---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not about what happens to you - it…"
description: "\"“It is not about what happens to you - it is about how you perceive it. How you react to it. That is what you have control over. You can crumple up and..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/102/morgan-rice-12515_happens_it-is-not-about-what-happens-to-you-it-i_2651223.jpg"
---

#  It is not about what happens to you - it is about how you…

![“It is not about what happens to you - it is about how you perceive it. How you react to it. That is what you have control over. You can crumple up and die. Or you can be strong. That is what separates girls from women.” quote by Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/102/morgan-rice-12515_happens_it-is-not-about-what-happens-to-you-it-i_2651223.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/102/morgan-rice-12515_happens_it-is-not-about-what-happens-to-you-it-i_2651223.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/102/morgan-rice-12515_happens_it-is-not-about-what-happens-to-you-it-i_2651223.jpg)

> ““It is not about what happens to you - it is about how you perceive it. How you react to it. That is what you have control over. You can crumple up and die. Or you can be strong. That is what separates girls from women.””

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Control lies in perception and reaction, not circumstances; strength distinguishes women from girls.

**In simple terms:** Your reaction, not events, defines you.

Key Takeaway

Choose resilient responses to challenges.

Themes

strength perception gender

Mood

empowering reflective

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- relationships
- career setbacks
- health crises

Key Concepts

emotional resilience personal growth

Questions to Reflect On

- What determines true strength?
- How can you shift perception?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on gender may oversimplify growth.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [Life isnt about what happens to us. Its about how we perceive what happens to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-isnt-about-what-happens-to-us-its-about-how-we-perceive-what/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [My own philosophy is if you're not having sex, you're finished. It separates the girls from the old people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gurley-brown/my-own-philosophy-is-if-you-re-not-having-sex-you-re-finished-it/)

[Helen Gurley Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gurley-brown/)

> [The weak die out and the strong will survive, and will live on forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/the-weak-die-out-and-the-strong-will-survive-and-will-live-on-forever/)

[Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/)

> [“Life isn´t about what happens to us. It´s about how we perceive what happens to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taro-gold/life-isn-t-about-what-happens-to-us-it-s-about-how-we-perceive-what/)

Taro Gold

> [“Life is not what happens to us; it is what we perceive has happened to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/life-is-not-what-happens-to-us-it-is-what-we-perceive-has-happened-to/)

[Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/)

> [If my ruling disposition is self-interest, I perceive that everything that happens to me is always for or against my self-interest; if, on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-my-ruling-disposition-is-self-interest-i-perceive-that-everything/)

[Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/)

> [You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island opportunities and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/you-must-live-in-the-present-launch-yourself-on-every-wave-find-your/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [A great artist transforms our world, removes scales from our eyes, plugs from our ears, gloves from our fingertips, teaches us to perceive reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/a-great-artist-transforms-our-world-removes-scales-from-our-eyes/)

[John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/)

> [Each person carries an entire world within himself, and everything exists twice: once the way it is, the other the way he perceives it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-korczak/each-person-carries-an-entire-world-within-himself-and-everything/)

[Janusz Korczak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-korczak/)

> [You perceive, now, that these things are all impossible except in a dream. You perceive that they are pure and puerile insanities, the silly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/you-perceive-now-that-these-things-are-all-impossible-except-in-a/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/)

[Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/)

> [You cannot perceive what you are not in the vibration of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-anka/you-cannot-perceive-what-you-are-not-in-the-vibration-of/)

[Darryl Anka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-anka/)

> [It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-is-easier-to-perceive-error-than-to-find-truth-for-the-former-lies/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/)

[Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/)

> [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/)

[Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/)

## More by Morgan Rice

> [“An apple with a rotten core can only last so long,” he”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/an-apple-with-a-rotten-core-can-only-last-so-long-he/)

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

> [“Each time you prove yourself, you will be tested again. Each time, the tests will become greater. The more you struggle, the greater person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/each-time-you-prove-yourself-you-will-be-tested-again-each-time-the/)

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

> [“The war will not be won today,” Rexus continued. “Not tomorrow, even. But eventually, we will win. A people who demands freedom will in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/the-war-will-not-be-won-today-rexus-continued-not-tomorrow-even-but/)

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

> [“no te regocijes después de ser salvado de la muerte.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/no-te-regocijes-despu-s-de-ser-salvado-de-la-muerte/)

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

> [“The boy stood on the highest knoll of the low country in the Western Kingdom of the Ring, looking north, watching the first of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/the-boy-stood-on-the-highest-knoll-of-the-low-country-in-the-western/)

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

> [“Gwen knew it was up to her to inspire them all, to make them feel a sense of safety, of security—somehow, even, of optimism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/gwen-knew-it-was-up-to-her-to-inspire-them-all-to-make-them-feel-a/)

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

> [“masked ball tonight,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/masked-ball-tonight/)

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

> [“it was not the objective that made one a hero—it was the journey, the quest itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/it-was-not-the-objective-that-made-one-a-hero-it-was-the-journey-the/)

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

> [“Women are property,” he replied. “Your father was a fool to name you queen, to try to elevate women to more than what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/women-are-property-he-replied-your-father-was-a-fool-to-name-you/)

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

> [“As Thor walked, he was beginning to realize that it was not the objective that made one a hero—it was the journey, the quest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/as-thor-walked-he-was-beginning-to-realize-that-it-was-not-the/)

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

> [“Kyra stood atop the grassy knoll, the frozen ground hard beneath her boots, snow falling around her, and tried to ignore the biting cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/kyra-stood-atop-the-grassy-knoll-the-frozen-ground-hard-beneath-her/)

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

> [“Kendrick’s honor forbade him from turning an eye to his capture.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/kendrick-s-honor-forbade-him-from-turning-an-eye-to-his-capture/)

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

> [“With no direction or purpose left in his life, Steffen had wandered and had come here, to this small village high on this hilltop,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/with-no-direction-or-purpose-left-in-his-life-steffen-had-wandered/)

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

> [“Worse still was that Thor sensed his brothers, paradoxically, were threatened by him, maybe even hated him. Thor could see it in their every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/worse-still-was-that-thor-sensed-his-brothers-paradoxically-were/)

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

> [“You can collapse and die if you like. There is plenty of time for that. But that is boring. Be strong and live. Truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/you-can-collapse-and-die-if-you-like-there-is-plenty-of-time-for-that/)

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

[Explore all 47 Morgan Rice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

## More Happens quotes

> [I could not limit my values and pursuits to what makes others comfortable. Being possessed by a promise I live without options. I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/i-could-not-limit-my-values-and-pursuits-to-what-makes-others/)

[Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/)

> [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/)

[Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/)

> [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/)

[Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/)

> [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/)

[Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/)

> [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/)

[Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/)

> [Faith is the avenue to salvation. Not intellectual understanding. Not money. Not your works. Just simple faith. How much faith? The faith of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/faith-is-the-avenue-to-salvation-not-intellectual-understanding-not/)

[Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/)

> [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/)

[Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/)

> [The amazing thing is that we live our lives with the hope that things will go right, that things will happen. And all along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-nakadate/the-amazing-thing-is-that-we-live-our-lives-with-the-hope-that-things/)

[Laurel Nakadate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-nakadate/)

> [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/)

[Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/)

> [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/)

[Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/)

> [This mind is a prison. It cannot find any freedom anywhere. It must die before freedom comes to you. But we have taken the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/this-mind-is-a-prison-it-cannot-find-any-freedom-anywhere-it-must-die/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [Evolution happens in jumps, very rapidly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-ferguson/evolution-happens-in-jumps-very-rapidly/)

[Marilyn Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-ferguson/)

Browse all 13,486 Happens quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“It is not about what happens to you - it is about how you perceive it. How you react to it. That is what you have control over. You can crumple up and die. Or you can be strong. That is what separates girls from women.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Morgan Rice"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/it-is-not-about-what-happens-to-you-it-is-about-how-you-perceive-it/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Happens"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/it-is-not-about-what-happens-to-you-it-is-about-how-you-perceive-it/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/102/morgan-rice-12515_happens_it-is-not-about-what-happens-to-you-it-i_2651223.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/102/morgan-rice-12515_happens_it-is-not-about-what-happens-to-you-it-i_2651223.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/102/morgan-rice-12515_happens_it-is-not-about-what-happens-to-you-it-i_2651223.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It is not about what happens to you - it is about how you perceive it. How you react to it. That is what you…” — Morgan Rice",
                "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": "Morgan Rice",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“It is not about what happens...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/it-is-not-about-what-happens-to-you-it-is-about-how-you-perceive-it/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/it-is-not-about-what-happens-to-you-it-is-about-how-you-perceive-it/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
