--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't be afraid - if you don't exercise…" description: "\"Don't be afraid - if you don't exercise your rights, you will lose them.\" — Maria Ressa" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/maria-ressa-11796_afraid_don-t-be-afraid-if-you-don-t-exercise-yo_1634923.jpg" --- # Don't be afraid - if you don't exercise your rights, you… ![“Don't be afraid - if you don't exercise your rights, you will lose them.” quote by Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/maria-ressa-11796_afraid_don-t-be-afraid-if-you-don-t-exercise-yo_1634923.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/maria-ressa-11796_afraid_don-t-be-afraid-if-you-don-t-exercise-yo_1634923.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/maria-ressa-11796_afraid_don-t-be-afraid-if-you-don-t-exercise-yo_1634923.jpg) > “Don't be afraid - if you don't exercise your rights, you will lose them.” [Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If you don't actively protect your freedoms, they will fade away. **In simple terms:** Rights vanish without use. Key Takeaway Exercise your rights daily. Themes civic duty freedom activism Mood concerned determined Type motivational political When to use this quote - voting - peaceful protest - community organizing - legal advocacy Key Concepts human rights civic participation Questions to Reflect On - What rights are you neglecting? - How can you protect them proactively? A Different Perspective Rights can be eroded slowly, not just by overt oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) ## Related quotes > [You ought to be extremely cautious, watchful, jealous of your liberty; for instead of securing your rights, you may lose them forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-henry/you-ought-to-be-extremely-cautious-watchful-jealous-of-your-liberty/) [Patrick Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-henry/) > [I can't stand by, the Liberal Democrats will not stand by, to see disabled people lose their rights, lose the care they need, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/i-can-t-stand-by-the-liberal-democrats-will-not-stand-by-to-see/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [We must support our rights or lose our character, and with it, perhaps, our liberties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-monroe/we-must-support-our-rights-or-lose-our-character-and-with-it-perhaps/) [James Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-monroe/) > [Defend yourselves! If people don't defend their rights, they lose them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-mosley/defend-yourselves-if-people-don-t-defend-their-rights-they-lose-them/) [Max Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-mosley/) > [Without the U.S. leading the way in trade negotiations, we likely will see irreversible damage to our environment and widespread abuse of labor and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/without-the-u-s-leading-the-way-in-trade-negotiations-we-likely-will/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [If you actually believe in free speech and not simply the free distribution of other people's intellectual property, you should let journalists, law firms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/if-you-actually-believe-in-free-speech-and-not-simply-the-free/) [Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/) > [Athletes have the same rights everybody else does. If there is a strength in our democracy, it's that we are encouraged to exercise those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-van-gundy/athletes-have-the-same-rights-everybody-else-does-if-there-is-a/) [Stan Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-van-gundy/) > [You cannot just exercise your rights and get away without performing your responsibilities. Understand that it should not be about 'me' but rather 'us.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiran-bedi/you-cannot-just-exercise-your-rights-and-get-away-without-performing/) [Kiran Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiran-bedi/) > [How are men to be secured in any rights without instruction; how to be secured in the equal exercise of those rights without equality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/how-are-men-to-be-secured-in-any-rights-without-instruction-how-to-be/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [“If you do not exercise your rights, they will be taken away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aegelis/if-you-do-not-exercise-your-rights-they-will-be-taken-away/) [Aegelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aegelis/) > [“Thinking about joining a startup? Ask for a hiring bonus equal to the exercise cost, early exercise rights, and NSOs instead of ISOs. Exercise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weekly/thinking-about-joining-a-startup-ask-for-a-hiring-bonus-equal-to-the/) David Weekly > [“We have a right to decide how we want our bodies to look and feel, but unfortunately we do not exercise these rights. Instead,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-mosier/we-have-a-right-to-decide-how-we-want-our-bodies-to-look-and-feel-but/) [Holly Mosier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-mosier/) > [Don't be afraid of what you don't know coz it does not exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-be-afraid-of-what-you-don-t-know-coz-it-does-not-exist/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don't be afraid to be wrong; be more afraid, not to do the right thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-armstrong/don-t-be-afraid-to-be-wrong-be-more-afraid-not-to-do-the-right-thing/) [Robert Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-armstrong/) > [You don't have to be afraid because we're all the same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/you-don-t-have-to-be-afraid-because-we-re-all-the-same/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) ## More by Maria Ressa > [Without facts you can't have truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/without-facts-you-can-t-have-truth/) [Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) > [When you're on social media, your brain is being rewired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/when-you-re-on-social-media-your-brain-is-being-rewired/) [Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) > [I don't think we have wrapped our heads around how much technology has allowed the manipulation of individuals and democracies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/i-don-t-think-we-have-wrapped-our-heads-around-how-much-technology/) [Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) > [You cannot succeed if at some point you haven't failed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/you-cannot-succeed-if-at-some-point-you-haven-t-failed/) [Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) > [To deal with COVID-19, countries like India, Brazil, Jordan and Thailand are cutting press freedom and freedom of expression. In nations like Israel, South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/to-deal-with-covid-19-countries-like-india-brazil-jordan-and-thailand/) [Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) > [How well we survive this time of creative destruction, it really is, depends on each of us, on each of us fighting our individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/how-well-we-survive-this-time-of-creative-destruction-it-really-is/) [Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) > [All through my life, when faced with a difficult decision, I always ask myself - where can I learn more. Make the choice to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/all-through-my-life-when-faced-with-a-difficult-decision-i-always-ask/) [Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) > [I'm not a politician; I'm a journalist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/i-m-not-a-politician-i-m-a-journalist/) [Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) > [In a weird way, I'm a good target for the government, because I can push back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/in-a-weird-way-i-m-a-good-target-for-the-government-because-i-can/) [Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) > [I work too hard, I'd be a really bad mom, unfortunately. I can't even keep a plant!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/i-work-too-hard-i-d-be-a-really-bad-mom-unfortunately-i-can-t-even/) [Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) > [Always make the choice to learn. What Princeton taught me was whatever mess you are studying, pull a thread with great persistence 'til you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/always-make-the-choice-to-learn-what-princeton-taught-me-was-whatever/) [Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) > [“Anyone who stood up to the lies spreading over pro-Duterte and pro-Marcos disinformation networks was gaslit, or told they were crazy. What the bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/anyone-who-stood-up-to-the-lies-spreading-over-pro-duterte-and-pro/) [Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) > [Embrace your fear. Imagine what you're most afraid of, touch it and hold it so that you rob it of its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/embrace-your-fear-imagine-what-you-re-most-afraid-of-touch-it-and/) [Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) > [Journalism has a check-and-balance effect to those in power, and those in power submitted themselves to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/journalism-has-a-check-and-balance-effect-to-those-in-power-and-those/) [Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) > [I run Rappler, an online news site in the Philippines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/i-run-rappler-an-online-news-site-in-the-philippines/) [Maria Ressa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) [Explore all 58 Maria Ressa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) Darlene Senger > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Don't be afraid - if you don't exercise your rights, you will lose them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Maria Ressa" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/don-t-be-afraid-if-you-don-t-exercise-your-rights-you-will-lose-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/don-t-be-afraid-if-you-don-t-exercise-your-rights-you-will-lose-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/maria-ressa-11796_afraid_don-t-be-afraid-if-you-don-t-exercise-yo_1634923.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/maria-ressa-11796_afraid_don-t-be-afraid-if-you-don-t-exercise-yo_1634923.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/maria-ressa-11796_afraid_don-t-be-afraid-if-you-don-t-exercise-yo_1634923.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Don't be afraid - if you don't exercise your rights, you will lose them.” — Maria Ressa", "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": "Maria Ressa", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-ressa/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Don't be afraid - if you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/don-t-be-afraid-if-you-don-t-exercise-your-rights-you-will-lose-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-ressa/don-t-be-afraid-if-you-don-t-exercise-your-rights-you-will-lose-them/#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 } } ] } ```