---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The truth is, it's really only okay to be…"
description: "\"“The truth is, it's really only okay to be yourself if that self is within an accepted range of 'normal'.”\" — Stacey Kade"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/stacey-kade-11075_acceptance_the-truth-is-it-s-really-only-okay-to-be_3105905.jpg"
---

#  The truth is, it's really only okay to be yourself if that…

![“The truth is, it's really only okay to be yourself if that self is within an accepted range of 'normal'.” quote by Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/stacey-kade-11075_acceptance_the-truth-is-it-s-really-only-okay-to-be_3105905.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/stacey-kade-11075_acceptance_the-truth-is-it-s-really-only-okay-to-be_3105905.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/stacey-kade-11075_acceptance_the-truth-is-it-s-really-only-okay-to-be_3105905.jpg)

> ““The truth is, it's really only okay to be yourself if that self is within an accepted range of 'normal'.””

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Conformity to societal norms is presented as a prerequisite for authentic self‑expression, questioning the freedom of individuality.

**In simple terms:** Being yourself is okay only if you fit normal standards.

Key Takeaway

Challenge the definition of “normal.”

Themes

identity conformity self‑acceptance

Mood

thoughtful questioning

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- school environments
- online communities
- workplace culture
- family dynamics

Key Concepts

social norms psychology authenticity

Questions to Reflect On

- What defines “normal” in your life?
- Can authenticity exist outside accepted norms?

A Different Perspective

Normality is subjective and restrictive.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Normal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal/) [Okay Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/okay-self-553134/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Really Okay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-okay-1335396/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self Accepted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-accepted-553133/) [The-ghost-and-the-goth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-ghost-and-the-goth-186713/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-really/)

## Related quotes

> [“Teachers, parents, guidance counselors... all of them are always pushing this crap about how it's okay to be different, just be yourself. Don't give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/teachers-parents-guidance-counselors-all-of-them-are-always-pushing/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

> [“Trust me, you see the dead walking around, you learn not to scream, laugh, or piss yourself pretty quickly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/trust-me-you-see-the-dead-walking-around-you-learn-not-to-scream/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

> [Remember who you are. It's really okay to be who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-ricci/remember-who-you-are-it-s-really-okay-to-be-who-you-are/)

[Christina Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-ricci/)

> [“No, really. I can do it. It's okay." Because you simply cannot draw these things out forever. At some point, you just pull off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/no-really-i-can-do-it-it-s-okay-because-you-simply-cannot-draw-these/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [I don't really care if I play really well, well, or okay. I want to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-wawrinka/i-don-t-really-care-if-i-play-really-well-well-or-okay-i-want-to-win/)

[Stan Wawrinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-wawrinka/)

> [“The truth. Really the Truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-truth-really-the-truth/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [The truth is really hard to handle. It makes you want to do things and feel things you don't want. But facing it means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-really-hard-to-handle-it-makes-you-want-to-do-things-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I want to discover a truth for myself that is really true. Whether it's a piece of scientific knowledge, or a philosophical truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-want-to-discover-a-truth-for-myself-that-is-really-true-whether-it/)

[William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/)

> [The truth is really hard to take and it's something you must be able to face no matter how bad or cruel it sounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakare/the-truth-is-really-hard-to-take-and-it-s-something-you-must-be-able/)

[Bakare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakare/)

> [“The truth is that what really moves us is feelings, not facts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernadette-jiwa/the-truth-is-that-what-really-moves-us-is-feelings-not-facts/)

[Bernadette Jiwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernadette-jiwa/)

> [In the knowledge of truth, what really matters is the possession of it, not the impulse under which it was sought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-the-knowledge-of-truth-what-really-matters-is-the-possession-of-it/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [The honest truth, i really do miss what we almost had….](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-honest-truth-i-really-do-miss-what-we-almost-had/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I wish I could tell you the truth about what I'm really feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wish-i-could-tell-you-the-truth-about-what-i-m-really-feeling/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Truth is, there's never really been anything so horrible said about me that I haven't either thought of or said to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-affleck/truth-is-there-s-never-really-been-anything-so-horrible-said-about-me/)

[Casey Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-affleck/)

> [You can recover the truth of what you really are. When you finally see yourself as you are, when you finally take responsibility for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/you-can-recover-the-truth-of-what-you-really-are-when-you-finally-see/)

[Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/)

## More by Stacey Kade

> [“The trouble with rules, though, is that you'll always be tempted to break one- for the right reasons, due to unavoidable circumstances, because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/the-trouble-with-rules-though-is-that-you-ll-always-be-tempted-to/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

> [“Reginald, the dog-bear," I repeated. "Or bear-dog," she reminded me. "That's terrible," I said in mock solemnity. "He's already not sure what he is-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/reginald-the-dog-bear-i-repeated-or-bear-dog-she-reminded-me-that-s/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

> [“At least I graduated," he muttered, stabbing the key in and unlocking the door. I sucked in a breath. "I think dying was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/at-least-i-graduated-he-muttered-stabbing-the-key-in-and-unlocking/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

> [“I hate this hypothetical guy already. He's probably taller than I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/i-hate-this-hypothetical-guy-already-he-s-probably-taller-than-i-am/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

> [“She shrugged and flipped her glossy hair behind her shoulders. "What else do you have to do with your time besides think about stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/she-shrugged-and-flipped-her-glossy-hair-behind-her-shoulders-what/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

> [“I couldn't figure out how the system worked. And maybe that was the point. If you aren't sure how it works, it's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/i-couldn-t-figure-out-how-the-system-worked-and-maybe-that-was-the/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

> [“There's always that one thing, right? A particular action that is your own personal line in the sand. The nuclear threat you keep in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/there-s-always-that-one-thing-right-a-particular-action-that-is-your/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

> [“It might have been my human side clamoring for blood, or my alien side looking for a chance to exercise strategic dominance over a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/it-might-have-been-my-human-side-clamoring-for-blood-or-my-alien-side/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

> [“My mouth fell open, and I swear, I got chills. He’d actually done it. He’d told his mom no. Somewhere along the line, Will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/my-mouth-fell-open-and-i-swear-i-got-chills-he-d-actually-done-it-he/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

> [“What is that phrase the kids use today? Oh, yeah. You’re his bitch, his spirit-world bitch”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/what-is-that-phrase-the-kids-use-today-oh-yeah-you-re-his-bitch-his/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

> [“Not five minutes after Alona had vanished through the far wall of my bedroom, my mom had poked her head in my room to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/not-five-minutes-after-alona-had-vanished-through-the-far-wall-of-my/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

> [“What are you doing, meditating?" "No, I'm trying to calm down so I don't kick your ass," she said through clenched teeth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/what-are-you-doing-meditating-no-i-m-trying-to-calm-down-so-i-don-t/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

> [“What was the point, I had to wonder, of fighting so hard to learn to protect my life if I was destroying it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/what-was-the-point-i-had-to-wonder-of-fighting-so-hard-to-learn-to/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

> [“Killian wasn't dead. He just dressed like it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/killian-wasn-t-dead-he-just-dressed-like-it/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

> [“What part of Vivis servimus non mortuis do you not understand?” she asked. “All of it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/what-part-of-vivis-servimus-non-mortuis-do-you-not-understand-she/)

[Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

[Explore all 62 Stacey Kade quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/)

## More Acceptance quotes

> [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/)

[Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/)

> [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/)

[William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/)

> [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/)

[Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/)

> [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/)

[Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/)

> [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/)

[Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/)

> [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/)

[Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/)

> [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/)

[Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/)

> [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/)

[Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/)

> [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/)

[Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/)

> [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/)

[Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/)

> [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/)

[Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/)

> [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 3,960 Acceptance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“The truth is, it's really only okay to be yourself if that self is within an accepted range of 'normal'.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Stacey Kade"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/the-truth-is-it-s-really-only-okay-to-be-yourself-if-that-self-is/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Acceptance"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/the-truth-is-it-s-really-only-okay-to-be-yourself-if-that-self-is/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/stacey-kade-11075_acceptance_the-truth-is-it-s-really-only-okay-to-be_3105905.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/stacey-kade-11075_acceptance_the-truth-is-it-s-really-only-okay-to-be_3105905.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/stacey-kade-11075_acceptance_the-truth-is-it-s-really-only-okay-to-be_3105905.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The truth is, it's really only okay to be yourself if that self is within an accepted range of 'normal'.” — Stacey Kade",
                "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": "Stacey Kade",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“The truth is, it's really only...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/the-truth-is-it-s-really-only-okay-to-be-yourself-if-that-self-is/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/the-truth-is-it-s-really-only-okay-to-be-yourself-if-that-self-is/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
