--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And I refuse to be governed by fear. The…" description: "\"“And I refuse to be governed by fear. The life stretching before me is that of a queen. It’s a life I chose. Fought for, even. I cannot—will not—squand..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf1/rae-carson-2613_fear_and-i-refuse-to-be-governed-by-fear-the_2679151.jpg" --- # And I refuse to be governed by fear. The life stretching… ![“And I refuse to be governed by fear. The life stretching before me is that of a queen. It’s a life I chose. Fought for, even. I cannot—will not—squander it on dread.” quote by Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf1/rae-carson-2613_fear_and-i-refuse-to-be-governed-by-fear-the_2679151.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf1/rae-carson-2613_fear_and-i-refuse-to-be-governed-by-fear-the_2679151.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf1/rae-carson-2613_fear_and-i-refuse-to-be-governed-by-fear-the_2679151.jpg) > ““And I refuse to be governed by fear. The life stretching before me is that of a queen. It’s a life I chose. Fought for, even. I cannot—will not—squander it on dread.”” [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Refusing fear empowers a life of self‑determination and regal confidence. **In simple terms:** Choose courage over dread. Key Takeaway Own your destiny. Themes courage self‑determination confidence Mood determined confident Type inspirational motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal relationships - leadership challenges - health choices - creative projects Key Concepts empowerment agency self‑worth Questions to Reflect On - What fear are you letting govern you? - How does seeing yourself as a queen change your actions? A Different Perspective Fear can still paralyze despite resolve. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Queen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/queen/) ## Related quotes > [I hear you're supposed to be good at manipulating people. Try a little harder to make me like you, all right? I'm the queen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/i-hear-you-re-supposed-to-be-good-at-manipulating-people-try-a-little/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [I am the queen of my own life and never take any pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prachi-desai/i-am-the-queen-of-my-own-life-and-never-take-any-pressure/) [Prachi Desai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prachi-desai/) > [As an Englishwoman, you pick up a lot through osmosis. I've been watching the Queen all my life. But, yes, I did watch news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-foy/as-an-englishwoman-you-pick-up-a-lot-through-osmosis-i-ve-been/) [Claire Foy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-foy/) > [The reason advertising is governed by fear, after all, is that most agencies rely on just a few clients to bring in the lion's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/the-reason-advertising-is-governed-by-fear-after-all-is-that-most/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [“Slaves are governed by the fear of man, and, whenever the fear of man replaces the fear of God in a society, slavery reappears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-rushdoony/slaves-are-governed-by-the-fear-of-man-and-whenever-the-fear-of-man/) [R.J. Rushdoony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-rushdoony/) > [“Rousseau declares, that a woman should never, for a moment feel herself independent, that she should be governed by fear to exercise her NATURAL…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/rousseau-declares-that-a-woman-should-never-for-a-moment-feel-herself/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [“You have lived in a time and place ruled by violence and governed by fear -- -- Exactly the world that we X-Men, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lobdell/you-have-lived-in-a-time-and-place-ruled-by-violence-and-governed-by/) Scott Lobdell > [I try never to be governed by fear; that's how I choose things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/i-try-never-to-be-governed-by-fear-that-s-how-i-choose-things/) [Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/) > [I'm too old to be governed by fear of dumb people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/i-m-too-old-to-be-governed-by-fear-of-dumb-people/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [You could have a lot of money at your fingertips, the finest education and intellectual knowledge, but if you are governed by fear none…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/you-could-have-a-lot-of-money-at-your-fingertips-the-finest-education/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [We can either be governed by fear - fear of immigrants, fear of Muslims, call the press the enemy of the people, tear kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beto-o-rourke/we-can-either-be-governed-by-fear-fear-of-immigrants-fear-of-muslims/) [Beto O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beto-o-rourke/) > [I don't want to end up like my mom. That's my biggest fear in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/i-don-t-want-to-end-up-like-my-mom-that-s-my-biggest-fear-in-life/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [Mortality applies to every aspect of life. The fear of death is the driving fear of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-tosches/mortality-applies-to-every-aspect-of-life-the-fear-of-death-is-the/) [Nick Tosches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-tosches/) > [To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already 3-parts dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-fear-love-is-to-fear-life-and-those-who-fear-life-are-already-3/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I must say a word about fear. It's is life's only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life. It is a clever, treacherous adversary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/i-must-say-a-word-about-fear-it-s-is-life-s-only-true-opponent-only/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) ## More by Rae Carson > [“Like all good teachers, he loves the moment of revelation, when the light of knowledge passes to his pupil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/like-all-good-teachers-he-loves-the-moment-of-revelation-when-the/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [“That man’s so low he has to reach up to rub the belly of a snake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/that-man-s-so-low-he-has-to-reach-up-to-rub-the-belly-of-a-snake/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [“Becky will be so disappointed in us.” “Becky lives to be disappointed in people. If we get out of her way, she’ll expand her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/becky-will-be-so-disappointed-in-us-becky-lives-to-be-disappointed-in/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [“Cosmé is in constant attendance. Though no one will take Aneaxi’s place, Cosmé is the most efficient maid I’ve ever had. I tell her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/cosm-is-in-constant-attendance-though-no-one-will-take-aneaxi-s-place/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [“It’s the highest art form, deceiving without lying. A word is the only thing in the world made more powerful by absence than existence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/it-s-the-highest-art-form-deceiving-without-lying-a-word-is-the-only/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [“You look beautiful," Alodia says. I startle at the compliment. Then I smile. "I’m beautiful to the one person who matters." She nods. "Hector’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/you-look-beautiful-alodia-says-i-startle-at-the-compliment-then-i/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [“Hope. Such a dangerous thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/hope-such-a-dangerous-thing/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [“I could heal you-" "No," he says, sharply enough that it startles me. "Everyone is dead. Gavin, Jedro, Melita... All gone. My life, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/i-could-heal-you-no-he-says-sharply-enough-that-it-startles-me/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [“What can you tell me about this ship?” “She’s one hundred fifteen feet in length, with a beam of twenty-eight, and a depth of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/what-can-you-tell-me-about-this-ship-she-s-one-hundred-fifteen-feet/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [“. . . it's probably been a year or more since I've had beef." - Jacián”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/it-s-probably-been-a-year-or-more-since-i-ve-had-beef-jaci-n/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [“I cover his hand with my own: "The Champion must not waver," he says in my ear. "Yea, though SHE pass through the shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/i-cover-his-hand-with-my-own-the-champion-must-not-waver-he-says-in/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [“It's nice to consider that God may not count imperfection as an obstacle to working out his will in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/it-s-nice-to-consider-that-god-may-not-count-imperfection-as-an/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [“The less you say, the more your words will matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/the-less-you-say-the-more-your-words-will-matter/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [“From the mouths of the innocents flows truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/from-the-mouths-of-the-innocents-flows-truth/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [“Murder is no less a crime when the victim is common born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/murder-is-no-less-a-crime-when-the-victim-is-common-born/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) [Explore all 157 Rae Carson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) ## More Fear quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/) [Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/) > [“...Often that which most we fear births the resolve that spurs us on to altitudes we could not have achieved, had we continued walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/often-that-which-most-we-fear-births-the-resolve-that-spurs-us-on-to/) [M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [What an incredible drug fear is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/what-an-incredible-drug-fear-is/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. 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Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) [Browse all 35,569 Fear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And I refuse to be governed by fear. The life stretching before me is that of a queen. It’s a life I chose. Fought for, even. 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