---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don’t just be a taker; healthy…"
description: "\"“Don’t just be a taker; healthy relationships require balance. Give with your words and be extra generous with your deeds.”\" — Steve Maraboli"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/steve-maraboli-178_deeds_don-t-just-be-a-taker-healthy-relationsh_2023732.jpg"
---

#  Don’t just be a taker; healthy relationships require…

![“Don’t just be a taker; healthy relationships require balance. Give with your words and be extra generous with your deeds.” quote by Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/steve-maraboli-178_deeds_don-t-just-be-a-taker-healthy-relationsh_2023732.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/steve-maraboli-178_deeds_don-t-just-be-a-taker-healthy-relationsh_2023732.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/steve-maraboli-178_deeds_don-t-just-be-a-taker-healthy-relationsh_2023732.jpg)

> ““Don’t just be a taker; healthy relationships require balance. Give with your words and be extra generous with your deeds.””

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

## About This Quote

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

Healthy relationships need reciprocal effort; generosity in speech and actions builds trust and balance.

**In simple terms:** Give and receive equally.

Key Takeaway

Practice generous communication.

Themes

relationships balance generosity

Mood

warm encouraging

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- dating
- friendship
- teamwork
- family life

Key Concepts

reciprocity emotional intelligence

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you show generosity today?
- What does balance look like in your relationships?

A Different Perspective

If one side dominates, imbalance can cause resentment.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Healthy Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healthy-relationships/) [Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) [Relationships require](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships-require/) [Taker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taker/)

## Related quotes

> [Trust is easy to earn, even easier to break. The tough part is keeping it alive through the balance of your words and actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anas/trust-is-easy-to-earn-even-easier-to-break-the-tough-part-is-keeping/)

[Anas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anas/)

> [Self-Love or putting yourself first is not being self-centered or a narcassist, its about making a xommitment to yourself to create what your hearts's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/self-love-or-putting-yourself-first-is-not-being-self-centered-or-a/)

[Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/)

> [Relationships require two people not just one person making all the effort to make it work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/relationships-require-two-people-not-just-one-person-making-all-the/)

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

> [Mutual caring relationships require kindness and patience, tolerance, optimism, joy in the other's achievements, confidence in oneself, and the ability to give without undue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/mutual-caring-relationships-require-kindness-and-patience-tolerance/)

[Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/)

> [“Good relationships require a lot of hard work, education, and willingness to meet each other’s needs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/good-relationships-require-a-lot-of-hard-work-education-and/)

[Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/)

> [Relationships Require you to stop thinking about you sometimes. Real happiness comes from making others happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/relationships-require-you-to-stop-thinking-about-you-sometimes-real/)

Enhance Dreams

> [“We all have work to do—hard work, challenging work—and it will take time. We all need to talk and we all need to listen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/historica-press/we-all-have-work-to-do-hard-work-challenging-work-and-it-will-take/)

[Historica Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/historica-press/)

> [Relationships Require a good friendship. A bond that is everlasting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/relationships-require-a-good-friendship-a-bond-that-is-everlasting/)

Enhance Dreams

> [Relationships Require you to step outside your comfort zone, for real. Thats the only way you can grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/relationships-require-you-to-step-outside-your-comfort-zone-for-real/)

Enhance Dreams

> [Relationships Require sacrifice, commitment and leverage. Not all about you or them, it is about you both. Equally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/relationships-require-sacrifice-commitment-and-leverage-not-all-about/)

Enhance Dreams

> [All relationships require affection, desire, tolerance, and the spirit and determination to resolve any issues that ensue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayden-hayes/all-relationships-require-affection-desire-tolerance-and-the-spirit/)

[Jayden Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayden-hayes/)

> [“In summary, robust relationships require generosity. Who has made a difference in your life? In whose will you make a difference?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-bolton/in-summary-robust-relationships-require-generosity-who-has-made-a/)

[Chuck Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-bolton/)

> [It is explained that all relationships require a little give and take. This is untrue. Any partnership demands that we give and give and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/it-is-explained-that-all-relationships-require-a-little-give-and-take/)

[Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/)

> [Relationships Require two people who will and can be honest. If y'all just gonna sneak, lie and bullshit, why be together?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/relationships-require-two-people-who-will-and-can-be-honest-if-y-all/)

Enhance Dreams

> [Relationships require as much attention as anything about which you are passionate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mazher/relationships-require-as-much-attention-as-anything-about-which-you/)

[Mazher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mazher/)

## More by Steve Maraboli

> [A very small percentage of the people in this world will actually experience and live today. So many people will be stuck on another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/a-very-small-percentage-of-the-people-in-this-world-will-actually/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [Its a lack of clarity that creates chaos and frustration. Those emotions are poison to any living goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/its-a-lack-of-clarity-that-creates-chaos-and-frustration-those/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [“Fear has the role we give it. We are able to empower or poison ourselves to whatever degree we want. This is the beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/fear-has-the-role-we-give-it-we-are-able-to-empower-or-poison/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [“There is no greater force for change than people inspired to live a better life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/there-is-no-greater-force-for-change-than-people-inspired-to-live-a/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [“If the things behind you are tripping you, you're moving in the wrong direction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/if-the-things-behind-you-are-tripping-you-you-re-moving-in-the-wrong/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [“We need more than just the Law of Attraction. We need to connect with its more successful twin, the Law of Generosity. And further…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/we-need-more-than-just-the-law-of-attraction-we-need-to-connect-with/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [God is the architect of the event; you are the interpreter of the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/god-is-the-architect-of-the-event-you-are-the-interpreter-of-the/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [“Life had broken her; just as it had broken him. But when they got together, their pieces became whole. And they continued on their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/life-had-broken-her-just-as-it-had-broken-him-but-when-they-got/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [“How would your life be different if...You could control the outcome of your day, your week, your year? Let today be the day...You embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/how-would-your-life-be-different-if-you-could-control-the-outcome-of/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [“If you want drama, settle for the one who will change your relationship status. If you want love, wait for the one who will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/if-you-want-drama-settle-for-the-one-who-will-change-your/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [“The time has come to harness the blessed power within us and to use it to transcend from our current existence into a more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/the-time-has-come-to-harness-the-blessed-power-within-us-and-to-use/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [You cant fully enjoy THESE moments until you let go of past moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/you-cant-fully-enjoy-these-moments-until-you-let-go-of-past-moments/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [“The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself. It is in this relationship that you set the standard for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/the-most-powerful-relationship-you-will-ever-have-is-the-relationship/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [“Walk away from gossip and verbal defamation. Speak only the good you know of other people and encourage others to do the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/walk-away-from-gossip-and-verbal-defamation-speak-only-the-good-you/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [“Even though she would dream of love, respect, and unfettered romance... it was a cyclical dilemma in her life that she seemed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/even-though-she-would-dream-of-love-respect-and-unfettered-romance-it/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

[Explore all 990 Steve Maraboli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

## More Deeds quotes

> [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [When Allah puts barakah (His blessings) in something, it will come beyond your expectations- never underestimate the power of one good deed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/when-allah-puts-barakah-his-blessings-in-something-it-will-come/)

[Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/)

> [Time often serves to justify a deed which seems at first unjustifiable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-p-ryan/time-often-serves-to-justify-a-deed-which-seems-at-first-unjustifiable/)

Donald P. Ryan

> [When deeds speak, words are nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/when-deeds-speak-words-are-nothing/)

[Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/)

> [Somehow, what's in our hearts, good or bad is eventually translated into words and deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/somehow-what-s-in-our-hearts-good-or-bad-is-eventually-translated/)

[Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/)

> [Honest people don't hide their deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/honest-people-don-t-hide-their-deeds/)

[Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/)

> [Mechanical instruments, potentially a vehicle of rational human purposes, are scarcely a blessing when they enable the gossip of the village idiot and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/mechanical-instruments-potentially-a-vehicle-of-rational-human/)

[Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/)

> [Tis e'er the wont of simple folk to prize the deed and o'erlook the motive, and of learned folk to discount the deed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barth/tis-e-er-the-wont-of-simple-folk-to-prize-the-deed-and-o-erlook-the/)

[John Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barth/)

> [How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/how-oft-the-sight-of-means-to-do-ill-deeds-makes-ill-deeds-done/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [A nation of character is filled with citizens who gradually build lives based on the living awareness that their deeds are judged by eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/a-nation-of-character-is-filled-with-citizens-who-gradually-build/)

[Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/)

> [Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/time-which-wears-down-and-diminishes-all-things-augments-and/)

[Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/)

> [Alas, you don't need monsters for monstrous deeds to be accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/alas-you-don-t-need-monsters-for-monstrous-deeds-to-be-accomplished/)

[Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/)

> [I rejoice that the reign of Christ is such, while it thrills the soul with emotions, and opens before the highest intellect the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-simpson/i-rejoice-that-the-reign-of-christ-is-such-while-it-thrills-the-soul/)

[Matthew Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-simpson/)

> [The final estimate of men shows that history cares not an iota for the rank or title a man has borne, or the office…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders/the-final-estimate-of-men-shows-that-history-cares-not-an-iota-for/)

[J. Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders/)

> [The World's a Printing-House, our words, our thoughts, Our deeds, are characters of several sizes. Each soul is a Compos'tor, of whose faults The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-world-s-a-printing-house-our-words-our-thoughts-our-deeds-are/)

[Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/)

[Browse all 2,029 Deeds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Don’t just be a taker; healthy relationships require balance. Give with your words and be extra generous with your deeds.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Steve Maraboli"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/don-t-just-be-a-taker-healthy-relationships-require-balance-give-with/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Deeds"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/don-t-just-be-a-taker-healthy-relationships-require-balance-give-with/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/steve-maraboli-178_deeds_don-t-just-be-a-taker-healthy-relationsh_2023732.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/steve-maraboli-178_deeds_don-t-just-be-a-taker-healthy-relationsh_2023732.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/steve-maraboli-178_deeds_don-t-just-be-a-taker-healthy-relationsh_2023732.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Don’t just be a taker; healthy relationships require balance. Give with your words and be extra generous…” — Steve Maraboli",
                "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": "Steve Maraboli",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Don’t just be a taker; healthy...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/don-t-just-be-a-taker-healthy-relationships-require-balance-give-with/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/don-t-just-be-a-taker-healthy-relationships-require-balance-give-with/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
