--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To express yourself as you are, without…" description: "\"To express yourself as you are, without any intentional, fancy way of adjusting yourself, is the most important thing.\" — Shunryu Suzuki" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/shunryu-suzuki-1280_adjusting_to-express-yourself-as-you-are-without-a_340644.png" --- # To express yourself as you are, without any intentional… ![“To express yourself as you are, without any intentional, fancy way of adjusting yourself, is the most important thing.” quote by Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/shunryu-suzuki-1280_adjusting_to-express-yourself-as-you-are-without-a_340644.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/shunryu-suzuki-1280_adjusting_to-express-yourself-as-you-are-without-a_340644.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/shunryu-suzuki-1280_adjusting_to-express-yourself-as-you-are-without-a_340644.png) > “To express yourself as you are, without any intentional, fancy way of adjusting yourself, is the most important thing.” [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authentic self-expression without artificial adjustments is essential for true communication. **In simple terms:** Be yourself, no pretenses. Key Takeaway Practice genuine expression. Themes authenticity self-awareness communication Mood calm thoughtful Type spiritual practical When to use this quote - public speaking - personal relationships - creative arts - meditation Key Concepts zen philosophy mindfulness ego reduction Questions to Reflect On - How can you express yourself authentically? - What obstacles hinder genuine communication? A Different Perspective Cultural norms may pressure conformity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Express yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/express-yourself/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) ## Related quotes > [Becoming a comedienne was my way of adjusting to puberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/becoming-a-comedienne-was-my-way-of-adjusting-to-puberty/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [It is a big mistake to think that the best way to express yourself is to do whatever you want, acting as you please.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/it-is-a-big-mistake-to-think-that-the-best-way-to-express-yourself-is/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [To cook is not just to prepare food for someone or to cook for yourself; it is to express your sincerity. So when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/to-cook-is-not-just-to-prepare-food-for-someone-or-to-cook-for/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [Don't move. Just die over and over. Don't anticipate. Nothing can save you now because you have only this moment. Not even enlightenment will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/don-t-move-just-die-over-and-over-don-t-anticipate-nothing-can-save/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [Wise and prudent men and intelligent conservatives have long known that in a changing world worthy institutions can be conserved only by adjusting them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/wise-and-prudent-men-and-intelligent-conservatives-have-long-known/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [I think they’re having trouble adjusting to the emotions they have outside of their dreams. At any rate, they keep acting like demented teenagers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-think-they-re-having-trouble-adjusting-to-the-emotions-they-have/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The first effect of adjusting to other people is that one becomes boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-first-effect-of-adjusting-to-other-people-is-that-one-becomes/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [“ Here's something life doesn't give you: a recipe.You have to make it up as you go along, adjusting accordingly. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-gold/here-s-something-life-doesn-t-give-you-a-recipe-you-have-to-make-it/) Jennifer Gold > [The challenge of co-operation in today's age of quarrel can be achieved by adjusting every situation according to the higher principle of loving God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/the-challenge-of-co-operation-in-today-s-age-of-quarrel-can-be/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [At first I had no skills in writing comedy. I didn't know what a joke was, but, as someone once told me, your emotions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/at-first-i-had-no-skills-in-writing-comedy-i-didn-t-know-what-a-joke/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [It was physically difficult, adjusting to wheelchair life, but I remember a great relief and happiness that I was finally getting somewhere, finding musicians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wyatt/it-was-physically-difficult-adjusting-to-wheelchair-life-but-i/) [Robert Wyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wyatt/) > [The most successful businessmen were often uneducated when measured by the scholastic standards of the teaching profession. But they were equal to their social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-most-successful-businessmen-were-often-uneducated-when-measured/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Every year, you have to keep adjusting. I'm 28; I'm not 19 anymore. You have to work harder now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-hernandez/every-year-you-have-to-keep-adjusting-i-m-28-i-m-not-19-anymore-you/) [Felix Hernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-hernandez/) > [Aerobic dancing is already adjusting to injury problems and will probably phase out to some extent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-h-cooper/aerobic-dancing-is-already-adjusting-to-injury-problems-and-will/) [Kenneth H. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-h-cooper/) > [In the movie, I deal with the loss of my legs and adjusting and trying to become a new person, essentially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bauman/in-the-movie-i-deal-with-the-loss-of-my-legs-and-adjusting-and-trying/) [Jeff Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bauman/) ## More by Shunryu Suzuki > [The point we emphasize is strong confidence in our original nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/the-point-we-emphasize-is-strong-confidence-in-our-original-nature/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [If you continue this simple practice every day, you will obtain some wonderful power. Before you attain it, it is something wonderful, but after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/if-you-continue-this-simple-practice-every-day-you-will-obtain-some/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [You want to eliminate your evil desires in order to reveal your Buddha nature, but where will you throw them away?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/you-want-to-eliminate-your-evil-desires-in-order-to-reveal-your/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [Ego is a social institution with no physical reality. The ego is simply your symbol of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/ego-is-a-social-institution-with-no-physical-reality-the-ego-is/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [“In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the experts mind, there are few.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/in-the-beginner-s-mind-there-are-many-possibilities-in-the-experts/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [The seed has no idea of being some particular plant, but it has its own form and is in perfect harmony with the ground,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/the-seed-has-no-idea-of-being-some-particular-plant-but-it-has-its/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [Whereever you are, you are one with the clouds and one with the sun and the stars you see. You are one with everything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/whereever-you-are-you-are-one-with-the-clouds-and-one-with-the-sun/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [When we become truly ourselves, we just become a swinging door, and we are purely independent of, and at the same time, dependent upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/when-we-become-truly-ourselves-we-just-become-a-swinging-door-and-we/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [“Zen is not some fancy, special art of living. Our teaching is just to live, always in reality, in its exact sense. To make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/zen-is-not-some-fancy-special-art-of-living-our-teaching-is-just-to/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [So the secret is just to say 'Yes!' and jump off from here. Then there is no problem. It means to be yourself, always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/so-the-secret-is-just-to-say-yes-and-jump-off-from-here-then-there-is/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [Our tendency is to be interested in something that is growing in the garden, not in the bare soil itself. But if you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/our-tendency-is-to-be-interested-in-something-that-is-growing-in-the/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [The world is its own magic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/the-world-is-its-own-magic/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [People say that practicing Zen is difficult, but there is a misunderstanding as to why. It is not difficult because it is hard to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/people-say-that-practicing-zen-is-difficult-but-there-is-a/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [Each one of us must make his own true way, and when we do, that way will express the universal way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/each-one-of-us-must-make-his-own-true-way-and-when-we-do-that-way/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [The purpose of our practice is just to be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/the-purpose-of-our-practice-is-just-to-be-yourself/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) [Explore all 262 Shunryu Suzuki quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) ## More Adjusting quotes > [In the movie, I deal with the loss of my legs and adjusting and trying to become a new person, essentially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bauman/in-the-movie-i-deal-with-the-loss-of-my-legs-and-adjusting-and-trying/) [Jeff Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bauman/) > [Aerobic dancing is already adjusting to injury problems and will probably phase out to some extent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-h-cooper/aerobic-dancing-is-already-adjusting-to-injury-problems-and-will/) [Kenneth H. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-h-cooper/) > [Every year, you have to keep adjusting. I'm 28; I'm not 19 anymore. You have to work harder now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-hernandez/every-year-you-have-to-keep-adjusting-i-m-28-i-m-not-19-anymore-you/) [Felix Hernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-hernandez/) > [The most successful businessmen were often uneducated when measured by the scholastic standards of the teaching profession. But they were equal to their social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-most-successful-businessmen-were-often-uneducated-when-measured/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [It was physically difficult, adjusting to wheelchair life, but I remember a great relief and happiness that I was finally getting somewhere, finding musicians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wyatt/it-was-physically-difficult-adjusting-to-wheelchair-life-but-i/) [Robert Wyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wyatt/) > [At first I had no skills in writing comedy. I didn't know what a joke was, but, as someone once told me, your emotions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/at-first-i-had-no-skills-in-writing-comedy-i-didn-t-know-what-a-joke/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The challenge of co-operation in today's age of quarrel can be achieved by adjusting every situation according to the higher principle of loving God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/the-challenge-of-co-operation-in-today-s-age-of-quarrel-can-be/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [“ Here's something life doesn't give you: a recipe.You have to make it up as you go along, adjusting accordingly. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-gold/here-s-something-life-doesn-t-give-you-a-recipe-you-have-to-make-it/) Jennifer Gold > [The first effect of adjusting to other people is that one becomes boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-first-effect-of-adjusting-to-other-people-is-that-one-becomes/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [I think they’re having trouble adjusting to the emotions they have outside of their dreams. At any rate, they keep acting like demented teenagers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-think-they-re-having-trouble-adjusting-to-the-emotions-they-have/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Wise and prudent men and intelligent conservatives have long known that in a changing world worthy institutions can be conserved only by adjusting them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/wise-and-prudent-men-and-intelligent-conservatives-have-long-known/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [It’s really critical to have your dream life in your mind so that you’re constantly adjusting and designing your business in such a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-roney/it-s-really-critical-to-have-your-dream-life-in-your-mind-so-that-you/) [Blake Roney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-roney/) > [“There are four ways to adjust a recipe: adjusting the number of portions yielded, changing the size of the portions, yielding a specific number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-parker-puckett/there-are-four-ways-to-adjust-a-recipe-adjusting-the-number-of/) [Ruby Parker Puckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-parker-puckett/) > [Talent is important, and some background as well. This really is not beginner's school. I want to work with people that have achieved a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vlatko-stefanovski/talent-is-important-and-some-background-as-well-this-really-is-not/) Vlatko Stefanovski > [I don't mean to imply that we are in imminent danger of being wiped off the face of the earth - at least, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-claussen/i-don-t-mean-to-imply-that-we-are-in-imminent-danger-of-being-wiped/) [Eileen Claussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-claussen/) Browse all 170 Adjusting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To express yourself as you are, without any intentional, fancy way of adjusting yourself, is the most important thing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shunryu Suzuki" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/to-express-yourself-as-you-are-without-any-intentional-fancy-way-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adjusting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/to-express-yourself-as-you-are-without-any-intentional-fancy-way-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/shunryu-suzuki-1280_adjusting_to-express-yourself-as-you-are-without-a_340644.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/shunryu-suzuki-1280_adjusting_to-express-yourself-as-you-are-without-a_340644.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/shunryu-suzuki-1280_adjusting_to-express-yourself-as-you-are-without-a_340644.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To express yourself as you are, without any intentional, fancy way of adjusting yourself, is the most…” — Shunryu Suzuki", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Shunryu Suzuki", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To express yourself as you are,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/to-express-yourself-as-you-are-without-any-intentional-fancy-way-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/to-express-yourself-as-you-are-without-any-intentional-fancy-way-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```