--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I could see her toughening up, working…" description: "\"“I could see her toughening up, working hard to put all those emotions away because she thought that’s what it meant to be strong. I wanted to tell her..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/richelle-mead-46_sydney-sage-adrian-i_i-could-see-her-toughening-up-working-ha_2183559.jpg" --- # I could see her toughening up, working hard to put all… ![“I could see her toughening up, working hard to put all those emotions away because she thought that’s what it meant to be strong. I wanted to tell her that strength wasn’t about hiding your feelings, that it was okay for her to feel this way after what she’d been through.” quote by Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/richelle-mead-46_sydney-sage-adrian-i_i-could-see-her-toughening-up-working-ha_2183559.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/richelle-mead-46_sydney-sage-adrian-i_i-could-see-her-toughening-up-working-ha_2183559.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/richelle-mead-46_sydney-sage-adrian-i_i-could-see-her-toughening-up-working-ha_2183559.jpg) > ““I could see her toughening up, working hard to put all those emotions away because she thought that’s what it meant to be strong. I wanted to tell her that strength wasn’t about hiding your feelings, that it was okay for her to feel this way after what she’d been through.”” [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She believes strength is expressed by embracing emotions, not suppressing them, especially after trauma. **In simple terms:** True strength means feeling, not hiding. Key Takeaway Allow yourself to feel fully. Themes strength emotion trauma Mood empathetic hopeful Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - therapy - support groups - personal growth Key Concepts psychology emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How can you support others to express feelings? - What does strength look like in your life? A Different Perspective Some may view vulnerability as weakness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) [Working hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-hard/) ## Related quotes > [“It really was an accident," I told him. "Marcus thought I was there to abduct him." Adrian, having no such hang-ups with the bed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/it-really-was-an-accident-i-told-him-marcus-thought-i-was-there-to/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Brayen had wanted to go out Saturday, but that was the day I'd promised to drive Adrian to San Diego. Brayden compromised on breakfast,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/brayen-had-wanted-to-go-out-saturday-but-that-was-the-day-i-d/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Can you come over to Amberwood? I need you to help me break curfew and escape my dorm." There were a few moments of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/can-you-come-over-to-amberwood-i-need-you-to-help-me-break-curfew-and/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“You got me a ‘congratulations on getting out of re-education’ gift?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/you-got-me-a-congratulations-on-getting-out-of-re-education-gift/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Courage is meant to be strong, while fear is meant to be broken”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-rosenberg/courage-is-meant-to-be-strong-while-fear-is-meant-to-be-broken/) Zoe Rosenberg > [You can tell the strength of a nation by the women behind its men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/you-can-tell-the-strength-of-a-nation-by-the-women-behind-its-men/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Stop telling people about their pains, they already know that. Tell them about their Strength and Hope, they may not know that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/stop-telling-people-about-their-pains-they-already-know-that-tell/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [Strength wasn‘t about being able to do everything alone. Strength was knowing when to ask for help and not being too proud to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/strength-wasn-t-about-being-able-to-do-everything-alone-strength-was/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Strength wasn’t decided by what you could do, but by what you could do without.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindy-zart/strength-wasn-t-decided-by-what-you-could-do-but-by-what-you-could-do/) [Lindy Zart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindy-zart/) > [“Maybe strength wasn't decided by what you could do but, by what you could do without.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindy-zart/maybe-strength-wasn-t-decided-by-what-you-could-do-but-by-what-you/) [Lindy Zart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindy-zart/) > [I didn't know my own strength. I wasn't a bully or anything, but I'd be out playing and end up hurting someone. So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-henry/i-didn-t-know-my-own-strength-i-wasn-t-a-bully-or-anything-but-i-d-be/) [Mark Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-henry/) > [When we love we love hard but the emotions take over and we break down but we have to find away to get back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenchqueen/when-we-love-we-love-hard-but-the-emotions-take-over-and-we-break/) Frenchqueen > [I understand that it's hard for everyone, but one cannot give in to emotions... we'll have to draw lessons from the current crisis and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-yeltsin/i-understand-that-it-s-hard-for-everyone-but-one-cannot-give-in-to/) [Boris Yeltsin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-yeltsin/) > [“Hard things are hard because there are no easy answers or recipes. They are hard because your emotions are at odds with your logic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/hard-things-are-hard-because-there-are-no-easy-answers-or-recipes/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [If we're constantly suppressing our strong, heavy emotions - like fear and anger and outrage and sadness - it weakens us. But when we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dechristopher/if-we-re-constantly-suppressing-our-strong-heavy-emotions-like-fear/) [Tim DeChristopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dechristopher/) ## More by Richelle Mead > [“Jerome shrugged. “We’re back to the part where I don’t give a fuck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/jerome-shrugged-we-re-back-to-the-part-where-i-don-t-give-a-fuck/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [His fingertips slid down from my face, lightly stroking the line of my neck, down toward my shoulder. Everywhere he touched, a trail of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/his-fingertips-slid-down-from-my-face-lightly-stroking-the-line-of-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“A piece of heaven?" I managed to ask. He slowly shook his head. "No. The other place. The one I'm going to burn in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/a-piece-of-heaven-i-managed-to-ask-he-slowly-shook-his-head-no-the/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [When I talked to him earlier, he said he had to work tonight,” Peter explained, “but that we should go ahead and draw for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/when-i-talked-to-him-earlier-he-said-he-had-to-work-tonight-peter/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [It was a nephilim.” “A nephi-what?” asked Hugh, startled. “Isn’t that a character on Sesame Street?” Peter spoke up for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/it-was-a-nephilim-a-nephi-what-asked-hugh-startled-isn-t-that-a/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Life and death were so unpredictable. So close to each other. We existed moment to moment, never knowing who would be the next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/life-and-death-were-so-unpredictable-so-close-to-each-other-we/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“I watched, enthralled, as he painted a large silver heart with flames edging one side. The whole design was Celtic in style. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-watched-enthralled-as-he-painted-a-large-silver-heart-with-flames/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“I loved Aeson. You have no idea what love is.” “Oh, I do. I know that it’s the best high and the worst hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-loved-aeson-you-have-no-idea-what-love-is-oh-i-do-i-know-that-it-s/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Why would you do that? Why would you act like you didn't know how to drive?" "Isn't it obvious, Sage? No, of course it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/why-would-you-do-that-why-would-you-act-like-you-didn-t-know-how-to/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Everything I’d fought for, every challenge, every victory … all of it was empty if anything happened to him. Without him, I wouldn’t have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/everything-i-d-fought-for-every-challenge-every-victory-all-of-it-was/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Is it true? You had a clean getaway and risked it all for me?" I Swallowed. "It wouldn't have been a clean getaway without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/is-it-true-you-had-a-clean-getaway-and-risked-it-all-for-me-i/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Keith was just bringing the glass to his lips when Adrian said, "Mmm. O positive, my favorite." Keith sprayed out the wine he'd just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/keith-was-just-bringing-the-glass-to-his-lips-when-adrian-said-mmm-o/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Life’s like that. As we grow and change, some things we’ve experienced before take on new meaning. It’ll happen for the rest of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/life-s-like-that-as-we-grow-and-change-some-things-we-ve-experienced/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Hey Sydney," she said, giving me a small, crooked smile as she entered the room. Her flashing, dark eyes were friendly, but they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/hey-sydney-she-said-giving-me-a-small-crooked-smile-as-she-entered/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Sydney Katherine Sage,” he said, his green eyes full of love and earnestness. “Would you do a brooding, deadbeat Moroi the honor of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/sydney-katherine-sage-he-said-his-green-eyes-full-of-love-and/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) [Explore all 2,001 Richelle Mead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) ## More Heart quotes > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“He held her like a new woman and what she felt felt almost as good as love had, and each of them called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dunn/he-held-her-like-a-new-woman-and-what-she-felt-felt-almost-as-good-as/) [Stephen Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dunn/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [My heart jumps out of its cage to see what the fuss is about. Damn thing. Always so hopeful, but my voice hides it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wylie/my-heart-jumps-out-of-its-cage-to-see-what-the-fuss-is-about-damn/) [Sarah Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wylie/) > [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/) Rena Kornreich Gelissen > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [My father longed for a better life for us, and when I was nine he got a job as a heart surgeon in Belfast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/my-father-longed-for-a-better-life-for-us-and-when-i-was-nine-he-got/) [Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/) > [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Love will fan the flame, and that flame will warm the heart that's waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-w-smith/love-will-fan-the-flame-and-that-flame-will-warm-the-heart-that-s/) [Michael W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-w-smith/) > [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/) [Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) [Browse all 45,172 Heart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I could see her toughening up, working hard to put all those emotions away because she thought that’s what it meant to be strong. 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