--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am hard on myself. But isn't it better…" description: "\"I am hard on myself. But isn't it better to be honest about these things before someone else can use them against you? Before someone else can break yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53e/stephanie-perkins-482_being-honest_i-am-hard-on-myself-but-isn-t-it-better_1540339.png" --- # I am hard on myself. But isn't it better to be honest… ![“I am hard on myself. But isn't it better to be honest about these things before someone else can use them against you? Before someone else can break your heart? Isn't it better to break it yourself?” quote by Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53e/stephanie-perkins-482_being-honest_i-am-hard-on-myself-but-isn-t-it-better_1540339.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53e/stephanie-perkins-482_being-honest_i-am-hard-on-myself-but-isn-t-it-better_1540339.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53e/stephanie-perkins-482_being-honest_i-am-hard-on-myself-but-isn-t-it-better_1540339.png) > “I am hard on myself. But isn't it better to be honest about these things before someone else can use them against you? Before someone else can break your heart? Isn't it better to break it yourself?” [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages honesty about personal flaws before others exploit them **In simple terms:** Self‑honesty protects against future hurt Key Takeaway Be truthful with yourself to prevent external manipulation Themes self‑awareness vulnerability self‑protection Mood introspective cautious Type literary psychological When to use this quote - Therapy sessions - relationship building - personal journaling - conflict resolution Key Concepts Psychological resilience trust building emotional health Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice honest self‑reflection? - When is it safe to share vulnerabilities? A Different Perspective Self‑criticism can become destructive if not balanced with self‑compassion ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-honest/) [Break your heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-your-heart/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“But isn't it better to be honest about these things before someone else can use them against you? Before someone else can break your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/but-isn-t-it-better-to-be-honest-about-these-things-before-someone-2/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“But isn’t it better to be honest about these things before someone else can use them against you? Before someone else can break your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/but-isn-t-it-better-to-be-honest-about-these-things-before-someone/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [What’d I tell you about musicians? That bad boy type will only break your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/what-d-i-tell-you-about-musicians-that-bad-boy-type-will-only-break/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [To feel successful, you must be able to be honest about the things that are really important to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-amen/to-feel-successful-you-must-be-able-to-be-honest-about-the-things/) [Daniel Amen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-amen/) > [Hard isn't it? Trying to stay strong for everyone around you, with a pasted on smile that quickly goes away when you're alone. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hard-isn-t-it-trying-to-stay-strong-for-everyone-around-you-with-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Life is hard, so what? It's hard for everyone, isn't it? Anyone who says it's easy is a liar.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/life-is-hard-so-what-it-s-hard-for-everyone-isn-t-it-anyone-who-says/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [“The really hard part isn't stepping off the boat; it's learning how to swim.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goines/the-really-hard-part-isn-t-stepping-off-the-boat-it-s-learning-how-to/) Jeff Goines > [“Hard" isn't the same as "mean".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-vachss/hard-isn-t-the-same-as-mean/) [Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vachss/) > [If you care about what you do and work hard at it, there isn't anything you can't do if you want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-henson/if-you-care-about-what-you-do-and-work-hard-at-it-there-isn-t/) [Jim Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-henson/) > [If it doesn't feel hard, it isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-dixon/if-it-doesn-t-feel-hard-it-isn-t/) Amy Dixon > [When the time comes for you to give your heart to someone, make sure that you select someone who will never break your heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-the-time-comes-for-you-to-give-your-heart-to-someone-make-sure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every person has at least one secret that will break your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana/every-person-has-at-least-one-secret-that-will-break-your-heart/) [AnA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana/) > [“I won’t break your heart. For the first time in my life, I’ve found something worth fighting for, someone more important than me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelle-bliss/i-won-t-break-your-heart-for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-ve-found/) [Chelle Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelle-bliss/) > [It's amazing how someone can break your heart, but you still love them with all the little pieces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sajid/it-s-amazing-how-someone-can-break-your-heart-but-you-still-love-them/) [Sajid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sajid/) > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) ## More by Stephanie Perkins > [“This warmth over the telephone. Is it possible for home to be a person and not a place? Bridgette used to be home to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/this-warmth-over-the-telephone-is-it-possible-for-home-to-be-a-person/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“I wasn't being a git. I wasn't even being a twat, or a wanker, or any of your other bleeding Briticisms -”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/i-wasn-t-being-a-git-i-wasn-t-even-being-a-twat-or-a-wanker-or-any-of/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“You said on my birthday that you were afraid of being alone, but I’ve been here this whole time. This whole time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/you-said-on-my-birthday-that-you-were-afraid-of-being-alone-but-i-ve/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“Lola: Do you think things have to be easy? For it to work? Cricket: NO. 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You can't unmake a mistake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/you-can-t-undo-loss-you-can-t-unmake-a-mistake/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“They didn’t talk much, but their silence was companionable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/they-didn-t-talk-much-but-their-silence-was-companionable/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“We're enveloped in pitch black. "Wait here," I whisper. "Are you getting your ax?" "Handcuffs." "Kinky. But, okay, I'll try it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/we-re-enveloped-in-pitch-black-wait-here-i-whisper-are-you-getting/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“And, suddenly, I want to touch him. Not a push, or a shove, or even a friendly hug. I want to feel the creases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/and-suddenly-i-want-to-touch-him-not-a-push-or-a-shove-or-even-a/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“My face is round, and my cheeks are pinchable, and my ears stick out farther than I'd like.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/my-face-is-round-and-my-cheeks-are-pinchable-and-my-ears-stick-out/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“There's something about blue eyes. The kind of blue that startles you every time they're lifted in your direction. The kind of blue that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/there-s-something-about-blue-eyes-the-kind-of-blue-that-startles-you/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“I'm a little distracted by this English French American Boy Masterpiece.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/i-m-a-little-distracted-by-this-english-french-american-boy/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) [Explore all 500 Stephanie Perkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) ## More Being honest quotes > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [I have often spoken of integrity as the most important of these values, realizing that integrity – and personal integrity, at that – is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verghese-kurien/i-have-often-spoken-of-integrity-as-the-most-important-of-these/) [Verghese Kurien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verghese-kurien/) > [I had never done anything with blue screen before, or prosthetics, or anything like that. Lord of the Rings was like stepping into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-had-never-done-anything-with-blue-screen-before-or-prosthetics-or/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Let's be honest, if the Democrats didn't support ignoring our nation's immigration laws, there is no way they could win the presidency or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/let-s-be-honest-if-the-democrats-didn-t-support-ignoring-our-nation-s/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [I think what saved me is me being honest. I think I somewhow had the courage to do something and say something that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-think-what-saved-me-is-me-being-honest-i-think-i-somewhow-had-the/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [An actor has to evaluate his own abilities and be honest with himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/an-actor-has-to-evaluate-his-own-abilities-and-be-honest-with-himself/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [The cultural integration of psychedelics won't happen overnight, and the question of young people is perhaps the most difficult involved. The first step is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-doblin/the-cultural-integration-of-psychedelics-won-t-happen-overnight-and/) [Rick Doblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-doblin/) > [I'm a person of change and I must be honest to my artistry and my creativity. That's part of the word 'jazz'... it's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-ferguson/i-m-a-person-of-change-and-i-must-be-honest-to-my-artistry-and-my/) Maynard Ferguson > [I'm going to be honest, I would love for Flava Flav to be president. It would bring a lot of excitement to the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-khaled/i-m-going-to-be-honest-i-would-love-for-flava-flav-to-be-president-it/) [DJ Khaled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-khaled/) > [The buildings that were in question, they said in the same report, which was - actually, it wasn't even a bad story, to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-buildings-that-were-in-question-they-said-in-the-same-report/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I guess it has to be healthy, you have to be honest with yourself and I think that's when ego is okay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/i-guess-it-has-to-be-healthy-you-have-to-be-honest-with-yourself-and/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [ The opening for solid waste is very small \[in the space ship\]. It's not toilet-bowl size. And aim is critical. To be honest with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mullane/the-opening-for-solid-waste-is-very-small-in-the-space-ship-it-s-not/) [Mike Mullane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mullane/) > [We had 90 percent rates, but nobody paid them. And so you had all these exemptions, exclusions, shelters, all this kind of stuff. 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