--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wish I would've learned earlier on to…" description: "\"“I wish I would've learned earlier on to be myself and express what mattered to me and how I actually felt about things.”\" — Melanie Shankle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/melanie-shankle-30196_be-yourself_i-wish-i-would-ve-learned-earlier-on-to_2859766.jpg" --- # I wish I would've learned earlier on to be myself and… ![“I wish I would've learned earlier on to be myself and express what mattered to me and how I actually felt about things.” quote by Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/melanie-shankle-30196_be-yourself_i-wish-i-would-ve-learned-earlier-on-to_2859766.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/melanie-shankle-30196_be-yourself_i-wish-i-would-ve-learned-earlier-on-to_2859766.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/melanie-shankle-30196_be-yourself_i-wish-i-would-ve-learned-earlier-on-to_2859766.jpg) > ““I wish I would've learned earlier on to be myself and express what mattered to me and how I actually felt about things.”” [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizes the importance of early self‑discovery and honest expression of feelings to live authentically. **In simple terms:** Being true to oneself is essential for fulfillment. Key Takeaway Start expressing genuine thoughts and emotions now. Themes authenticity self‑growth emotional honesty Mood inspirational encouraging Type advice personal When to use this quote - career counseling - therapy sessions - creative projects Key Concepts personal identity self‑expression inner voice Questions to Reflect On - What does being authentic mean to you? - How can you practice honest self‑expression daily? A Different Perspective Fear of judgment can delay self‑expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deep thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-thoughts/) [Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-quotes/) ## Related quotes > [...when the little boy discovered, at four, the same thing Mr. Smith had learned earlier -- that only birds and planes could fly --…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/when-the-little-boy-discovered-at-four-the-same-thing-mr-smith-had/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [I actually felt calmer and more serene when we got up to the tower that I think I ever have. We had literally done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseline-filion/i-actually-felt-calmer-and-more-serene-when-we-got-up-to-the-tower/) Roseline Filion > [Sorry, I cant get over you because what I actually felt was REAL.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sorry-i-cant-get-over-you-because-what-i-actually-felt-was-real/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I feel like 2012 was the first year I actually felt like a grown-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-keenan-bolger/i-feel-like-2012-was-the-first-year-i-actually-felt-like-a-grown-up/) [Andrew Keenan-Bolger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-keenan-bolger/) > [I felt like any individual's recovery was more important than the film I was making. 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That he created us and loves us with a love more fierce and loyal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/not-one-thing-we-ve-done-changes-that-we-are-his-that-he-created-us/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [“Friends are God’s way of apologizing for your relatives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/friends-are-god-s-way-of-apologizing-for-your-relatives/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [“As a new mom, your life changes overnight. 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That we're all waiting on something, no matter where we are in life. It's the human condition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/and-you-know-what-i-realize-now-that-we-re-all-waiting-on-something/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) [Explore all 17 Melanie Shankle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) ## More Be yourself quotes > [Be proud of who you are & who you represent.You are unique, there is no other exactly like you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/be-proud-of-who-you-are-who-you-represent-you-are-unique-there-is-no/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [Make-up can't cover up an ugly personality!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/make-up-can-t-cover-up-an-ugly-personality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I does wat I does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-does-wat-i-does/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Change nothing, just be yourself to experience peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/change-nothing-just-be-yourself-to-experience-peace/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) > [No matter how badly people treat you, never drop down to their level. It will only excite them more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-matter-how-badly-people-treat-you-never-drop-down-to-their-level/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You go into extinction by being obsessed about becoming something else and then travelling in the wrong car while your real self keeps waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-go-into-extinction-by-being-obsessed-about-becoming-something/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [It's always brave to be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-yifei/it-s-always-brave-to-be-yourself/) [Liu Yifei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-yifei/) > [My true Self is free. I cannot be contained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/my-true-self-is-free-i-cannot-be-contained/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Why is it that anyone can pretend to be someone there not and never be someone they are?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akeem/why-is-it-that-anyone-can-pretend-to-be-someone-there-not-and-never/) Akeem > [You can never change the Past, not control the future. But, you can change the mood of the day, by touching someone's Heart with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/you-can-never-change-the-past-not-control-the-future-but-you-can/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [Just be you. Do what you love. I've learned that in the end, you can't make everyone happy no matter what you say or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/just-be-you-do-what-you-love-i-ve-learned-that-in-the-end-you-can-t/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Nothing has power over you unless you allow it. No matter what happens, you can choose what and how to think, act, and speak!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-has-power-over-you-unless-you-allow-it-no-matter-what-happens/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be who you want to be, not what people want to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-who-you-want-to-be-not-what-people-want-to-see/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm might not be the best , I might not be strongest or the fastest or the smart ,but I'm sure as hades ain't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/i-m-might-not-be-the-best-i-might-not-be-strongest-or-the-fastest-or/) MrAwesome > [I'm not a person to judge but I really don't care for people that follow I love the ones that want to lead unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-brown/i-m-not-a-person-to-judge-but-i-really-don-t-care-for-people-that/) [Jordan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-brown/) Browse all 2,115 Be yourself quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I wish I would've learned earlier on to be myself and express what mattered to me and how I actually felt about things.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Melanie Shankle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/i-wish-i-would-ve-learned-earlier-on-to-be-myself-and-express-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Be yourself" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/i-wish-i-would-ve-learned-earlier-on-to-be-myself-and-express-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/melanie-shankle-30196_be-yourself_i-wish-i-would-ve-learned-earlier-on-to_2859766.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/melanie-shankle-30196_be-yourself_i-wish-i-would-ve-learned-earlier-on-to_2859766.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/melanie-shankle-30196_be-yourself_i-wish-i-would-ve-learned-earlier-on-to_2859766.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I wish I would've learned earlier on to be myself and express what mattered to me and how I actually felt…” — Melanie Shankle", "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": "Melanie Shankle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I wish I would've learned earlier...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/i-wish-i-would-ve-learned-earlier-on-to-be-myself-and-express-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/i-wish-i-would-ve-learned-earlier-on-to-be-myself-and-express-what/#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 } } ] } ```