--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What would happen if I felt the feelings…" description: "\"“What would happen if I felt the feelings and moved through the depression? I couldn’t ask myself what was on the other side of that pain, because the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/shannon-kaiser-14940_burning-fire_what-would-happen-if-i-felt-the-feelings_2134904.jpg" --- # What would happen if I felt the feelings and moved through… ![“What would happen if I felt the feelings and moved through the depression? I couldn’t ask myself what was on the other side of that pain, because the pain itself felt so drastic; I’d rather sit in a burning fire than face those demons.” quote by Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/shannon-kaiser-14940_burning-fire_what-would-happen-if-i-felt-the-feelings_2134904.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/shannon-kaiser-14940_burning-fire_what-would-happen-if-i-felt-the-feelings_2134904.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed1/shannon-kaiser-14940_burning-fire_what-would-happen-if-i-felt-the-feelings_2134904.jpg) > ““What would happen if I felt the feelings and moved through the depression? I couldn’t ask myself what was on the other side of that pain, because the pain itself felt so drastic; I’d rather sit in a burning fire than face those demons.”” [Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker fears confronting deep pain, preferring to stay in suffering rather than face inner demons. **In simple terms:** Avoiding pain leads to staying in distress. Key Takeaway Face pain to move beyond it. Themes mental health fear depression Mood somber introspective Type motivational psychological When to use this quote - therapy - personal crisis - grief processing Key Concepts pain avoidance self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - What would change if you faced the pain? - How can you safely explore inner demons? A Different Perspective May romanticize suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Burning fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burning-fire/) [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) ## Related quotes > [I'm currently in the middle of a depression. I couldn't really tell you what set it off, but I think it stems from my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/i-m-currently-in-the-middle-of-a-depression-i-couldn-t-really-tell/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [I took a look at myself and said I was going nowhere holding on, but then I looked into your eyes and saw you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-took-a-look-at-myself-and-said-i-was-going-nowhere-holding-on-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Life’s too short to get stuck. I don’t have time to wallow in despair. I felt my feelings. I cried my tears, and now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-smith/life-s-too-short-to-get-stuck-i-don-t-have-time-to-wallow-in-despair/) [N.K. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-smith/) > [“He was fine, and foreign, and he did not belong here. I held him close, not crushing, not waking him, letting him sleep, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margo-lanagan/he-was-fine-and-foreign-and-he-did-not-belong-here-i-held-him-close/) [Margo Lanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margo-lanagan/) > [I honestly believe I have felt your feelings. I've walked in your shoes. You have made some mistakes, and you may not be where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-honestly-believe-i-have-felt-your-feelings-i-ve-walked-in-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I was attracted to her from the first time we talked, and soon there was no turning back. For a long time she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-was-attracted-to-her-from-the-first-time-we-talked-and-soon-there/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“I did not act in this fashion deliberately; I did not prefer this kind of relationship with people. I wanted a life in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wright/i-did-not-act-in-this-fashion-deliberately-i-did-not-prefer-this-kind/) [Richard Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wright/) > [The pain in the heart is felt to only those who have feelings in their eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-pain-in-the-heart-is-felt-to-only-those-who-have-feelings-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I Wish I Could Give You A Taste Of The Burning Fire Of Love. There Is A Fire Blazing Inside Of Me. If I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/i-wish-i-could-give-you-a-taste-of-the-burning-fire-of-love-there-is/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Love is like a friendship caught on fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/love-is-like-a-friendship-caught-on-fire/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [“There is a candle in the heart of man, waiting to be kindled. In separation from the Friend, there is a cut waiting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-a-candle-in-the-heart-of-man-waiting-to-be-kindled-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we were the political slaves of King George, and wanted to be free, we called the maxim that "all men are created equal"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/when-we-were-the-political-slaves-of-king-george-and-wanted-to-be/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“I'd seen this happen several times before, in different institutions, but it was no less remarkable on each occasion: the words were like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-carr/i-d-seen-this-happen-several-times-before-in-different-institutions/) [Caleb Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-carr/) > [“You could feel hurt and rejected right now but you must know that both pain and rejection are not here to stay. They just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euginia-herlihy/you-could-feel-hurt-and-rejected-right-now-but-you-must-know-that/) [Euginia Herlihy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euginia-herlihy/) > [Some fighters know when to stop on their own and go on to something else, and then some fighters have nothing to go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-hagler/some-fighters-know-when-to-stop-on-their-own-and-go-on-to-something/) [Marvin Hagler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-hagler/) ## More by Shannon Kaiser > [“People crave new experiences and want passion in their lives, but their fear of the unknown is greater than their desire to reach that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-kaiser/people-crave-new-experiences-and-want-passion-in-their-lives-but/) [Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) > [“As I walked past tall palm tress and gazed forward, my mouth dropped to the ground. The same image I had been visualizing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-kaiser/as-i-walked-past-tall-palm-tress-and-gazed-forward-my-mouth-dropped/) [Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) > [“No matter how much someone else loves you or you love other people, if you don’t love yourself then it can never be enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-kaiser/no-matter-how-much-someone-else-loves-you-or-you-love-other-people-if/) [Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) > [“When we settle we sacrifice ourselves, and in doing this we hurt our authentic connection with others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-kaiser/when-we-settle-we-sacrifice-ourselves-and-in-doing-this-we-hurt-our/) [Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) > [“What if shame and judgment are just a stand-in for a lack of love?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-kaiser/what-if-shame-and-judgment-are-just-a-stand-in-for-a-lack-of-love/) [Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) > [“When you step into your power and your true authentic self, you shine. You shine so brightly that the world tries to keep up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-kaiser/when-you-step-into-your-power-and-your-true-authentic-self-you-shine/) [Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) > [“When you let go of anger, you not only help yourself, but you also contribute to the healing of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-kaiser/when-you-let-go-of-anger-you-not-only-help-yourself-but-you-also/) [Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) > [“You always have enough time, money and energy for what is most important to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-kaiser/you-always-have-enough-time-money-and-energy-for-what-is-most/) [Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) > [“The key for me was to find activities I enjoyed—things that didn’t feel like a chore but brought me joy. I love spinning, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-kaiser/the-key-for-me-was-to-find-activities-i-enjoyed-things-that-didn-t/) [Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) > [“Self-love is not a place we get to but a place we choose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-kaiser/self-love-is-not-a-place-we-get-to-but-a-place-we-choose/) [Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) > [“But the reality is that no matter what your current circumstances, if you can picture and imagine your life the way you want it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-kaiser/but-the-reality-is-that-no-matter-what-your-current-circumstances-if/) [Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) > [“We get offended only because something in the comment or situation reflects a place that still needs to be healed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-kaiser/we-get-offended-only-because-something-in-the-comment-or-situation/) [Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) > [“Worrying is like asking for what you don’t want.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-kaiser/worrying-is-like-asking-for-what-you-don-t-want/) [Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) > [“We can choose to focus on an excuse and then it becomes our reality—as in we believe the excuses, such as “I can’t do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-kaiser/we-can-choose-to-focus-on-an-excuse-and-then-it-becomes-our-reality/) [Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) > [“Remember, we cannot hate ourselves into changing. Negative energy cannot remove hate. In order to remove negative things we must send love, we”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-kaiser/remember-we-cannot-hate-ourselves-into-changing-negative-energy/) [Shannon Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) [Explore all 44 Shannon Kaiser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-kaiser/) ## More Burning fire quotes > [Some fighters know when to stop on their own and go on to something else, and then some fighters have nothing to go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-hagler/some-fighters-know-when-to-stop-on-their-own-and-go-on-to-something/) [Marvin Hagler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-hagler/) > [“You could feel hurt and rejected right now but you must know that both pain and rejection are not here to stay. They just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euginia-herlihy/you-could-feel-hurt-and-rejected-right-now-but-you-must-know-that/) [Euginia Herlihy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euginia-herlihy/) > [“I'd seen this happen several times before, in different institutions, but it was no less remarkable on each occasion: the words were like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-carr/i-d-seen-this-happen-several-times-before-in-different-institutions/) [Caleb Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-carr/) > [When we were the political slaves of King George, and wanted to be free, we called the maxim that "all men are created equal"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/when-we-were-the-political-slaves-of-king-george-and-wanted-to-be/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“There is a candle in the heart of man, waiting to be kindled. In separation from the Friend, there is a cut waiting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-a-candle-in-the-heart-of-man-waiting-to-be-kindled-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Love is like a friendship caught on fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/love-is-like-a-friendship-caught-on-fire/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [I Wish I Could Give You A Taste Of The Burning Fire Of Love. There Is A Fire Blazing Inside Of Me. If I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/i-wish-i-could-give-you-a-taste-of-the-burning-fire-of-love-there-is/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Love is the eternally burning fire in which humanity & all the world are being purified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/love-is-the-eternally-burning-fire-in-which-humanity-all-the-world/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Make the land of Islam a burning fire that burns their faces and feet wherever they pass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/make-the-land-of-islam-a-burning-fire-that-burns-their-faces-and-feet/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [“How could there be a stone unturned in the quest to understand your life's purpose? So many well entrenched systems already exist and some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-killion/how-could-there-be-a-stone-unturned-in-the-quest-to-understand-your/) Neil Killion > [“Change is not a one-time explosion of opportunity. It is a slow burning fire that needs to be tended constantly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-harvey/change-is-not-a-one-time-explosion-of-opportunity-it-is-a-slow/) [Jason Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-harvey/) > [Inspiration has become this word that people tend to talk about as something from the outside. The truth is that... it is inside, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-wanders/inspiration-has-become-this-word-that-people-tend-to-talk-about-as/) [Marcel Wanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-wanders/) > [“Pursue your purpose,especially if it burns in your bones like a burning fire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/pursue-your-purpose-especially-if-it-burns-in-your-bones-like-a/) Anyaele Sam Chiyson > [“Somebody once told me a slow-burning fire is the hottest – and it must be true. Because Logan and I are a fucking inferno.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-chase/somebody-once-told-me-a-slow-burning-fire-is-the-hottest-and-it-must/) [Emma Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-chase/) > [“When I'm triggered, I think, "This will last forever" or "What if this lasts forever?" I get thoughts about how I should give up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/when-i-m-triggered-i-think-this-will-last-forever-or-what-if-this/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) [Browse all 49 Burning fire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burning-fire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What would happen if I felt the feelings and moved through the depression? 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