--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The times when I feel not alive is when I…" description: "\"The times when I feel not alive is when I feel stifled, when I feel like the emotion that's in me is not coming out. I'm too busy, too hectic. I'm serv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/michael-franti-2651_alive_the-times-when-i-feel-not-alive-is-when_1508342.png" --- # The times when I feel not alive is when I feel stifled… ![“The times when I feel not alive is when I feel stifled, when I feel like the emotion that's in me is not coming out. I'm too busy, too hectic. I'm serving my iPhone more than my spirit. Those are the times I feel bad.” quote by Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/michael-franti-2651_alive_the-times-when-i-feel-not-alive-is-when_1508342.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/michael-franti-2651_alive_the-times-when-i-feel-not-alive-is-when_1508342.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/michael-franti-2651_alive_the-times-when-i-feel-not-alive-is-when_1508342.png) > “The times when I feel not alive is when I feel stifled, when I feel like the emotion that's in me is not coming out. I'm too busy, too hectic. I'm serving my iPhone more than my spirit. Those are the times I feel bad.” [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feeling stifled and overly attached to devices leads to a sense of emptiness, indicating a need for authentic emotional expression. **In simple terms:** Busy tech use can suppress true feelings. Key Takeaway Prioritize genuine emotional release over digital distraction. Themes digital overload emotional suppression self-care Mood restless contemplative Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - daily routines - creative work - personal relationships Key Concepts mindfulness psychology well‑being Questions to Reflect On - What moments allow you to feel truly alive? - How can you create space for emotional expression? A Different Perspective Constant busyness can prevent deep introspection and rest. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy/) [Coming out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming-out/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Feel Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-bad/) [Feel Stifled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-stifled-5546307/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Hectic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hectic/) [Iphone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iphone/) [Serving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serving/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Stifled Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stifled-feel-5546306/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Times Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-feel/) [Too busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-busy/) ## Related quotes > [“You too are an exile, I thought. You morn for the broad open steppes where you have room to spread your icy wings. Here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lermontov/you-too-are-an-exile-i-thought-you-morn-for-the-broad-open-steppes/) [Lermontov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lermontov/) > [I try to focus on using my energy to change things, but there are times when I feel so bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-phelps-roper/i-try-to-focus-on-using-my-energy-to-change-things-but-there-are/) [Megan Phelps-Roper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-phelps-roper/) > [There's sometimes when I feel really balanced, and there's other times when I feel like I'm trying to keep juggling too many balls in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/there-s-sometimes-when-i-feel-really-balanced-and-there-s-other-times/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [There are times when I feel incredibly loved and connected, and times when I feel alone. I think that's natural for all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-sturgess/there-are-times-when-i-feel-incredibly-loved-and-connected-and-times/) [Jim Sturgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-sturgess/) > [At times I feel it almost impossible not to despond entirely of there ever being a better, brighter day for us. None but those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-forten-grimke/at-times-i-feel-it-almost-impossible-not-to-despond-entirely-of-there/) [Charlotte Forten Grimke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-forten-grimke/) > [Those times when you feel so empty, and cutting is the only thing that makes you feel again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/those-times-when-you-feel-so-empty-and-cutting-is-the-only-thing-that/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience/) > [I am still a consumer; the consumer world was the world I emerged into, whose air I breathed for a very long time, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/i-am-still-a-consumer-the-consumer-world-was-the-world-i-emerged-into/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Many times you may feel alone in the world, but the right record pulls you back to realizing that many people have gone through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/many-times-you-may-feel-alone-in-the-world-but-the-right-record-pulls/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [Sometimes you make me feel I am so special but there are times that I feel like I am just nobody that I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/sometimes-you-make-me-feel-i-am-so-special-but-there-are-times-that-i/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [At times, I feel I do better on short notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovince-saint-preux/at-times-i-feel-i-do-better-on-short-notice/) [Ovince Saint Preux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovince-saint-preux/) > [“It is at the times when I feel that I have nothing that the gem lies in the palm of my hand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-a-smith/it-is-at-the-times-when-i-feel-that-i-have-nothing-that-the-gem-lies/) [Holly A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-a-smith/) > [Just because it may seem like I am so confident, so happy all the time, there are times when I feel low. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-kostek/just-because-it-may-seem-like-i-am-so-confident-so-happy-all-the-time/) [Camille Kostek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-kostek/) > [There are times when you feel like you give a great effort, you have prepared properly, and you got less than what you wanted.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehman/there-are-times-when-you-feel-like-you-give-a-great-effort-you-have/) [Tom Lehman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehman/) > [“You know life is weird. There are times I feel so grown up and like I know everything I need to know, but then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-dodd/you-know-life-is-weird-there-are-times-i-feel-so-grown-up-and-like-i/) [Jillian Dodd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-dodd/) > [Everyone has those times when you feel like you don't fit in. Everyone struggles to a certain extent with being cool and popular, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-boldman/everyone-has-those-times-when-you-feel-like-you-don-t-fit-in-everyone/) [Spencer Boldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-boldman/) ## More by Michael Franti > [The most difficult part for me is feeling connected to the people that I love but always being on the go to different places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/the-most-difficult-part-for-me-is-feeling-connected-to-the-people/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [A lot of times we look at the whole world and think, 'it's so daunting, how can we change the whole world?' and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/a-lot-of-times-we-look-at-the-whole-world-and-think-it-s-so-daunting/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [I think my soul is intact, but my methods of reaching people are completely different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/i-think-my-soul-is-intact-but-my-methods-of-reaching-people-are/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [We don't have to be good, you know? No one's telling us that we have to do good things, but we do them because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/we-don-t-have-to-be-good-you-know-no-one-s-telling-us-that-we-have-to/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [During my travels in Iraq, Israel, Gaza, Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, Europe and all over the United States, I have seen and heard the voices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/during-my-travels-in-iraq-israel-gaza-brazil-indonesia-japan-europe/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [The personal revolution is far more difficult, and is the first step in any revolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/the-personal-revolution-is-far-more-difficult-and-is-the-first-step/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [I've never really been into flags of any kind, cause flags can bring people together, but they always bring people together against other people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/i-ve-never-really-been-into-flags-of-any-kind-cause-flags-can-bring/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [My parents said sticks and stones will break your bones but names will never hurt you. But I always felt a sense of exhilaration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/my-parents-said-sticks-and-stones-will-break-your-bones-but-names/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [Jamaica's a country of great dichotomy. On the one hand you have a tourist industry with great beaches and resorts, but on the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/jamaica-s-a-country-of-great-dichotomy-on-the-one-hand-you-have-a/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [I believe that in order to tackle the big issues of the world today, like environmental issues, we need everybody's involvement. We need the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/i-believe-that-in-order-to-tackle-the-big-issues-of-the-world-today/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [Don't fear the night time, Because the monsters know that you're divine. And don't fear the sunshine, Because everything is better in the summer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/don-t-fear-the-night-time-because-the-monsters-know-that-you-re/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [You get everything you could have ever wished for if you're willing to give that eternal bliss away to somebody else, to give it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/you-get-everything-you-could-have-ever-wished-for-if-you-re-willing/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [To sit back and say, 'Oh, we're going to let the government do whatever they want, right or wrong,' is giving up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/to-sit-back-and-say-oh-we-re-going-to-let-the-government-do-whatever/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [I think right now is when we need to hear different voices coming out of all parts of the world. You can't just hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/i-think-right-now-is-when-we-need-to-hear-different-voices-coming-out/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) > [“You can bomb the world to pieces, but you can't bomb it into peace. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/you-can-bomb-the-world-to-pieces-but-you-can-t-bomb-it-into-peace/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) [Explore all 156 Michael Franti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The times when I feel not alive is when I feel stifled, when I feel like the emotion that's in me is not coming out. I'm too busy, too hectic. I'm serving my iPhone more than my spirit. 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