner-wounds-to/) [Lizzie Velásquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [Fully embrace the fact that you are enough just being you. It's so important for women to champion each other instead of competing against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/fully-embrace-the-fact-that-you-are-enough-just-being-you-it-s-so/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [You'd assume I was being bullied a tonne at school and it was horrible, but in reality, I really was getting bullied everywhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/you-d-assume-i-was-being-bullied-a-tonne-at-school-and-it-was/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [“Even if you look a little unusual, you're a member of the human race.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/even-if-you-look-a-little-unusual-you-re-a-member-of-the-human-race/) [Lizzie Velásquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [Young girls and boys from all around the world let me know their personal story, and I can feel their smile through their words.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/young-girls-and-boys-from-all-around-the-world-let-me-know-their/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [Beyond scheduling regular checkups with my cardiologist, there is no way to know if or when my heart condition might become critical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/beyond-scheduling-regular-checkups-with-my-cardiologist-there-is-no/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [When I was a teenager I would look in the mirror and wish I could wash away my syndrome. I hated it because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/when-i-was-a-teenager-i-would-look-in-the-mirror-and-wish-i-could/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [“We don’t have to allow ourselves to be defined by the labels imposed on us. We get to define ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/we-don-t-have-to-allow-ourselves-to-be-defined-by-the-labels-imposed/) [Lizzie Velásquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [I make it a point to let myself have bad days on a regular basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/i-make-it-a-point-to-let-myself-have-bad-days-on-a-regular-basis/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) [Explore all 77 Lizzie Velásquez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) ## More Dare quotes > [down with ought with because with every brain that thinks it thinks nor dares to feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/down-with-ought-with-because-with-every-brain-that-thinks-it-thinks/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This is no time for ease and comfort. It is time to dare and endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/this-is-no-time-for-ease-and-comfort-it-is-time-to-dare-and-endure/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Life is more complicated than we think, yet far simpler than anyone dares to imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-durrell/life-is-more-complicated-than-we-think-yet-far-simpler-than-anyone/) [Lawrence Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-durrell/) > [I should not dare to call my soul my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/i-should-not-dare-to-call-my-soul-my-own/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [Nobody calls me a racist when I do redneck jokes. Jeff Foxworthy can do as many 'You might be a redneck jokes' as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-mencia/nobody-calls-me-a-racist-when-i-do-redneck-jokes-jeff-foxworthy-can/) [Carlos Mencia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-mencia/) > [Dare to dream! Never underestimate the Power of Our Dream!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dare-to-dream-never-underestimate-the-power-of-our-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Why stop now? Seduce me, Brian.I dare you." "I've always found it hard to turn aside a dare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/why-stop-now-seduce-me-brian-i-dare-you-i-ve-always-found-it-hard-to/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [This moment in which you experience stillness is every moment. Don't let the mind seduce you into the past or future. Stay in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/this-moment-in-which-you-experience-stillness-is-every-moment-don-t/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [Never can true courage dwell with them, Who, playing tricks with conscience, dare not look At their own vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/never-can-true-courage-dwell-with-them-who-playing-tricks-with/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [I tend to get reactions just by being on screen, because I guess I'm physically queer-coded or something. Especially with 'Star Wars;' I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-o-brian/i-tend-to-get-reactions-just-by-being-on-screen-because-i-guess-i-m/) [Katy O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-o-brian/) > [Who would dare assign to art the sterile function of imitating nature?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/who-would-dare-assign-to-art-the-sterile-function-of-imitating-nature/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [The privilege of prayer to me is one of the most cherished possessions, because faith and experience alike convince me that God himself sees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-grenfell/the-privilege-of-prayer-to-me-is-one-of-the-most-cherished/) [Wilfred Grenfell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-grenfell/) > [Let a man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim: Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world yields,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/let-a-man-who-has-to-make-his-fortune-in-life-remember-this-maxim/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [The male dares to be different to the degree that he accepts his passivity and his desire to be female, his fagginess. The farthest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/the-male-dares-to-be-different-to-the-degree-that-he-accepts-his/) [Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/) > [I drink, I huff, I strut, look big and stare; And all this I can do, because I dare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-villiers/i-drink-i-huff-i-strut-look-big-and-stare-and-all-this-i-can-do/) [Theresa Villiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-villiers/) Browse all 2,415 Dare quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Start with kindness, and start with yourself. Dare to be as good to yourself as you would be to someone you truly loved—because that’s how you should feel about yourself. 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