--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was so easy to disown what you…" description: "\"It was so easy to disown what you couldn't recognize, to keep yourself apart from things that were foreign and unsettling. The only person you can be s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/sarah-dessen-110_control_it-was-so-easy-to-disown-what-you-couldn_2657970.png" --- # It was so easy to disown what you couldn't recognize, to… ![“It was so easy to disown what you couldn't recognize, to keep yourself apart from things that were foreign and unsettling. The only person you can be sure to control, always, is yourself. Which is a lot to be sure of, but at the same time, not enough.” quote by Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/sarah-dessen-110_control_it-was-so-easy-to-disown-what-you-couldn_2657970.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/sarah-dessen-110_control_it-was-so-easy-to-disown-what-you-couldn_2657970.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/sarah-dessen-110_control_it-was-so-easy-to-disown-what-you-couldn_2657970.png) > “It was so easy to disown what you couldn't recognize, to keep yourself apart from things that were foreign and unsettling. The only person you can be sure to control, always, is yourself. Which is a lot to be sure of, but at the same time, not enough.” [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Denial of unfamiliarity is easy, but self‑control is the only true mastery we possess, though it’s limited. **In simple terms:** Only self can be truly controlled. Key Takeaway Focus on self‑awareness and personal responsibility. Themes self‑control identity recognition growth Mood introspective motivational Type personal literary When to use this quote - therapy - journaling - personal coaching Key Concepts psychology philosophy literature Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of self are truly controllable? - How do you confront unsettling unfamiliarities? A Different Perspective May overlook external influences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Disown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disown/) ## Related quotes > [“It was so easy to disown what you couldn’t recognize, to keep yourself apart from things that were foreign and unsettling”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/it-was-so-easy-to-disown-what-you-couldn-t-recognize-to-keep-yourself/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I don't disown feminism, but I don't believe in such labels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabu/i-don-t-disown-feminism-but-i-don-t-believe-in-such-labels/) [Tabu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabu/) > [“You can't avoid success if you disown your fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sravani-saha-nakhro/you-can-t-avoid-success-if-you-disown-your-fear/) [Sravani Saha Nakhro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sravani-saha-nakhro/) > [“is the only person who has the right to disown and give up on the church. But He never has. And He never will.5…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-breakey/is-the-only-person-who-has-the-right-to-disown-and-give-up-on-the/) [Caleb Breakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-breakey/) > [I write fiction because it's a way of making statements I can disown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-write-fiction-because-it-s-a-way-of-making-statements-i-can-disown/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [“In the unpacking process, you’ve got to own it to disown it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evinda-lepins/in-the-unpacking-process-you-ve-got-to-own-it-to-disown-it/) [Evinda Lepins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evinda-lepins/) > [“He that complies against his will is of his own opinion still Which he may adhere to, yet disown, For reasons to himself best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/he-that-complies-against-his-will-is-of-his-own-opinion-still-which/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [If you are a seer, whenever you meet a man you will see all that he owns, ay, and much that he pretends to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-you-are-a-seer-whenever-you-meet-a-man-you-will-see-all-that-he/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I can no more disown (Jeremiah Wright) than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-no-more-disown-jeremiah-wright-than-i-can-disown-the-black/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Hereafter she is only my sister in name; not because I disown her, but because she has disowned me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/hereafter-she-is-only-my-sister-in-name-not-because-i-disown-her-but/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [It's very difficult for a mother to disown her child even if he/she is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-shah/it-s-very-difficult-for-a-mother-to-disown-her-child-even-if-he-she/) [Shefali Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-shah/) > [“You cannot disown what is yours. Flung out, there is always the return, the reckoning, the revenge, perhaps the reconciliation. There is always the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-cannot-disown-what-is-yours-flung-out-there-is-always-the-return/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Own your own story and then disown it. See how that feels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/own-your-own-story-and-then-disown-it-see-how-that-feels/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [If I said to my mum I'd left home, she'd probably disown me, especially as I'm the youngest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naughty-boy/if-i-said-to-my-mum-i-d-left-home-she-d-probably-disown-me-especially/) [Naughty Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naughty-boy/) > [“In our unpacking process, we must own it before we can disown it!" EL”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evinda-lepins/in-our-unpacking-process-we-must-own-it-before-we-can-disown-it-el/) [Evinda Lepins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evinda-lepins/) ## More by Sarah Dessen > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“if i were a book i would be so open”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/if-i-were-a-book-i-would-be-so-open/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Harder to get in than out, like so little else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/harder-to-get-in-than-out-like-so-little-else/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“At times, I found myself questioning his very existence, even though I knew I had, in fact, spotted him, with my own eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/at-times-i-found-myself-questioning-his-very-existence-even-though-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [No relationship is perfect, ever. There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/no-relationship-is-perfect-ever-there-are-always-some-ways-you-have/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [When you had to do something, you had to do it. And eventually, if you were lucky, you did it well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/when-you-had-to-do-something-you-had-to-do-it-and-eventually-if-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [the truth about forever is that it is happening right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/the-truth-about-forever-is-that-it-is-happening-right-now/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I jammed my hand in my jacket pocket, bracing myself fo the next hit, and fel something. Something grainy and samll, sticking to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-jammed-my-hand-in-my-jacket-pocket-bracing-myself-fo-the-next-hit/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I had no illusions about love anymore. It came, it went, it left casualties or it didn't. People weren't meant to be together forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-had-no-illusions-about-love-anymore-it-came-it-went-it-left/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“But maybe that isn't so bad. You can't love anyone that way more than once in a lifetime. It's too hard and it hurts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/but-maybe-that-isn-t-so-bad-you-can-t-love-anyone-that-way-more-than/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [This was just one night, one chance to vary and see where it took me. The fireflies were probably already out: maybe it wasn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/this-was-just-one-night-one-chance-to-vary-and-see-where-it-took-me/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [call it chicken salad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/call-it-chicken-salad/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“For me, however, it was a mix of the two, this constant push and pull. I loved it here. But I'd been in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/for-me-however-it-was-a-mix-of-the-two-this-constant-push-and-pull-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I think whenever a writer is really enjoying themselves and liking what they are doing, that shows on the page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-think-whenever-a-writer-is-really-enjoying-themselves-and-liking/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) [Explore all 1,251 Sarah Dessen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## More Control quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“You can't control who loves you...you can't let someone love you anymore than you can make someone love you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/you-can-t-control-who-loves-you-you-can-t-let-someone-love-you/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [Don't think you can...know you can! You human body is the most impressive tool you'll ever own. Even if you can't control everything, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/don-t-think-you-can-know-you-can-you-human-body-is-the-most/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/) Thomas Miller > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [Some nights I'm funny with the between-song commentary, some nights I'm not. I have no control over this. I pace the stage a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/some-nights-i-m-funny-with-the-between-song-commentary-some-nights-i/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Browse all 6,032 Control quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It was so easy to disown what you couldn't recognize, to keep yourself apart from things that were foreign and unsettling. The only person you can be sure to control, always, is yourself. 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