--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we would see others as they see…" description: "\"If we would see others as they see themselves, our shyness would soon become compassion.\" — Robert Breault" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/robert-breault-304_compassion_if-we-would-see-others-as-they-see-thems_572304.png" --- # If we would see others as they see themselves, our shyness… ![“If we would see others as they see themselves, our shyness would soon become compassion.” quote by Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/robert-breault-304_compassion_if-we-would-see-others-as-they-see-thems_572304.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/robert-breault-304_compassion_if-we-would-see-others-as-they-see-thems_572304.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/robert-breault-304_compassion_if-we-would-see-others-as-they-see-thems_572304.png) > “If we would see others as they see themselves, our shyness would soon become compassion.” [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing others as they view themselves transforms shyness into empathy, fostering deeper connection. **In simple terms:** Understanding others reduces shyness and builds compassion. Key Takeaway Practice perspective taking to grow compassion. Themes empathy self-awareness social connection Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - teamwork - friendship - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology interpersonal perception Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice seeing yourself through another’s eyes? - What barriers prevent you from feeling compassion? A Different Perspective Compassion may be limited by personal biases. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Shyness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shyness/) [Shyness Soon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shyness-soon-4720408/) [Soon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soon/) [Soon Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soon-compassion-4720407/) ## Related quotes > [“From this point forward, you don’t even know how to quit in life.” ~ Aaron Lauritsen, ‘100 Days Drive”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-lauritsen/from-this-point-forward-you-don-t-even-know-how-to-quit-in-life-aaron/) [Aaron Lauritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-lauritsen/) > [I never wish to offend, but I am so foolishly shy, that I often seem negligent, when I am only kept back by my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/i-never-wish-to-offend-but-i-am-so-foolishly-shy-that-i-often-seem/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [Its a sea of unsaid words that separate so many. They're sadly standing upon the shore waiting for the tide to change. While contently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-a-sea-of-unsaid-words-that-separate-so-many-they-re-sadly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone has that one person that they will always have something between but will never do anything about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-has-that-one-person-that-they-will-always-have-something/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm scared of what you'llsay So I'm hiding.. what I'm feeeling... But I'm tired of Holding this inside my head I've been spending all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syoung/i-m-scared-of-what-you-llsay-so-i-m-hiding-what-i-m-feeeling-but-i-m/) [Syoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syoung/) > [I think the shyness one feels in childhood is often overcome with time. There are children who hide behind their parents' legs, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/i-think-the-shyness-one-feels-in-childhood-is-often-overcome-with/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [I was shy for several years in my early days in Hollywood until I figured out that no one really gave a damn if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-was-shy-for-several-years-in-my-early-days-in-hollywood-until-i/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [A place has almost the shyness of a person, with strangers; and its secret is not to be surprised by a too direct interrogation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-symons/a-place-has-almost-the-shyness-of-a-person-with-strangers-and-its/) [Arthur Symons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-symons/) > [Who shall ever tell how much an unmerited disfavor crushes a shy person? Who can ever depict the misfortunes of timidity?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/who-shall-ever-tell-how-much-an-unmerited-disfavor-crushes-a-shy/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [People say am shy,but hey am not, I just cant help it poking my nose around.!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crosby-kwaw/people-say-am-shy-but-hey-am-not-i-just-cant-help-it-poking-my-nose/) [Crosby Kwaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crosby-kwaw/) > [Having kids is the deal-breaker on shyness! Once you have a baby, you learn to speak up loud and clear to protect them, defend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/having-kids-is-the-deal-breaker-on-shyness-once-you-have-a-baby-you/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) > [“Social anxiety disorder”—which essentially means pathological shyness—is now thought to afflict nearly one in five of us. The most recent version of the Diagnostic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/social-anxiety-disorder-which-essentially-means-pathological-shyness/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [When you're walking at the airport, you're expected to smile at people because they know you... I find that tough. I'm only trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kaif/when-you-re-walking-at-the-airport-you-re-expected-to-smile-at-people/) [Katrina Kaif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kaif/) > [The way you overcome shyness is to become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-way-you-overcome-shyness-is-to-become-so-wrapped-up-in-something/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have learned that some people who look fine are more crippled than I am, by fears they can’t explain. Other people are held…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cammie-mcgovern/i-have-learned-that-some-people-who-look-fine-are-more-crippled-than/) [Cammie McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cammie-mcgovern/) ## More by Robert Breault > [You will not find a soulmate in the quiet of your room. You must go to a noisy place and look in the quiet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/you-will-not-find-a-soulmate-in-the-quiet-of-your-room-you-must-go-to/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Never mind the odds against you. If you doubled your effort, what would the odds against you do — send for reinforcements?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/never-mind-the-odds-against-you-if-you-doubled-your-effort-what-would/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Of course I doubt. I do not practice a certainty. I practice a faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/of-course-i-doubt-i-do-not-practice-a-certainty-i-practice-a-faith/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Retirement is having nothing to do and someone always keeping you from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/retirement-is-having-nothing-to-do-and-someone-always-keeping-you/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [There is in art the notion of less is more, which is to say, you don't torture a painting that has already confessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/there-is-in-art-the-notion-of-less-is-more-which-is-to-say-you-don-t/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [One's dream is defeated not by unsolvable problems, but by all the more-or-less satisfactory solutions that kill it forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/one-s-dream-is-defeated-not-by-unsolvable-problems-but-by-all-the/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [I cultivate my garden, and my garden cultivates me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/i-cultivate-my-garden-and-my-garden-cultivates-me/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [In the end you regret less the things you believed that weren't true than the things that never came true because you didn't believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/in-the-end-you-regret-less-the-things-you-believed-that-weren-t-true/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [The trick to getting ahead is to give it the same effort you give to getting even.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/the-trick-to-getting-ahead-is-to-give-it-the-same-effort-you-give-to/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Man will have replicated his own intelligence not when he teaches a computer to reason but when he teaches a computer to have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/man-will-have-replicated-his-own-intelligence-not-when-he-teaches-a/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [To hurt someone you know will forgive you is the unkindiest thing of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/to-hurt-someone-you-know-will-forgive-you-is-the-unkindiest-thing-of/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [For every person who atones, a hundred others find regret sufficient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/for-every-person-who-atones-a-hundred-others-find-regret-sufficient/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [As a means to success, determination has this advantage over talent - that it does not have to be recognized by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/as-a-means-to-success-determination-has-this-advantage-over-talent/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [As a gardener, I wonder if flowers really can't speak or just exercise unfailing good judgment in the matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/as-a-gardener-i-wonder-if-flowers-really-can-t-speak-or-just-exercise/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Genius is a plodding intellect, incapable of dreaming up the obstacles that stop the rest of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/genius-is-a-plodding-intellect-incapable-of-dreaming-up-the-obstacles/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) [Explore all 710 Robert Breault quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) [Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) [Talib al Habib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-al-habib/) > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 9,892 Compassion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we would see others as they see themselves, our shyness would soon become compassion.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Breault" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/if-we-would-see-others-as-they-see-themselves-our-shyness-would-soon/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Compassion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/if-we-would-see-others-as-they-see-themselves-our-shyness-would-soon/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/robert-breault-304_compassion_if-we-would-see-others-as-they-see-thems_572304.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/robert-breault-304_compassion_if-we-would-see-others-as-they-see-thems_572304.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3c/robert-breault-304_compassion_if-we-would-see-others-as-they-see-thems_572304.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we would see others as they see themselves, our shyness would soon become compassion.” — Robert Breault", "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": "Robert Breault", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If we would see others as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/if-we-would-see-others-as-they-see-themselves-our-shyness-would-soon/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/if-we-would-see-others-as-they-see-themselves-our-shyness-would-soon/#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 } } ] } ```