--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It doen't matter what you've been…" description: "\"It doen't matter what you've been through, where you come from... none of that matters. What matters is how you choose to love, how you choose to expre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/oprah-winfrey-186_choose_it-doen-t-matter-what-you-ve-been-throug_2966262.jpg" --- # It doen't matter what you've been through, where you come… ![“It doen't matter what you've been through, where you come from... none of that matters. What matters is how you choose to love, how you choose to express that love through your work, through your family, through what you have to give to the world.” quote by Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/oprah-winfrey-186_choose_it-doen-t-matter-what-you-ve-been-throug_2966262.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/oprah-winfrey-186_choose_it-doen-t-matter-what-you-ve-been-throug_2966262.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/oprah-winfrey-186_choose_it-doen-t-matter-what-you-ve-been-throug_2966262.jpg) > “It doen't matter what you've been through, where you come from... none of that matters. What matters is how you choose to love, how you choose to express that love through your work, through your family, through what you have to give to the world.” [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Past background is irrelevant; love and how you express it through work and relationships matter most. **In simple terms:** Love and expression matter more than origins. Key Takeaway Choose love in actions. Themes love purpose choice Mood inspirational uplifting Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - family life - career - community service Key Concepts human connection meaningful work Questions to Reflect On - How do you demonstrate love in daily tasks? - What actions reflect your values? A Different Perspective Love alone may not solve systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choose love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose-love/) [Express Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/express-love/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Our family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-family/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [You choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you-choose/) ## Related quotes > [But we don’t remember those lives. We can’t read our diaries.’ ‘It doesn’t matter. We are where we are, however we got here. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-marion/but-we-don-t-remember-those-lives-we-can-t-read-our-diaries-it-doesn/) [Isaac Marion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-marion/) > [If one day you have to choose between the world and love, remember this: If you choose the world you’ll be left without love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/if-one-day-you-have-to-choose-between-the-world-and-love-remember/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Choose love. Choose love. Without this beautiful love, life is nothing but a burden.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jalaluddin-rumi/choose-love-choose-love-without-this-beautiful-love-life-is-nothing/) [Jalaluddin Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jalaluddin-rumi/) > [The problem with love is that though we get to choose who we love, we don't get to choose who loves us back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-springer/the-problem-with-love-is-that-though-we-get-to-choose-who-we-love-we/) [Jerry Springer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-springer/) > [Choose to love someone that you love and then what they come with; but the world's love choose to love with what people come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-vermaak/choose-to-love-someone-that-you-love-and-then-what-they-come-with-but/) [Geraldine Vermaak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-vermaak/) > [“I live love. I am made of infinite love. I choose love in each moment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-leigh-mercree/i-live-love-i-am-made-of-infinite-love-i-choose-love-in-each-moment/) [Amy Leigh Mercree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-leigh-mercree/) > [“Always remember, love’s very nature is to break the ties and fetters that try to restrain it, it will make a mockery of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-e-feeley-jr/always-remember-love-s-very-nature-is-to-break-the-ties-and-fetters/) F.E. Feeley Jr > [“Choose to live and choose to love; choose to rise above and give back what you yourself were given.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilgamesh/choose-to-live-and-choose-to-love-choose-to-rise-above-and-give-back/) Gilgamesh > [When we choose to love, we choose to move against fear, against alienation and separation. The choice to love is a choice to connect,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/when-we-choose-to-love-we-choose-to-move-against-fear-against/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [People say love can be developed, but in the end, the only person you love is yourself. That's why you choose to love someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-yazawa/people-say-love-can-be-developed-but-in-the-end-the-only-person-you/) [Ai Yazawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-yazawa/) > [I believe love is primarily a choice and only sometimes a feeling. If you want to feel love, choose to love and be patient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-love-is-primarily-a-choice-and-only-sometimes-a-feeling-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Publilius Syrus come to me: Amor animi arbitrio sumitur, non ponitur; we choose to love; we do not choose to cease loving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/publilius-syrus-come-to-me-amor-animi-arbitrio-sumitur-non-ponitur-we/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [“In every given moment we have a divine spiritual assignment in front of us: Choose love or choose fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/in-every-given-moment-we-have-a-divine-spiritual-assignment-in-front/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [“When you choose to love someone who doesn't love you, you choose to get hurt too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garima-soni-words-world/when-you-choose-to-love-someone-who-doesn-t-love-you-you-choose-to/) Garima Soni - words world > [Amor animi arbitrio sumitu, non ponitur; we choose to love; we do not choose to cease loving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/amor-animi-arbitrio-sumitu-non-ponitur-we-choose-to-love-we-do-not/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) ## More by Oprah Winfrey > [I've seen that many times in rural African villages where people have nothing but a hut and a bowl. The joy in the children's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-ve-seen-that-many-times-in-rural-african-villages-where-people-have/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [These French-style caramels are handmade in California. It's always hard to give them away!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/these-french-style-caramels-are-handmade-in-california-it-s-always/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [I was in a conversation and someone said: "You know, we were talking about the whole issue of transgender and how it has become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-was-in-a-conversation-and-someone-said-you-know-we-were-talking/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [“Forgiveness is about letting go of the past and not holding on to it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/forgiveness-is-about-letting-go-of-the-past-and-not-holding-on-to-it/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [The deepest courage we can exercise is continuing to believe in our dreams until we make them come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/the-deepest-courage-we-can-exercise-is-continuing-to-believe-in-our/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [If you can see it, and believe it, it is a LOT easier to achieve it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/if-you-can-see-it-and-believe-it-it-is-a-lot-easier-to-achieve-it/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It's why you were born. And how you become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/there-is-no-greater-gift-you-can-give-or-receive-than-to-honor-your/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Gratitude is the single greatest treasure I will take with me from this experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/gratitude-is-the-single-greatest-treasure-i-will-take-with-me-from/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [I am disappointed by this controversy surrounding A Million Little Pieces because I rely on the publishers to define the category that a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-am-disappointed-by-this-controversy-surrounding-a-million-little/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Keep a grateful journal. Every night, list five things that you are grateful for. What it will begin to do is change our perspective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/keep-a-grateful-journal-every-night-list-five-things-that-you-are/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [I want every day to be a fresh start on expanding what is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-want-every-day-to-be-a-fresh-start-on-expanding-what-is-possible/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [We often block our own blessings because we don't feel inherently good enough or smart enough or pretty enough or worthy enough... You're worthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/we-often-block-our-own-blessings-because-we-don-t-feel-inherently/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [One if the hardest things in life to learn are which bridges to cross and which bridges to burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/one-if-the-hardest-things-in-life-to-learn-are-which-bridges-to-cross/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [You must feed your mind with reading material, thoughts, and ideas that open you to new possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/you-must-feed-your-mind-with-reading-material-thoughts-and-ideas-that/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Your soul tells you when it's time to move on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/your-soul-tells-you-when-it-s-time-to-move-on/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) [Explore all 971 Oprah Winfrey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) ## More Choose quotes > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [If somebody asks me to choose a biopic, it would be Narain Karthikeyan because I love racing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naga-chaitanya/if-somebody-asks-me-to-choose-a-biopic-it-would-be-narain-karthikeyan/) [Naga Chaitanya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naga-chaitanya/) > [“Either you soften your ego, or the world will do it for you. Choose!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-mccoy/either-you-soften-your-ego-or-the-world-will-do-it-for-you-choose/) [Bert McCoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-mccoy/) > [I'm aware of who I am and I'm comfortable with who I choose to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-m-aware-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-comfortable-with-who-i-choose-to-date/) [Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [If you choose to work at a larger company over a smaller company, you are more likely to be higher paid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-sweet/if-you-choose-to-work-at-a-larger-company-over-a-smaller-company-you/) [Julie Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-sweet/) > [You can't choose what stays and what stays away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-can-t-choose-what-stays-and-what-stays-away/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [It's only a thought and a thought can be changed. Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime...so you gotta choose who is good for you! Be wise, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason-a-season-or-a-lifetime-so-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not opposed - we manufacture a lot of socks in North Carolina - I just choose not to wear them. It's a Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-burr/i-m-not-opposed-we-manufacture-a-lot-of-socks-in-north-carolina-i/) [Richard Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-burr/) > [Having too many options is bad. I want one person, just one. Not a whole bunch to choose from,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roderickthefirst/having-too-many-options-is-bad-i-want-one-person-just-one-not-a-whole/) RoderickTheFirst > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [People are as happy as they choose to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/people-are-as-happy-as-they-choose-to-be/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) Browse all 3,851 Choose quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It doen't matter what you've been through, where you come from... none of that matters. What matters is how you choose to love, how you choose to express that love through your work, through your family, through what you have to give to the world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oprah Winfrey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/it-doen-t-matter-what-you-ve-been-through-where-you-come-from-none-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choose" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/it-doen-t-matter-what-you-ve-been-through-where-you-come-from-none-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/oprah-winfrey-186_choose_it-doen-t-matter-what-you-ve-been-throug_2966262.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/oprah-winfrey-186_choose_it-doen-t-matter-what-you-ve-been-throug_2966262.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/oprah-winfrey-186_choose_it-doen-t-matter-what-you-ve-been-throug_2966262.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It doen't matter what you've been through, where you come from... none of that matters. What matters is how…” — Oprah Winfrey", "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": "Oprah Winfrey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It doen't matter what you've been...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/it-doen-t-matter-what-you-ve-been-through-where-you-come-from-none-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/it-doen-t-matter-what-you-ve-been-through-where-you-come-from-none-of/#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 } } ] } ```