--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't change who you are, can you?…" description: "\"“You can't change who you are, can you? That would require changing the people who made you along the way. That would mean discrediting everything they..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/rose-christo-15632_discrediting_you-can-t-change-who-you-are-can-you-tha_267921.jpg" --- # You can't change who you are, can you? That would require… ![“You can't change who you are, can you? That would require changing the people who made you along the way. That would mean discrediting everything they ever gave you.” quote by Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/rose-christo-15632_discrediting_you-can-t-change-who-you-are-can-you-tha_267921.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/rose-christo-15632_discrediting_you-can-t-change-who-you-are-can-you-tha_267921.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/rose-christo-15632_discrediting_you-can-t-change-who-you-are-can-you-tha_267921.jpg) > ““You can't change who you are, can you? That would require changing the people who made you along the way. That would mean discrediting everything they ever gave you.”” [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Identity is shaped by those who influence us; changing yourself means confronting that legacy. **In simple terms:** You can't change yourself without changing your influences. Key Takeaway Accept or reassess your influences. Themes identity influence self growth Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - family dynamics - counseling - self‑reflection Key Concepts psychology social conditioning Questions to Reflect On - How much of your identity is inherited? - Can you honor your roots while evolving? A Different Perspective Changing yourself may be impossible without altering relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Changing People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-people/) [Discrediting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrediting/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [STOP discrediting yourself for everything you arent. 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We need not bother to reject… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/if-these-laws-in-the-bible-belonged-to-any-other-ancient-culture-we/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [“In cases of organized and multi-perpetrator abuse when the abuse occurs in the context of rituals and ceremonies, some elements of the experience may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-galton/in-cases-of-organized-and-multi-perpetrator-abuse-when-the-abuse/) Graeme Galton > [“Today, acknowledgement of the prevalence and harms of child sexual abuse is counterbalanced with cautionary tales about children and women who, under pressure from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/today-acknowledgement-of-the-prevalence-and-harms-of-child-sexual/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Madeleine L'Engle observes: "We do not draw people to Christ by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnificat/madeleine-l-engle-observes-we-do-not-draw-people-to-christ-by-loudly/) [Magnificat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magnificat/) > [“Some readers may find it a curious or even unscientific endeavour to craft a criminological model of organised abuse based on the testimony of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/some-readers-may-find-it-a-curious-or-even-unscientific-endeavour-to/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Activating is about changing people's perceptions of overlooked or invisible spaces. 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Of course normally, that's not done because it also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/changing-people-s-preconceptions-is-something-you-have-to-do-in-order/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [Change is not a one-way street- it involves two parties: the person who is changing and the people who notice it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-goldsmith/change-is-not-a-one-way-street-it-involves-two-parties-the-person-who/) [Marshall Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-goldsmith/) ## More by Rose Christo > [“Everything's a painting, anyway," Fawn said. "That's what I think. We live inside a giant painting, only we can't see who's holding the paintbrush.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/everything-s-a-painting-anyway-fawn-said-that-s-what-i-think-we-live/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [“He turned his head and gazed at me, eyes dancing and blue, remnants of a smile dancing on his face. How beautiful he looked.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/he-turned-his-head-and-gazed-at-me-eyes-dancing-and-blue-remnants-of/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [“Coldness settles again in my stomach. I do not want a nice Hmong girl. I want a nice Egyptian boy who teaches me about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/coldness-settles-again-in-my-stomach-i-do-not-want-a-nice-hmong-girl/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [“You can't change the past, you know? You can't change who you were, but you can change who you're going to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/you-can-t-change-the-past-you-know-you-can-t-change-who-you-were-but/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [“I don't know what you're talking about. I just like animals," Rafael said. "So does Sky, except he's kind of a hippie soulbonder about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/i-don-t-know-what-you-re-talking-about-i-just-like-animals-rafael/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [“Some dumbass outside the reserve thinks you're wearing a butterfly on your arm, you'll get your ass kicked," Rafael said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/some-dumbass-outside-the-reserve-thinks-you-re-wearing-a-butterfly-on/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [“In Shoshone, there's a saying. It's a long one, and it doesn't have an English equivalent, so bear with me. Sutummu tukummuinna. It means,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/in-shoshone-there-s-a-saying-it-s-a-long-one-and-it-doesn-t-have-an/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [“I'm always gonna protect you. And I'm always gonna protect that little girl. There's no way in hell I'll let that woman get her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/i-m-always-gonna-protect-you-and-i-m-always-gonna-protect-that-little/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [“The shaman helps you figure it out. I already know what I'm going to be." I prodded him in the ribs. He couldn't just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/the-shaman-helps-you-figure-it-out-i-already-know-what-i-m-going-to/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [“Hope for the best," I said. "Prepare for the worst.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/hope-for-the-best-i-said-prepare-for-the-worst/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [“He broke away from my mouth and trailed his lips down the front of my throat. I felt his lips close around my scars.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/he-broke-away-from-my-mouth-and-trailed-his-lips-down-the-front-of-my/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [“I grabbed his hand and dragged him down the street to a convenience shop. I abandoned him once inside and went down the stationery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/i-grabbed-his-hand-and-dragged-him-down-the-street-to-a-convenience/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [“What?" he said. "You let me draw all over your arm in permanent ink, but I hand you a vegetable and you chicken out?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/what-he-said-you-let-me-draw-all-over-your-arm-in-permanent-ink-but-i/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [“He always knew what I would have liked to say, and with startling and increasing accuracy as we spent more time together. One time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/he-always-knew-what-i-would-have-liked-to-say-and-with-startling-and/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [“You're not ugly.  Sky, you're--  You know when you first came to the reservation, and everyone was like, 'Holy crap, it's a white boy'? …](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/you-re-not-ugly-sky-you-re-you-know-when-you-first-came-to-the/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) [Explore all 42 Rose Christo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) ## More Discrediting quotes > [“Some readers may find it a curious or even unscientific endeavour to craft a criminological model of organised abuse based on the testimony of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/some-readers-may-find-it-a-curious-or-even-unscientific-endeavour-to/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Madeleine L'Engle observes: "We do not draw people to Christ by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnificat/madeleine-l-engle-observes-we-do-not-draw-people-to-christ-by-loudly/) [Magnificat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magnificat/) > [“Today, acknowledgement of the prevalence and harms of child sexual abuse is counterbalanced with cautionary tales about children and women who, under pressure from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/today-acknowledgement-of-the-prevalence-and-harms-of-child-sexual/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“In cases of organized and multi-perpetrator abuse when the abuse occurs in the context of rituals and ceremonies, some elements of the experience may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-galton/in-cases-of-organized-and-multi-perpetrator-abuse-when-the-abuse/) Graeme Galton > [ If these laws \[in the Bible\] belonged to any other ancient culture we would approach them very differently. We need not bother to reject… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/if-these-laws-in-the-bible-belonged-to-any-other-ancient-culture-we/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [Men who are engaged in public life must necessarily aim at reducing opposition to a minimum, and one of the most obvious means to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-scott-oliver/men-who-are-engaged-in-public-life-must-necessarily-aim-at-reducing/) [Frederick Scott Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-scott-oliver/) > [The single most amazing phenomenon is the discrediting of idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/the-single-most-amazing-phenomenon-is-the-discrediting-of-idealism/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [“This vacillation between assertion and denial in discussions about organised abuse can be understood as functional, in that it serves to contain the traumatic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/this-vacillation-between-assertion-and-denial-in-discussions-about/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [We do not draw people to Christ by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and how right we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/we-do-not-draw-people-to-christ-by-loudly-discrediting-what-they-2/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [STOP discrediting yourself for everything you arent. START giving yourself credit for everything that you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/stop-discrediting-yourself-for-everything-you-arent-start-giving/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) [Browse all 11 Discrediting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrediting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You can't change who you are, can you? That would require changing the people who made you along the way. 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