--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I tried to remember how to exhale. I had…" description: "\"I tried to remember how to exhale. I had to look away before it came back to me.\" — Stephenie Meyer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/stephenie-meyer-91_courtesy_i-tried-to-remember-how-to-exhale-i-had_1925088.png" --- # I tried to remember how to exhale. I had to look away… ![“I tried to remember how to exhale. I had to look away before it came back to me.” quote by Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/stephenie-meyer-91_courtesy_i-tried-to-remember-how-to-exhale-i-had_1925088.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/stephenie-meyer-91_courtesy_i-tried-to-remember-how-to-exhale-i-had_1925088.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/stephenie-meyer-91_courtesy_i-tried-to-remember-how-to-exhale-i-had_1925088.png) > “I tried to remember how to exhale. I had to look away before it came back to me.” [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Remembering how to breathe requires mental effort; distraction can temporarily ease the struggle. **In simple terms:** Breathing can be hard; looking away helps. Key Takeaway Practice mindfulness to ease anxiety. Themes mental health breathing mindfulness Mood calming introspective Type advice reflective When to use this quote - stress relief - meditation - therapy sessions - daily routines Key Concepts psychology self-help wellness Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your breathlessness? - How can you sustain calm without avoidance? A Different Perspective Distraction is a short‑term fix, not a solution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Courtesy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courtesy/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Twilight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twilight/) [Twilight book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twilight-book/) ## Related quotes > [You are my life. You're the only thing it would hurt to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/you-are-my-life-you-re-the-only-thing-it-would-hurt-to-lose/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“When I first heard Twilight was a book about vampires that sparkled in the light and shape shifters/wolves eager to assist the vampires, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/when-i-first-heard-twilight-was-a-book-about-vampires-that-sparkled/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“WOMAN: Hi, where are your copies of Breaking Dawn? I can't see any on the shelf. BOOKSELLER: Sorry, I think we’ve sold out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-campbell/woman-hi-where-are-your-copies-of-breaking-dawn-i-can-t-see-any-on/) [Jen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-campbell/) > [“YA stories feature a young adult protagonist or protagonists and usually focus on that character’s journey toward maturity (the tradition of the Bildungsroman.). Learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/ya-stories-feature-a-young-adult-protagonist-or-protagonists-and/) [Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/) > [“I was ten when the Taliban came to our valley. Moniba and I had been reading the Twilight books and longed to be vampires.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-was-ten-when-the-taliban-came-to-our-valley-moniba-and-i-had-been/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [ To be completely honest, I didn't know Twilight was a book. I thank God for Ashley Greene \[who plays Alice Cullen\]. She's like, 'Did… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/to-be-completely-honest-i-didn-t-know-twilight-was-a-book-i-thank-god/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [“I raise an eyebrow, working to achieve the right tone of intellectual superiority. “If you've never read the Twilight books or the Hunger Games…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-eliot/i-raise-an-eyebrow-working-to-achieve-the-right-tone-of-intellectual/) [Anne Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-eliot/) > [I just bashed my head on the keyboard and accidently wrote the 5th Twilight book!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rexxy-rhode/i-just-bashed-my-head-on-the-keyboard-and-accidently-wrote-the-5th/) Rexxy Rhode > [To be completely honest, I didn't know 'Twilight' was a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/to-be-completely-honest-i-didn-t-know-twilight-was-a-book/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [My little sister told me about the Twilight books and what a big fan she was. She said, "It's like Harry Potter in love,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinsel-korey/my-little-sister-told-me-about-the-twilight-books-and-what-a-big-fan/) [Tinsel Korey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinsel-korey/) > [When I got the part, I tried to remember Batman as I knew him when I was a kid - with emotional recall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/when-i-got-the-part-i-tried-to-remember-batman-as-i-knew-him-when-i/) [Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/) > [“She tried to remember all the times she had spoken to him. She replayed every moment she could remember at the beach last week.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahita-vas/she-tried-to-remember-all-the-times-she-had-spoken-to-him-she/) Mahita Vas > [“I made a noise in my throat and tried to remember why I thought I'd missed her the last couple of days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-crownover/i-made-a-noise-in-my-throat-and-tried-to-remember-why-i-thought-i-d/) [Jay Crownover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-crownover/) > [Percy tried to remember. He really did. For some reason, Annabeth and he had visited a spa and decided to destroy it. He couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/percy-tried-to-remember-he-really-did-for-some-reason-annabeth-and-he/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“The other day, I tried to remember what was the word for ‘dragonfly’ and couldn’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/the-other-day-i-tried-to-remember-what-was-the-word-for-dragonfly-and/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) ## More by Stephenie Meyer > [“That would be just like me-ruin everything, destroy the world, in a moment of klutziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/that-would-be-just-like-me-ruin-everything-destroy-the-world-in-a/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“But suddenly something sharp was cutting me, my throat, my wrists, my ankles. I screamed in shock, thinking he'd brought me there to hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/but-suddenly-something-sharp-was-cutting-me-my-throat-my-wrists-my/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [I bit a pillow. Or two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-bit-a-pillow-or-two/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“Damn it! This chick runs with vampires!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/damn-it-this-chick-runs-with-vampires/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“I'm hotter than you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-m-hotter-than-you/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [Everything in my world was about him. What a silly thing to expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/everything-in-my-world-was-about-him-what-a-silly-thing-to-expect/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“Alice: "I'll play you for it. Rock, paper, scissors." Edward: "Why don't you just tell me who wins?" Alice: "I do. Excellent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/alice-i-ll-play-you-for-it-rock-paper-scissors-edward-why-don-t-you/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“What can I give you, Wanda?” he insisted. I took a deep breath and tried to keep my voice steady.“Give me a lie, Jared.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/what-can-i-give-you-wanda-he-insisted-i-took-a-deep-breath-and-tried/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [Mike's eyes narrowed shrewdly. "Don't kid yourself, Bella. The guy's head over heels for you." "I know," I sighed. "Life is complicated." "And girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/mike-s-eyes-narrowed-shrewdly-don-t-kid-yourself-bella-the-guy-s-head/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“You know the story in the bible? The one with the king and the two women fighting over the baby? Sure King Solomon. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/you-know-the-story-in-the-bible-the-one-with-the-king-and-the-two/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [I’m exactly right for you, Bella. It would have been effortless for us — comfortable, easy as breathing. I was the natural path your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-m-exactly-right-for-you-bella-it-would-have-been-effortless-for-us/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“I felt a surge of pity, and relief. Pity because, as beautiful as they were, they were outsiders, clearly not accepted. Relief that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-felt-a-surge-of-pity-and-relief-pity-because-as-beautiful-as-they/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [I didn’t realize I was crying until it was time to say the blinding words. ‘I do,’ I managed to choke out in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-didn-t-realize-i-was-crying-until-it-was-time-to-say-the-blinding/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“He placed his hands against the Jeep on either side of my head and leaned forward, forcing me to press back against the door.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/he-placed-his-hands-against-the-jeep-on-either-side-of-my-head-and/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [There was a different ending to New Moon originally. It was a much quieter book. It was very much all in Bellas head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/there-was-a-different-ending-to-new-moon-originally-it-was-a-much/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) [Explore all 1,305 Stephenie Meyer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) ## More Courtesy quotes > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Less of your courtesy and more of your purse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/less-of-your-courtesy-and-more-of-your-purse/) Proverb > [Dullness is a courteous fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammad-mustafa/dullness-is-a-courteous-fear/) [Mohammad MUSTAFA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammad-mustafa/) > [Lobbying' is the activity of attempting to influence legislation by privately influencing the legislators. It is the result and creation of a mixed economy-of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/lobbying-is-the-activity-of-attempting-to-influence-legislation-by/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“...a great man who is vicious will only be a great doer of evil, and a rich man who is not liberal will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cervantes/a-great-man-who-is-vicious-will-only-be-a-great-doer-of-evil-and-a/) Miguel Cervantes > [“I would court you, with all the grace and courtesy that you deserve,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-pacat/i-would-court-you-with-all-the-grace-and-courtesy-that-you-deserve/) [C.S. Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-pacat/) > [The greater the man the greater the courtesy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-the-great/the-greater-the-man-the-greater-the-courtesy/) [Alfred the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-the-great/) > [“Out of all its squalor and human decay, its eruptions of butchery, India produced so many people of grace and beauty, ruled by elaborate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/out-of-all-its-squalor-and-human-decay-its-eruptions-of-butchery/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Show some mercy to this chair which has stretched out its arms to you for so long; please satisfy its desire to embrace you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/show-some-mercy-to-this-chair-which-has-stretched-out-its-arms-to-you/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-post/manners-are-a-sensitive-awareness-of-the-feelings-of-others/) [Emily Post](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-post/) > [His courtesy was somewhat extravagant. He would write and thank people who wrote to thank him for wedding presents and when he encountered anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/his-courtesy-was-somewhat-extravagant-he-would-write-and-thank-people/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [They who sow courtesy reap friendship, and they who plant kindness gather love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-basil/they-who-sow-courtesy-reap-friendship-and-they-who-plant-kindness/) [Saint Basil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-basil/) > [“If a lady offers you a kindness, you absolutely have to accept”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-wallingford/if-a-lady-offers-you-a-kindness-you-absolutely-have-to-accept/) Maria Wallingford > [though I be but the prince of Wales, yet I am king of courtesy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/though-i-be-but-the-prince-of-wales-yet-i-am-king-of-courtesy/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Princes of courtesy, merciful, proud and strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-newbolt/princes-of-courtesy-merciful-proud-and-strong/) [Henry Newbolt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-newbolt/) [Browse all 527 Courtesy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courtesy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I tried to remember how to exhale. I had to look away before it came back to me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephenie Meyer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-tried-to-remember-how-to-exhale-i-had-to-look-away-before-it-came/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Courtesy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-tried-to-remember-how-to-exhale-i-had-to-look-away-before-it-came/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/stephenie-meyer-91_courtesy_i-tried-to-remember-how-to-exhale-i-had_1925088.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/stephenie-meyer-91_courtesy_i-tried-to-remember-how-to-exhale-i-had_1925088.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/242/stephenie-meyer-91_courtesy_i-tried-to-remember-how-to-exhale-i-had_1925088.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I tried to remember how to exhale. I had to look away before it came back to me.” — Stephenie Meyer", "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": "Stephenie Meyer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I tried to remember how to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-tried-to-remember-how-to-exhale-i-had-to-look-away-before-it-came/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-tried-to-remember-how-to-exhale-i-had-to-look-away-before-it-came/#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 } } ] } ```