--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can drop the fundamental hope that…" description: "\"We can drop the fundamental hope that there is a better \"me\" who one day will emerge. We can't just jump over ourselves as if we were not there.\" — Pem..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/pema-ch-dr-n-327_better-day_we-can-drop-the-fundamental-hope-that-th_1441694.png" --- # We can drop the fundamental hope that there is a better… ![“We can drop the fundamental hope that there is a better "me" who one day will emerge. We can't just jump over ourselves as if we were not there.” quote by Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/pema-ch-dr-n-327_better-day_we-can-drop-the-fundamental-hope-that-th_1441694.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/pema-ch-dr-n-327_better-day_we-can-drop-the-fundamental-hope-that-th_1441694.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/pema-ch-dr-n-327_better-day_we-can-drop-the-fundamental-hope-that-th_1441694.png) > “We can drop the fundamental hope that there is a better "me" who one day will emerge. We can't just jump over ourselves as if we were not there.” [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We must accept our present self instead of yearning for an imagined better version, recognizing growth as a gradual process. **In simple terms:** Accept yourself now, not a future ideal. Key Takeaway Embrace current self, allow growth. Themes self-acceptance mindfulness personal growth Mood reflective calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - personal development workshops - daily meditation Key Concepts Buddhist psychology identity formation Questions to Reflect On - How can you honor your present self? - What steps nurture authentic growth? A Different Perspective Change is incremental, not instant. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-day/) [Better me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-me/) [Day Emerge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-emerge-5160503/) [Fundamental Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental-hope-5160502/) [Fundamentals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentals/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Hope Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope-better-245344/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [One day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-day/) ## Related quotes > [We work on ourselves in order to help others, but also we help others in order to work on ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/we-work-on-ourselves-in-order-to-help-others-but-also-we-help-others/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Blessed be the slot players for theirs is the hope of a better day dawning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-scoblete/blessed-be-the-slot-players-for-theirs-is-the-hope-of-a-better-day/) [Frank Scoblete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-scoblete/) > [You have to find a way to not become bitter and live within the parameters of the situation and laugh your way through it…and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvette-nicole-brown/you-have-to-find-a-way-to-not-become-bitter-and-live-within-the/) [Yvette Nicole Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvette-nicole-brown/) > [If you are alive, there is hope for a better day and something good to happen. If there is nothing good left in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-alive-there-is-hope-for-a-better-day-and-something-good-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never give up believing that there is hope for better days to come. Bad things happen for a reason and sometimes it is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/never-give-up-believing-that-there-is-hope-for-better-days-to-come/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [If there is one thing in life that you can never lose beside yourself, it is the hope for a better day, because their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-forrester/if-there-is-one-thing-in-life-that-you-can-never-lose-beside-yourself/) [Liam Forrester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-forrester/) > [Don't lose hope. When the sun goes down, the stars come out. If there is one thing in life that you can never lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-junior-brown/don-t-lose-hope-when-the-sun-goes-down-the-stars-come-out-if-there-is-2/) [Simon Junior Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-junior-brown/) > [“doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/doubtful-of-what-we-can-achieve-to-put-their-hands-on-the-arc-of/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“Don't ever lose hope because better days will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-monnar/don-t-ever-lose-hope-because-better-days-will-come/) [Ana Monnar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-monnar/) > [On the day the storm has just begun, I will still hope there are better days to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/on-the-day-the-storm-has-just-begun-i-will-still-hope-there-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“For only thus, living each moment separately and looking neither forward nor back, could such a life be borne and a man keep himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivo-andri/for-only-thus-living-each-moment-separately-and-looking-neither/) [Ivo Andrić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivo-andri/) > [Don't lose hope. When the sun goes down, the stars come out. If there is one thing in life that you can never lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/don-t-lose-hope-when-the-sun-goes-down-the-stars-come-out-if-there-is/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [Without giving up hope—that there’s somewhere better to be, that there’s someone better to be—we will never relax with where we are or who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/without-giving-up-hope-that-there-s-somewhere-better-to-be-that-there/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If you want to know who was better, me or Willie Mays, you have to look at our career stats. And Willie's bottom line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/if-you-want-to-know-who-was-better-me-or-willie-mays-you-have-to-look/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [Every relationship, every situation is part of a divinely created and highly specific curriculum for your soul growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/every-relationship-every-situation-is-part-of-a-divinely-created-and/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## More by Pema Chodron > [“LIFE’S work is to wake up, to let the things that enter into your life wake you up rather than put you to sleep.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/life-s-work-is-to-wake-up-to-let-the-things-that-enter-into-your-life/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Since death is certain and the time of death is uncertain, what is the most important thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/since-death-is-certain-and-the-time-of-death-is-uncertain-what-is-the/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Buddhist words such as compassion and emptiness don't mean much until we start cultivating our innate ability simply to be there with pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/buddhist-words-such-as-compassion-and-emptiness-don-t-mean-much-until/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [The essence of generosity is letting go. Pain is always a sign that we are holding on to something - usually ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-essence-of-generosity-is-letting-go-pain-is-always-a-sign-that-we/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“If the object of meditation were something concrete, something solid and graspable - an image or a statue or a dot on the floor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-the-object-of-meditation-were-something-concrete-something-solid/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [It's a transformative experience to simply pause instead of immediately fill up the space. By waiting, we begin to connect with fundamental restlessness as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/it-s-a-transformative-experience-to-simply-pause-instead-of/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“The essence of life is that it’s challenging. Sometimes it is sweet, and sometimes it is bitter. Sometimes your body tenses, and sometimes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-essence-of-life-is-that-it-s-challenging-sometimes-it-is-sweet/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If we run a hundred miles an hour to the other end of the continent in order to get away from the obstacle, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-we-run-a-hundred-miles-an-hour-to-the-other-end-of-the-continent/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“But in this meditation technique, we are with the out-breath; there's no particular instruction about what to do until the next out-breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/but-in-this-meditation-technique-we-are-with-the-out-breath-there-s/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. Nothing ever really attacks us except our own confusion. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/nothing-ever-goes-away-until-it-has-taught-us-what-we-need-to-know/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [So even if the hot loneliness is there, and for 1.6 seconds we sit with that restlessness when yesterday we couldn't sit for even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/so-even-if-the-hot-loneliness-is-there-and-for-1-6-seconds-we-sit/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If you have rage and righteously act it out and blame it all on others, it's really you who suffers. The other people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-you-have-rage-and-righteously-act-it-out-and-blame-it-all-on/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“When we realize that the path is the goal, there’s a sense of workability. Trungpa Rinpoche said, “Whatever occurs in the confused mind is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/when-we-realize-that-the-path-is-the-goal-there-s-a-sense-of/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Every day is a new opportunity to work with what you have inside toward enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/every-day-is-a-new-opportunity-to-work-with-what-you-have-inside/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If someone comes along and shoots an arrow into your heart, it’s fruitless to stand there and yell at the person. It would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-someone-comes-along-and-shoots-an-arrow-into-your-heart-it-s/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) [Explore all 664 Pema Chodron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ## More Better day quotes > [If a person measures his spiritual fulfillment in terms of cosmic visions, surpassing peace of mind, or ecstasy, then he is not likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/if-a-person-measures-his-spiritual-fulfillment-in-terms-of-cosmic/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [We have seen better days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/we-have-seen-better-days/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“The room was so neat and tidy it made me feel quite depressed...I do not allow myself to repine about what cannot be helped;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-peters/the-room-was-so-neat-and-tidy-it-made-me-feel-quite-depressed-i-do/) [Elizabeth Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-peters/) > [For me, it's about the small things in the fight to get better day by day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erling-haaland/for-me-it-s-about-the-small-things-in-the-fight-to-get-better-day-by/) [Erling Haaland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erling-haaland/) > [“In every rainstorm it’s your scream that I hear after every lightning strike. Reminding me of better days and the days of tomorrow”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-v-songer/in-every-rainstorm-it-s-your-scream-that-i-hear-after-every-lightning/) [Austin V. Songer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-v-songer/) > [After awhile you just can't cry anymore. You just have to believe that what happens is what's supposed to happen and you can't change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/after-awhile-you-just-can-t-cry-anymore-you-just-have-to-believe-that/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Love being in such a positive atmosphere! It's always makes for a better day!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-being-in-such-a-positive-atmosphere-it-s-always-makes-for-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A little reminder I needed today as I dive deeper into this incredible publishing journey. Surround yourself with those who lift you higher, believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-rosa/a-little-reminder-i-needed-today-as-i-dive-deeper-into-this/) [Paula Rosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-rosa/) > [A liberal is a man or a woman or a child who looks forward to a better day, a more tranquil night, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/a-liberal-is-a-man-or-a-woman-or-a-child-who-looks-forward-to-a/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [Better days are coming they are called Saturday & Sunday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/better-days-are-coming-they-are-called-saturday-sunday/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [I tell myself that tomorrow holds better days but it just never really happens anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-tell-myself-that-tomorrow-holds-better-days-but-it-just-never/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Hope -- Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope! In the end, that is Gods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/hope-hope-in-the-face-of-difficulty-hope-in-the-face-of-uncertainty/) [BARACK OBAMA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [A day of bad writing is always better than a day of no writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-roff/a-day-of-bad-writing-is-always-better-than-a-day-of-no-writing/) [Don Roff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-roff/) > [The future is no place to place your better days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-future-is-no-place-to-place-your-better-days/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When you're lying in bed at night and regrets from the day come to steal your sleep... "I should have" "If only I'd" "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-r-knost/when-you-re-lying-in-bed-at-night-and-regrets-from-the-day-come-to/) [L.R. Knost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-r-knost/) [Browse all 375 Better day quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-day/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We can drop the fundamental hope that there is a better \"me\" who one day will emerge. 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