--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not afraid to say what I'm afraid of…" description: "\"I'm not afraid to say what I'm afraid of. Does that make me fearless?\" — Sandra Cisneros" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44f/sandra-cisneros-862_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-to-say-what-i-m-afraid-of_1968846.png" --- # I'm not afraid to say what I'm afraid of. Does that make… ![“I'm not afraid to say what I'm afraid of. Does that make me fearless?” quote by Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44f/sandra-cisneros-862_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-to-say-what-i-m-afraid-of_1968846.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44f/sandra-cisneros-862_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-to-say-what-i-m-afraid-of_1968846.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44f/sandra-cisneros-862_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-to-say-what-i-m-afraid-of_1968846.png) > “I'm not afraid to say what I'm afraid of. Does that make me fearless?” [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Explores paradox of confronting fear while questioning if that equals bravery **In simple terms:** Facing fear isn’t automatically bravery Key Takeaway Question your definition of fearlessness Themes courage self‑awareness paradox Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - public speaking - personal growth - mental health discussions Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What does true courage look like? - Can acknowledging fear be empowering? A Different Perspective Fear can dominate despite questioning ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fearless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fearless/) ## Related quotes > [Don't be afraid to say what you are not afraid to think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/don-t-be-afraid-to-say-what-you-are-not-afraid-to-think/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“I watched out of the corner of my eye as he stepped into his shorts and pulled a T-shirt over his head. Slipping the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliann-rich/i-watched-out-of-the-corner-of-my-eye-as-he-stepped-into-his-shorts/) [Juliann Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliann-rich/) > [Music says the things that people don't say or are afraid to say, and that's the best part about it for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justine-skye/music-says-the-things-that-people-don-t-say-or-are-afraid-to-say-and/) [Justine Skye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justine-skye/) > [Maybe there's something you're afraid to say, or someone you're afraid to love, or somewhere you're afraid to go, you know? It's gonna hurt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/maybe-there-s-something-you-re-afraid-to-say-or-someone-you-re-afraid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Maybe there's something you're afraid to say or someone you're afraid to love or somewhere you're afraid to go”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/maybe-there-s-something-you-re-afraid-to-say-or-someone-you-re-afraid-3/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [There's something you're afraid to say, and someone you're afraid to lose. It's gonna hurt. It's gonna hurt because it matters..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-something-you-re-afraid-to-say-and-someone-you-re-afraid-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's not that people want to be like me, but some want to say the things I say and can't because they're afraid. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardi-b/it-s-not-that-people-want-to-be-like-me-but-some-want-to-say-the/) [Cardi B](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardi-b/) > [“tiny: maybe there's something you're afraid to say, or someone you're afraid to love, or somewhere you're afraid to go. it's gonna hurt. it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/tiny-maybe-there-s-something-you-re-afraid-to-say-or-someone-you-re/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Maybe there's something you´re afraid to say, or someone you´re afraid to love, or somewhere you´re afraid to go. It´s gonna hurt. It´s gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/maybe-there-s-something-you-re-afraid-to-say-or-someone-you-re-afraid-2/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I believe very much that the most damning thing you can say about Muslims is that you're afraid to say anything because they'll hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-believe-very-much-that-the-most-damning-thing-you-can-say-about/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I should tell you how I really feel, but I'm afraid of what you might say no...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-should-tell-you-how-i-really-feel-but-i-m-afraid-of-what-you-might/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The experience of a sad and tender heart is what gives birth to fearlessness. Conventionally, being fearless means that you are not afraid or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/the-experience-of-a-sad-and-tender-heart-is-what-gives-birth-to/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [I'm strong and fearless and not afraid to take risks in business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khloe-kardashian/i-m-strong-and-fearless-and-not-afraid-to-take-risks-in-business/) [Khloe Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khloe-kardashian/) > [Ballyhoo is for your classic girl, who is fun and fearless. This is for the girl who is not afraid to dress fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-de-beaufort/ballyhoo-is-for-your-classic-girl-who-is-fun-and-fearless-this-is-for/) [India de Beaufort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-de-beaufort/) > [“A handy tip: When angels say “be not afraid,” you should be afraid. Also, as I said earlier, we have to memorize angel names…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/a-handy-tip-when-angels-say-be-not-afraid-you-should-be-afraid-also/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) ## More by Sandra Cisneros > [We tend to think of orphans as being the protagonist of stories we read when we're kids, and yet here you are: you're an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/we-tend-to-think-of-orphans-as-being-the-protagonist-of-stories-we/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [I'm learning a lot by reading teachers like Thich Nhat Hanh, Pema Chodron. They teach me because I feel like I have a responsibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-m-learning-a-lot-by-reading-teachers-like-thich-nhat-hanh-pema/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [I never know what something is going to be until it emerges from the womb and you see the crown of its head and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-never-know-what-something-is-going-to-be-until-it-emerges-from-the/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [Believe it or not, Mexican cooking, for those of you who have not gone farther south than Taco Bell, uses a lot of vegetables.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/believe-it-or-not-mexican-cooking-for-those-of-you-who-have-not-gone/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [I feel that I can teach my listener about a new word they can use too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-feel-that-i-can-teach-my-listener-about-a-new-word-they-can-use-too/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [Now I feel life is really short and I have to take care of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/now-i-feel-life-is-really-short-and-i-have-to-take-care-of-things/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [To this day, on my cheat days from my diet, which are New Year's Eve and my birthday, I buy luxury foods that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/to-this-day-on-my-cheat-days-from-my-diet-which-are-new-year-s-eve/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [You can never have too much sky . You can fall asleep and wake up drunk on sky, and sky can keep you safe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/you-can-never-have-too-much-sky-you-can-fall-asleep-and-wake-up-drunk/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [ \[Jorge Luis Borges\] had short stories, and I was trying to learn how to write short stories, and then he had these things in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/jorge-luis-borges-had-short-stories-and-i-was-trying-to-learn-how-to/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [I want to thank you, especially those people who are agnostic or atheist. I don't mean any offense by the things I said of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-want-to-thank-you-especially-those-people-who-are-agnostic-or/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [ We changed it to emocionó, the way you say in Spanish, "to emotion me" \[to be moved\]. That, as opposed to "haunt." We wanted… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/we-changed-it-to-emocion-the-way-you-say-in-spanish-to-emotion-me-to/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [When I'm starting to feel, "How many more people are there?" I go slower. I ask questions, and that person engaging with me gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/when-i-m-starting-to-feel-how-many-more-people-are-there-i-go-slower/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [I've put up with too much, too long, and now I'm just too intelligent, too powerful, too beautiful, too sure of who I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-ve-put-up-with-too-much-too-long-and-now-i-m-just-too-intelligent/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [If we got an educational program going, we could tell people, "Instead of butter, use avocado." That's something we eat, it has the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/if-we-got-an-educational-program-going-we-could-tell-people-instead/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [I always have to have sweet and salty. I know some of you are going to say, "Oh, I tried dates. I hate them."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-always-have-to-have-sweet-and-salty-i-know-some-of-you-are-going-to/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) [Explore all 347 Sandra Cisneros quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) Darlene Senger > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not afraid to say what I'm afraid of. 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