--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She had so little control over her own…" description: "\"“She had so little control over her own life. Yet she took control, out of thin air for herself, when she could. I”\" — Padma Lakshmi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/padma-lakshmi-5094_control_she-had-so-little-control-over-her-own-l_2002692.png" --- # She had so little control over her own life. Yet she took… ![“She had so little control over her own life. Yet she took control, out of thin air for herself, when she could. I” quote by Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/padma-lakshmi-5094_control_she-had-so-little-control-over-her-own-l_2002692.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/padma-lakshmi-5094_control_she-had-so-little-control-over-her-own-l_2002692.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/padma-lakshmi-5094_control_she-had-so-little-control-over-her-own-l_2002692.png) > ““She had so little control over her own life. Yet she took control, out of thin air for herself, when she could. I”” [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She had little control over her life but seized agency when possible, creating freedom from thin air. **In simple terms:** She took control of her life despite limited power. Key Takeaway Recognize and act on moments of agency. Themes empowerment agency self‑determination Mood motivational reflective Type personal empowering When to use this quote - career decisions - personal crises - self‑advocacy Key Concepts personal agency life choices Questions to Reflect On - When did you first claim control? - How can you create agency in constrained situations? A Different Perspective Opportunities for agency may be rare and uncertain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) ## Related quotes > [Bottom line, I removed myself from the victim mentality and took control of my life. I'm not just going to take responsibility for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-d-thomas/bottom-line-i-removed-myself-from-the-victim-mentality-and-took/) [Eric D. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-d-thomas/) > [“Every time I deal with another person, I’m reminded how little control I have over my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mizutani-shizuku/every-time-i-deal-with-another-person-i-m-reminded-how-little-control/) Mizutani Shizuku > [I've always been a little out of control since I was a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/i-ve-always-been-a-little-out-of-control-since-i-was-a-kid/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [“The parts of my mind that apply logic and understanding had somehow abandoned me, and something primitive and instinctual took control.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-rohr/the-parts-of-my-mind-that-apply-logic-and-understanding-had-somehow/) [Danielle Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-rohr/) > [“He had never felt so out of control. Not even as a hormonal teenager. She took his control. She had taken his ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonali-dev/he-had-never-felt-so-out-of-control-not-even-as-a-hormonal-teenager/) [Sonali Dev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonali-dev/) > [“Here were these two, bandying little phrases, drawing purses, looking at cards, and both unconscious of how inarticulate all their real feelings were. Neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/here-were-these-two-bandying-little-phrases-drawing-purses-looking-at/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“Some primal force roared inside him, his possessive streak taking charge. He cupped the back of her head, her hair falling over the back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-braemel/some-primal-force-roared-inside-him-his-possessive-streak-taking/) [Leah Braemel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-braemel/) > [I booked my first series when I was 13. Acting kind of took control because I was just going from part to part at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-morgan/i-booked-my-first-series-when-i-was-13-acting-kind-of-took-control/) [Vanessa Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-morgan/) > [“You were right when you said I was holding onto April's apron strings even though she was trying to cut them. I've spent so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sinclair/you-were-right-when-you-said-i-was-holding-onto-april-s-apron-strings/) Nicola Sinclair > [“Funny how someone could be so important in your life and then ... then you go a long period of time without them even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-hunter/funny-how-someone-could-be-so-important-in-your-life-and-then-then/) [C.C. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-hunter/) > [It's murder to doubt yourself in life. It took until I was 45 to get to that point. As hard as it is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/it-s-murder-to-doubt-yourself-in-life-it-took-until-i-was-45-to-get/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [“Fate had somehow conspired against me, giving me a life of its choosing rather than my own. No one would really miss me if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-underwood/fate-had-somehow-conspired-against-me-giving-me-a-life-of-its/) [Bobby Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-underwood/) > [My whole life I took challenges, I took pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marko-arnautovic/my-whole-life-i-took-challenges-i-took-pressure/) [Marko Arnautovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marko-arnautovic/) > [But clearly life took people and shook them around until finally they were unrecognizable even to those who had once known them well. Still,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/but-clearly-life-took-people-and-shook-them-around-until-finally-they/) [Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/) > [It took me so long to get to the music, where that was what I wanted to do all my life. It took me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-doillon/it-took-me-so-long-to-get-to-the-music-where-that-was-what-i-wanted/) [Lou Doillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-doillon/) ## More by Padma Lakshmi > [“I once asked her if she was happy. “That depends on what I am able to get done today,” she said, laughing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/i-once-asked-her-if-she-was-happy-that-depends-on-what-i-am-able-to/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [In a way that somebody else converts to Judaism or becomes a Hare Krishna, I belong to the church of fried chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/in-a-way-that-somebody-else-converts-to-judaism-or-becomes-a-hare/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [Beauty is no accomplishment on its own. It's what you do with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/beauty-is-no-accomplishment-on-its-own-it-s-what-you-do-with-it/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [I'm the kind of girl who thinks about what she's gonna cook for dinner when she's finishing her lunch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/i-m-the-kind-of-girl-who-thinks-about-what-she-s-gonna-cook-for/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [I am as omnivorous as it's possible to be. I always say there's nothing I won't eat and nothing I won't wear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/i-am-as-omnivorous-as-it-s-possible-to-be-i-always-say-there-s/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [“He was everything I wasn’t. He was a lot of what I wanted to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/he-was-everything-i-wasn-t-he-was-a-lot-of-what-i-wanted-to-be/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [I am a sufferer of endometriosis. I didn't want any young women to go through what I went through. I thought that people should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/i-am-a-sufferer-of-endometriosis-i-didn-t-want-any-young-women-to-go/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [Wine, like food, is so emotional. If you think about it, so much of the courting ritual is surrounded by wine and food. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/wine-like-food-is-so-emotional-if-you-think-about-it-so-much-of-the/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [An oil massage, a hot bath, a good night's sleep, soft smells and music and clothes with soft textures denote sensuality to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/an-oil-massage-a-hot-bath-a-good-night-s-sleep-soft-smells-and-music/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [I have a great career, and I have my daughter. Sio what I don't have is not as important to as what I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/i-have-a-great-career-and-i-have-my-daughter-sio-what-i-don-t-have-is/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [My mom was scared of the old Times Square so I was never allowed to go. Now I'm scared of the new Times Square,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/my-mom-was-scared-of-the-old-times-square-so-i-was-never-allowed-to/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [I love to use a lot of spices when I cook, so we actually cast a real peppercorn in gold and then just made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/i-love-to-use-a-lot-of-spices-when-i-cook-so-we-actually-cast-a-real/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [“I cannot remember what we talked about except that we never stopped talking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/i-cannot-remember-what-we-talked-about-except-that-we-never-stopped/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [I'm not attached to things at all. I'm very lucky to have quite a few beautiful things, but if I look back at my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/i-m-not-attached-to-things-at-all-i-m-very-lucky-to-have-quite-a-few/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [Jewelry should not upstage you. I pick one hot point on my body that I'm going to highlight. Let one area do the singing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/jewelry-should-not-upstage-you-i-pick-one-hot-point-on-my-body-that-i/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) [Explore all 103 Padma Lakshmi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) ## More Control quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“You can't control who loves you...you can't let someone love you anymore than you can make someone love you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/you-can-t-control-who-loves-you-you-can-t-let-someone-love-you/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [Don't think you can...know you can! You human body is the most impressive tool you'll ever own. Even if you can't control everything, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/don-t-think-you-can-know-you-can-you-human-body-is-the-most/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/) Thomas Miller > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [Some nights I'm funny with the between-song commentary, some nights I'm not. I have no control over this. I pace the stage a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/some-nights-i-m-funny-with-the-between-song-commentary-some-nights-i/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Browse all 6,032 Control quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“She had so little control over her own life. Yet she took control, out of thin air for herself, when she could. I”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Padma Lakshmi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/she-had-so-little-control-over-her-own-life-yet-she-took-control-out/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Control" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/she-had-so-little-control-over-her-own-life-yet-she-took-control-out/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/padma-lakshmi-5094_control_she-had-so-little-control-over-her-own-l_2002692.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/padma-lakshmi-5094_control_she-had-so-little-control-over-her-own-l_2002692.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/padma-lakshmi-5094_control_she-had-so-little-control-over-her-own-l_2002692.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“She had so little control over her own life. Yet she took control, out of thin air for herself, when she…” — Padma Lakshmi", "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": "Padma Lakshmi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“She had so little control over...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/she-had-so-little-control-over-her-own-life-yet-she-took-control-out/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/she-had-so-little-control-over-her-own-life-yet-she-took-control-out/#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 } } ] } ```