--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought the best thing that I could do…" description: "\"I thought the best thing that I could do would be to clean up my own act, in terms of whatever .. childhood wounds were left.\" — Patti Davis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/patti-davis-9012_best-things_i-thought-the-best-thing-that-i-could-do_2334411.png" --- # I thought the best thing that I could do would be to clean… ![“I thought the best thing that I could do would be to clean up my own act, in terms of whatever .. childhood wounds were left.” quote by Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/patti-davis-9012_best-things_i-thought-the-best-thing-that-i-could-do_2334411.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/patti-davis-9012_best-things_i-thought-the-best-thing-that-i-could-do_2334411.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/patti-davis-9012_best-things_i-thought-the-best-thing-that-i-could-do_2334411.png) > “I thought the best thing that I could do would be to clean up my own act, in terms of whatever .. childhood wounds were left.” [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She chooses self‑improvement, addressing lingering childhood wounds, as the best way to move forward. **In simple terms:** Healing past hurts is the first step to personal growth. Key Takeaway Heal yourself before helping others. Themes self‑care healing personal responsibility growth reflection Mood reflective hopeful determined Type self‑help motivational When to use this quote - therapy - journaling - setting boundaries - seeking mentorship Key Concepts psychology trauma recovery self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What childhood wounds still affect you? - How can you measure progress in self‑improvement? A Different Perspective Healing can be painful and non‑linear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-things/) [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Wounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wounds/) ## Related quotes > [“It's easy to talk big, but the important thing is whether or not you clean up the shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/it-s-easy-to-talk-big-but-the-important-thing-is-whether-or-not-you/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Relationships and wounds should never be left open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hqlinestumblr/relationships-and-wounds-should-never-be-left-open/) HQLinestumblr > [But our wounds are part of who we are...and there is nothing left to chance…And pain's the pen that writes the songs…That call us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-card/but-our-wounds-are-part-of-who-we-are-and-there-is-nothing-left-to/) [Michael Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-card/) > [What, after all,is a halo? It's only one more thing to keep clean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fry/what-after-all-is-a-halo-it-s-only-one-more-thing-to-keep-clean/) [Christopher Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fry/) > [Romantic Love delivers us into the passionate arms of someone who will ultimately trigger the same frustrations we had with our parents, but for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harville-hendrix/romantic-love-delivers-us-into-the-passionate-arms-of-someone-who/) [Harville Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harville-hendrix/) > [Family relationships trigger childhood wounds, and those wounds often trump our rational thinking. We can't 'rationally' transcend the kind of primal pain that such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/family-relationships-trigger-childhood-wounds-and-those-wounds-often/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“Wounded parents often unintentionally inflict pain and suffering on their children and these childhood wounds causes a laundry list of maladaptive behaviors commonly called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc-love-is-not-enough/wounded-parents-often-unintentionally-inflict-pain-and-suffering-on/) [David W. Earle LPC- Love is Not Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc-love-is-not-enough/) > [Pain is part of the past. There isn't one of us who doesn't still carry childhood wounds. Some are more horrific than others, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/pain-is-part-of-the-past-there-isn-t-one-of-us-who-doesn-t-still/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [“An important note about Roxannah's background. In my conversation with Dr. Jessica Sanderson (please see Author Acknowledgements), what became obvious to me was that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-afshar/an-important-note-about-roxannah-s-background-in-my-conversation-with/) [Tessa Afshar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-afshar/) > [The saints are sinners still. Our best tears need to be wept over, the strongest faith is mixed with unbelief, our most flaming love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-saints-are-sinners-still-our-best-tears-need-to-be-wept-over-the/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [I know I left you, but at that time I thought it was for the best, but now I'm lost without you, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krisee-ellis/i-know-i-left-you-but-at-that-time-i-thought-it-was-for-the-best-but/) [Krisee Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krisee-ellis/) > [First thought is best in Art, second in other matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/first-thought-is-best-in-art-second-in-other-matters/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [You were my best friend, thought you always be my best friend. We were together, thought you stay with me forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-latimore/you-were-my-best-friend-thought-you-always-be-my-best-friend-we-were/) [Jacob Latimore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-latimore/) > [Really??? I thought me and my best friend were the only ones who thought that… lol :D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/really-i-thought-me-and-my-best-friend-were-the-only-ones-who-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [That would just mean so much to be to be thought of as the best player in the draft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bosa/that-would-just-mean-so-much-to-be-to-be-thought-of-as-the-best/) [Nick Bosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bosa/) ## More by Patti Davis > [Some people, when they die, leave so much life behind that we wonder how they did it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/some-people-when-they-die-leave-so-much-life-behind-that-we-wonder/) [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) > [There is a version of Alzheimer's which is early onset Alzheimer's. And it's - it's horrible, because people do get it in their 50s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/there-is-a-version-of-alzheimer-s-which-is-early-onset-alzheimer-s/) [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) > [People love the way they're capable of loving-but that's not always how you want them to love or how you think they should love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/people-love-the-way-they-re-capable-of-loving-but-that-s-not-always/) [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) > [When I was a child, our summer days were spent swimming; chlorine in my hair was like perfume to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/when-i-was-a-child-our-summer-days-were-spent-swimming-chlorine-in-my/) [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) > [I had this odd sibling rivalry with America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/i-had-this-odd-sibling-rivalry-with-america/) [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) > [The most ethical way to deal with an unethical situation would be to simply say: 'We did something wrong.' But nobody in a family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/the-most-ethical-way-to-deal-with-an-unethical-situation-would-be-to/) [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) > [America had taken my father from me. And over most of the years of his illness, I gradually started feeling this support system from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/america-had-taken-my-father-from-me-and-over-most-of-the-years-of-his/) [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) > [You know, if you hang around this earth long enough you really see how things come full circle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/you-know-if-you-hang-around-this-earth-long-enough-you-really-see-how/) [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) > [Politics isn't what defines a person, and it shouldn't define a relationship. I made the mistake of letting that intrude on my relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/politics-isn-t-what-defines-a-person-and-it-shouldn-t-define-a/) [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) > [There is a point in the grieving process when you can run away from memories or walk straight toward them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/there-is-a-point-in-the-grieving-process-when-you-can-run-away-from/) [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) > [I think that my father would find it so confusing that people want to imitate him. Not because he didn't have confidence in who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/i-think-that-my-father-would-find-it-so-confusing-that-people-want-to/) [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) > [That is your legacy on this Earth when you leave this Earth: how many hearts you touched.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/that-is-your-legacy-on-this-earth-when-you-leave-this-earth-how-many/) [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) > [My father's body lies in a stone tomb high on a hill. People walk by, pause, think their own thoughts about him and move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/my-father-s-body-lies-in-a-stone-tomb-high-on-a-hill-people-walk-by/) [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) > [I'm part of the tribe who have said goodbye to one parent and are feeling a sense of responsibility for the one who remains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/i-m-part-of-the-tribe-who-have-said-goodbye-to-one-parent-and-are/) [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) > [Even if the Bush Administration had flung open the gates to stem-cell research years ago, we would not be at the point of offering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/even-if-the-bush-administration-had-flung-open-the-gates-to-stem-cell/) [Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) [Explore all 76 Patti Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/) ## More Best things quotes > [I need the best things in life, that's women, thats cars. Cigars in Venice, bottle on ice, thats priceless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-need-the-best-things-in-life-that-s-women-thats-cars-cigars-in/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [It hurt, of course, but more often than not the best things do, I've found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/it-hurt-of-course-but-more-often-than-not-the-best-things-do-i-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The next best thing to being witty one's self, is to be able to be able to quote another's wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/the-next-best-thing-to-being-witty-one-s-self-is-to-be-able-to-be/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [I really believe that our past can really hold us back from growth, so the best thing that we can do is MOVE ON…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-harper/i-really-believe-that-our-past-can-really-hold-us-back-from-growth-so/) [Bob Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-harper/) > [The best thing for you to do is shop at your local farmer's market and support the organic growers who are there. Because those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/the-best-thing-for-you-to-do-is-shop-at-your-local-farmer-s-market/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [The best thing about the term 'performance artist' is that it includes just about everything you might want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-anderson/the-best-thing-about-the-term-performance-artist-is-that-it-includes/) [Laurie Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-anderson/) > [The best things in life are free. Sunsets and sunrises are free. Air is free. Love is free. Death is free. The best things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-best-things-in-life-are-free-sunsets-and-sunrises-are-free-air-is/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I always wanted to be a player, but I never had the talent to make the big leagues. So I did the next best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-finley/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-player-but-i-never-had-the-talent-to-make-the/) Charlie Finley > [I was a 36C or D, and at 5' 1'', I knew that being a small person with big boobs standing in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janeane-garofalo/i-was-a-36c-or-d-and-at-5-1-i-knew-that-being-a-small-person-with-big/) [Janeane Garofalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janeane-garofalo/) > [Each time I stop somewhere and look out, there are more people sitting there than there were the time I came before. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/each-time-i-stop-somewhere-and-look-out-there-are-more-people-sitting/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [One of the best things that happened for me as a playwright is becoming a comic-book writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-aguirre-sacasa/one-of-the-best-things-that-happened-for-me-as-a-playwright-is/) [Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-aguirre-sacasa/) > [I don't really know who I am as an actor: the best thing would be to experiment with it for the next 30 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-don-t-really-know-who-i-am-as-an-actor-the-best-thing-would-be-to/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [The best thing about time passing is the privilege of running out of it, of watching the wave of mortality break over me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-manguso/the-best-thing-about-time-passing-is-the-privilege-of-running-out-of/) [Sarah Manguso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-manguso/) > [What was the best thing before sliced bread?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/what-was-the-best-thing-before-sliced-bread/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [The best thing about waking up early is seeing the sun rise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridgit-mendler/the-best-thing-about-waking-up-early-is-seeing-the-sun-rise/) [Bridgit Mendler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridgit-mendler/) [Browse all 1,021 Best things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-things/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I thought the best thing that I could do would be to clean up my own act, in terms of whatever .. childhood wounds were left.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patti Davis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/i-thought-the-best-thing-that-i-could-do-would-be-to-clean-up-my-own/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best things" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/i-thought-the-best-thing-that-i-could-do-would-be-to-clean-up-my-own/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/patti-davis-9012_best-things_i-thought-the-best-thing-that-i-could-do_2334411.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/patti-davis-9012_best-things_i-thought-the-best-thing-that-i-could-do_2334411.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/patti-davis-9012_best-things_i-thought-the-best-thing-that-i-could-do_2334411.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I thought the best thing that I could do would be to clean up my own act, in terms of whatever .. childhood…” — Patti Davis", "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": "Patti Davis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I thought the best thing that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/i-thought-the-best-thing-that-i-could-do-would-be-to-clean-up-my-own/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/i-thought-the-best-thing-that-i-could-do-would-be-to-clean-up-my-own/#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 } } ] } ```