--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To tell you the truth, I've just been…" description: "\"To tell you the truth, I've just been avoiding everything.\" — Stephen Chbosky" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/stephen-chbosky-387_avoiding_to-tell-you-the-truth-i-ve-just-been-avo_873025.png" --- # To tell you the truth, I've just been avoiding everything. ![“To tell you the truth, I've just been avoiding everything.” quote by Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/stephen-chbosky-387_avoiding_to-tell-you-the-truth-i-ve-just-been-avo_873025.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/stephen-chbosky-387_avoiding_to-tell-you-the-truth-i-ve-just-been-avo_873025.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/stephen-chbosky-387_avoiding_to-tell-you-the-truth-i-ve-just-been-avo_873025.png) > “To tell you the truth, I've just been avoiding everything.” [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) ## 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 admits to evading responsibilities and emotions, highlighting a pattern of avoidance as a coping mechanism. **In simple terms:** I’m avoiding everything. Key Takeaway Recognize and confront avoidance. Themes avoidance self‑reflection mental health Mood anxious reflective Type personal confessional When to use this quote - personal relationships - academic pressures - social anxiety - stress management Key Concepts psychology coping strategies Questions to Reflect On - What are you avoiding and why? - How can you gently face these tasks? A Different Perspective Avoidance can lead to deeper issues if not addressed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Avoiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoiding/) [Just Avoiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-avoiding-972465/) [Tell Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-truth/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Ve Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-just/) ## Related quotes > [To tell you the truth, ived just been avoiding everything, especially my past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teejay-david/to-tell-you-the-truth-ived-just-been-avoiding-everything-especially/) [Teejay David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teejay-david/) > [Everything I've done I've just fallen into.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-johansen/everything-i-ve-done-i-ve-just-fallen-into/) [David Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-johansen/) > [It's unfortunate we've never been just songwriters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-green/it-s-unfortunate-we-ve-never-been-just-songwriters/) [Adolph Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-green/) > [You've just got to listen to yourself about things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darby-allin/you-ve-just-got-to-listen-to-yourself-about-things/) [Darby Allin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darby-allin/) > [You've just got to be comfortable with yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/you-ve-just-got-to-be-comfortable-with-yourself/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [I've just got to go out and do what I'm supposed to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordarrelle-patterson/i-ve-just-got-to-go-out-and-do-what-i-m-supposed-to/) [Cordarrelle Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordarrelle-patterson/) > [Aping what you've already done is just so dangerous and unrewarding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-summers/aping-what-you-ve-already-done-is-just-so-dangerous-and-unrewarding/) [Andy Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-summers/) > [“I've never been shy. I've just waited until I had something to say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/i-ve-never-been-shy-i-ve-just-waited-until-i-had-something-to-say/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [You've just got to see me through another day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-taylor/you-ve-just-got-to-see-me-through-another-day/) [James Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-taylor/) > [I've always been just kind of consumed by my own thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-yoakam/i-ve-always-been-just-kind-of-consumed-by-my-own-thoughts/) [Dwight Yoakam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-yoakam/) > [I've just always got on with people older than me for some reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-noble/i-ve-just-always-got-on-with-people-older-than-me-for-some-reason/) [Mark Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-noble/) > [This is definitely a reality check for us, we've just got to learn from this and move on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-black/this-is-definitely-a-reality-check-for-us-we-ve-just-got-to-learn/) [Alan W. Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-black/) > [You've just gotta find your bliss and go after it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stynes/you-ve-just-gotta-find-your-bliss-and-go-after-it/) [Jim Stynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stynes/) > [A simple no would've done just fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-madison/a-simple-no-would-ve-done-just-fine/) [Billy Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-madison/) > [We've all got flesh. I've just got a little more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/we-ve-all-got-flesh-i-ve-just-got-a-little-more/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) ## More by Stephen Chbosky > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“It's great that you can listen and be a shoulder to someone, but what about when someone doesn't need a shoulder. What if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/it-s-great-that-you-can-listen-and-be-a-shoulder-to-someone-but-what/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [Most of the people I know who were raised to be accommodating or were raised to just be nice and put everybody's needs ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/most-of-the-people-i-know-who-were-raised-to-be-accommodating-or-were/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I don’t want to start thinking again. Not like I have this last week. I can’t think again. Not ever again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-don-t-want-to-start-thinking-again-not-like-i-have-this-last-week-i/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“And then Patrick started running after the sunset. And Sam immediately followed him. And I saw them in silhouette. Running after the sun. Then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/and-then-patrick-started-running-after-the-sunset-and-sam-immediately/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [That was always my hope that that is exactly what I would do. It was always part of the dream of this story -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/that-was-always-my-hope-that-that-is-exactly-what-i-would-do-it-was/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [And she says she wants to expose me to all these great things. And to tell you the truth, I don't really want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/and-she-says-she-wants-to-expose-me-to-all-these-great-things-and-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“I'm sorry I bothered you, Susan. I'm just having a tough time. That's all. Have a good one," I said and walked away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-m-sorry-i-bothered-you-susan-i-m-just-having-a-tough-time-that-s/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [When we were all getting ready to leave, I walked up to my grandfather and gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/when-we-were-all-getting-ready-to-leave-i-walked-up-to-my-grandfather/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [It's like he would take a photograph of Sam, and the photograph would be beautiful. And he would think that the reason the photograph…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/it-s-like-he-would-take-a-photograph-of-sam-and-the-photograph-would/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [Five minutes of a lifetime were truly spent, and we felt young in a good way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/five-minutes-of-a-lifetime-were-truly-spent-and-we-felt-young-in-a/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I feel like a big faker because I've been putting my life back together, and nobody knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-feel-like-a-big-faker-because-i-ve-been-putting-my-life-back/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“So, this is my life. And I want you to know I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/so-this-is-my-life-and-i-want-you-to-know-i-am-both-happy-and-sad-and/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [If you care about somebody, you should want them to be happy. Even if you wind up being left out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/if-you-care-about-somebody-you-should-want-them-to-be-happy-even-if/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I wasn't raised very religiously because my parents went to Catholic school, but I do believe in God very much. I just never gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-wasn-t-raised-very-religiously-because-my-parents-went-to-catholic/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) [Explore all 558 Stephen Chbosky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) ## More Avoiding quotes > [Because after you've crossed some lines, you just keep crossing them. And there's no escaping from constant escape. Distracting ourselves. Avoiding confrontation. Getting past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-after-you-ve-crossed-some-lines-you-just-keep-crossing-them/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [I've always been a very restless person. I work hard, spend too much time looking after my son, I dance like a mad thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-ve-always-been-a-very-restless-person-i-work-hard-spend-too-much/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“What I'm trying to say is that I spent the last four months learning to be alone, avoiding the world, hating pretty much anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-cremer/what-i-m-trying-to-say-is-that-i-spent-the-last-four-months-learning/) [Andrea Cremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-cremer/) > [ I can hardly believe what these 12 caricatures \[about Prophet Muhammad\] have caused in the world. We Danes feel like we have been placed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-fogh-rasmussen/i-can-hardly-believe-what-these-12-caricatures-about-prophet-muhammad/) [Anders Fogh Rasmussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-fogh-rasmussen/) > [I know a bit about taxation and the remarkable effort that goes in to avoiding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rinder/i-know-a-bit-about-taxation-and-the-remarkable-effort-that-goes-in-to/) [Robert Rinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rinder/) > [When you are in hard labor, remember that the length of labor is usually proportional to the number of people around. Avoid the presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-odent/when-you-are-in-hard-labor-remember-that-the-length-of-labor-is/) [Michel Odent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-odent/) > [I don't believe in happy endings. Children have got to face death sooner or later. Granny and Grandpa die, dogs die, cats die, gerbils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-briggs/i-don-t-believe-in-happy-endings-children-have-got-to-face-death/) [Raymond Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-briggs/) > [Resisting and avoiding pain sucks energy-and time. The more you let yourself feel those minute-and-a-half hells, the quicker you'll start feeling those minute-and-a-half happinesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-newman/resisting-and-avoiding-pain-sucks-energy-and-time-the-more-you-let/) [Leigh Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-newman/) > [Reading is sometimes an ingenious device for avoiding thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/reading-is-sometimes-an-ingenious-device-for-avoiding-thought/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [A day can really slip by when you're deliberately avoiding what you're supposed to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/a-day-can-really-slip-by-when-you-re-deliberately-avoiding-what-you/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [When someone starts Ignoring you, just back off without staying there with them Just to know the reason for avoiding..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishak/when-someone-starts-ignoring-you-just-back-off-without-staying-there/) [Vishak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishak/) > [You know what takes effort? Being kind, being patient, being respectful, telling someone how you feel politely instead of just avoiding them for six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/you-know-what-takes-effort-being-kind-being-patient-being-respectful/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [It's all about being flexible, and avoiding choices whenever possible. Choices suck, they are inherently limiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-armstrong/it-s-all-about-being-flexible-and-avoiding-choices-whenever-possible/) [Craig Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-armstrong/) > [In my personal life I'm very conservative. I've been married to the same person for nearly 50 years, I'm scrupulous about paying bills, avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/in-my-personal-life-i-m-very-conservative-i-ve-been-married-to-the/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) [Browse all 713 Avoiding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoiding/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To tell you the truth, I've just been avoiding everything.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Chbosky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/to-tell-you-the-truth-i-ve-just-been-avoiding-everything/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Avoiding" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/to-tell-you-the-truth-i-ve-just-been-avoiding-everything/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/stephen-chbosky-387_avoiding_to-tell-you-the-truth-i-ve-just-been-avo_873025.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/stephen-chbosky-387_avoiding_to-tell-you-the-truth-i-ve-just-been-avo_873025.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/stephen-chbosky-387_avoiding_to-tell-you-the-truth-i-ve-just-been-avo_873025.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To tell you the truth, I've just been avoiding everything.” — Stephen Chbosky", "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": "Stephen Chbosky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To tell you the truth, I've...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/to-tell-you-the-truth-i-ve-just-been-avoiding-everything/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/to-tell-you-the-truth-i-ve-just-been-avoiding-everything/#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 } } ] } ```