--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can’t turn our true selves off and on…" description: "\"“We can’t turn our true selves off and on situationally and expect them to carry and sustain us. Rationing creativity results in bipolarism of the spir..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/s-kelley-harrell-9278_authenticity_we-can-t-turn-our-true-selves-off-and-on_2690484.jpg" --- # We can’t turn our true selves off and on situationally and… ![“We can’t turn our true selves off and on situationally and expect them to carry and sustain us. Rationing creativity results in bipolarism of the spirit. Our creativity is also our life force. When we turn it off and on like a spigot, we start to become less and less able to control the valve.” quote by S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/s-kelley-harrell-9278_authenticity_we-can-t-turn-our-true-selves-off-and-on_2690484.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/s-kelley-harrell-9278_authenticity_we-can-t-turn-our-true-selves-off-and-on_2690484.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/s-kelley-harrell-9278_authenticity_we-can-t-turn-our-true-selves-off-and-on_2690484.jpg) > ““We can’t turn our true selves off and on situationally and expect them to carry and sustain us. Rationing creativity results in bipolarism of the spirit. Our creativity is also our life force. When we turn it off and on like a spigot, we start to become less and less able to control the valve.”” [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suppressing creativity for convenience fragments the spirit, making it harder to access and control later; continuous flow sustains vitality. **In simple terms:** Turning off creativity hurts the spirit. Key Takeaway Keep creativity flowing constantly. Themes creativity self‑care balance Mood thoughtful inspired Type motivational practical When to use this quote - workplace - personal projects - daily routines Key Concepts psychology energy management artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - What limits your creative flow? - How can you balance rest and creation? A Different Perspective Creative bursts may be unsustainable without rest. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authenticity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authenticity/) [Bipolarism Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bipolarism-spirit-2654012/) [Creative process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-process/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Creativity Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity-life-528278/) [Rationing Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rationing-creativity-2654011/) [Shamanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shamanism/) [Spirit Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit-creativity-2177549/) [True self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-self/) ## Related quotes > [Whether it is considered from the viewpoint of its effect on society, or as one of the expressions of the human spirit, creativity stands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvano-arieti/whether-it-is-considered-from-the-viewpoint-of-its-effect-on-society/) [Silvano Arieti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvano-arieti/) > [When we dare to hope for a certain outcome and take action after action toward that outcome, we're dealing with nothing less than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justine-musk/when-we-dare-to-hope-for-a-certain-outcome-and-take-action-after/) [Justine Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justine-musk/) > [Ambition is one of those wacky things we come by with creativity in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanna-wilkins/ambition-is-one-of-those-wacky-things-we-come-by-with-creativity-in/) [Alanna Wilkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanna-wilkins/) > [After my kids were born I found myself incorporating my photography into different art endeavors and from there it just blossomed. I have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-cartwright/after-my-kids-were-born-i-found-myself-incorporating-my-photography/) [Angela Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-cartwright/) > [“Before you get bored of yourself try creativity in your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/before-you-get-bored-of-yourself-try-creativity-in-your-life/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Creativity to me is the life force that is in us. 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Whether it's an actual death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-gabel/the-process-of-creativity-and-life-is-one-of-death-and-rebirth-that-s/) [Seth Gabel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-gabel/) > [Without freedom of choice, there is no creativity. Without creativity, there is no life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/without-freedom-of-choice-there-is-no-creativity-without-creativity/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) > [“Being healed means committing to use your resources and knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/being-healed-means-committing-to-use-your-resources-and-knowledge/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“If we didn't have shadow we'd just sit around loving the light, likely doing nothing with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/if-we-didn-t-have-shadow-we-d-just-sit-around-loving-the-light-likely/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“The soul is infinite, made up of aspects that come and go all the time. It’s our nature for parts of the soul to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/the-soul-is-infinite-made-up-of-aspects-that-come-and-go-all-the-time/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“Loving someone but not trusting them is a spiritual emergency.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/loving-someone-but-not-trusting-them-is-a-spiritual-emergency/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“Symbols are miracles we have recorded into language.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/symbols-are-miracles-we-have-recorded-into-language/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) ## More by S. Kelley Harrell > [“Symbols are miracles we have recorded into language.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/symbols-are-miracles-we-have-recorded-into-language/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“Loving someone but not trusting them is a spiritual emergency.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/loving-someone-but-not-trusting-them-is-a-spiritual-emergency/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“The soul is infinite, made up of aspects that come and go all the time. It’s our nature for parts of the soul to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/the-soul-is-infinite-made-up-of-aspects-that-come-and-go-all-the-time/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“If we didn't have shadow we'd just sit around loving the light, likely doing nothing with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/if-we-didn-t-have-shadow-we-d-just-sit-around-loving-the-light-likely/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“Being healed means committing to use your resources and knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/being-healed-means-committing-to-use-your-resources-and-knowledge/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“So many words, so little time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/so-many-words-so-little-time/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“We can only prosper where we are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/we-can-only-prosper-where-we-are/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“Healing stories are magickal tales born from personal tribulation and victory, which are then shared.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/healing-stories-are-magickal-tales-born-from-personal-tribulation-and/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“Online review sites are the slushpiles of feedback.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/online-review-sites-are-the-slushpiles-of-feedback/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“The reality is, it takes daily cultivation of a spiritual path, preferably with spiritual kin in proximity, to sustain not the feeling of elation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/the-reality-is-it-takes-daily-cultivation-of-a-spiritual-path/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“At its heart shamanism is an ouroboros that, regardless of cultural or religious trappings that have crowded its path, what remains its critically profound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/at-its-heart-shamanism-is-an-ouroboros-that-regardless-of-cultural-or/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“Clear synapses are like driving in Ireland. You hit a straight-away and you gun it, cos you know it's not going to last long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/clear-synapses-are-like-driving-in-ireland-you-hit-a-straight-away/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“Should be" will always be a long road.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/should-be-will-always-be-a-long-road/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“Phrases such as "I'm beside myself," "I was frightened to pieces," "I feel lost," "I feel like part of me is missing," originated from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/phrases-such-as-i-m-beside-myself-i-was-frightened-to-pieces-i-feel/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [“In Spirit, there is no such thing as indifference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/in-spirit-there-is-no-such-thing-as-indifference/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) [Explore all 74 S. Kelley Harrell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) ## More Authenticity quotes > [“the property that grounded the self in Romanticism was sincerity, and in modernism was authenticity, then in postmod ernism it is visibility.10”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/the-property-that-grounded-the-self-in-romanticism-was-sincerity-and/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Real artists offer authenticity, not just money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhymefest/real-artists-offer-authenticity-not-just-money/) [Rhymefest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhymefest/) > [“I figure the more people think I'm just mildly weird, the less likely they are to know how weird I really am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-hooyenga/i-figure-the-more-people-think-i-m-just-mildly-weird-the-less-likely/) [Melanie Hooyenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-hooyenga/) > [I think people can read authenticity and they know when you're involved and when you're just slapping your name on something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-la-anthony/i-think-people-can-read-authenticity-and-they-know-when-you-re/) [La La Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/la-la-anthony/) > [“I strive for authenticity even though it brings with it vulnerability and the inevitable judgment of others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-r-w-lee/i-strive-for-authenticity-even-though-it-brings-with-it-vulnerability/) [L.R.W. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-r-w-lee/) > [Children go where they find sincerity and authenticity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/children-go-where-they-find-sincerity-and-authenticity/) [Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/) > [Accepting the reality of our sinfulness means accepting our authentic self. Judas could not face his shadow; Peter could. The latter befriended the impostor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/accepting-the-reality-of-our-sinfulness-means-accepting-our-authentic/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [“Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, focus your energy on what you can create.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-bennett/instead-of-worrying-about-what-you-cannot-control-focus-your-energy/) [Roy Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-bennett/) > [Anything that I ever do is from the heart and authentic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belinda-carlisle/anything-that-i-ever-do-is-from-the-heart-and-authentic/) [Belinda Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belinda-carlisle/) > [What I love about Nivea is they're all about authenticity. The brand isn't pretending to be anything it isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-virtue/what-i-love-about-nivea-is-they-re-all-about-authenticity-the-brand/) [Tessa Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-virtue/) > [There is nothing which so certifies the genuineness of a man's faith as his patience and his patient endurance, his keeping on steadily in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-nothing-which-so-certifies-the-genuineness-of-a-man-s-faith/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you're really famous, there's very little authenticity in people, so you prefer the company of children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-ryan/when-you-re-really-famous-there-s-very-little-authenticity-in-people/) [Katherine Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-ryan/) > [“We could not be fulfilled if we weren't inauthentic some of the time—inauthentic, that is, in relation to such things as our passing desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-could-not-be-fulfilled-if-we-weren-t-inauthentic-some-of-the-time/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [No man knows the genuineness of his convictions until he has sacrificed something for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/no-man-knows-the-genuineness-of-his-convictions-until-he-has/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) [Browse all 1,437 Authenticity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authenticity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We can’t turn our true selves off and on situationally and expect them to carry and sustain us. 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