--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It took me a long time to realize that…" description: "\"“It took me a long time to realize that when someone is not sorry for their behavior, that's their problem, not mine... I'll forgive them anyway, for m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afd/steve-maraboli-178_behavior_it-took-me-a-long-time-to-realize-that-w_949454.jpg" --- # It took me a long time to realize that when someone is not… ![“It took me a long time to realize that when someone is not sorry for their behavior, that's their problem, not mine... I'll forgive them anyway, for me. Sometimes forgiveness is loving yourself enough to move on.” quote by Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afd/steve-maraboli-178_behavior_it-took-me-a-long-time-to-realize-that-w_949454.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afd/steve-maraboli-178_behavior_it-took-me-a-long-time-to-realize-that-w_949454.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afd/steve-maraboli-178_behavior_it-took-me-a-long-time-to-realize-that-w_949454.jpg) > ““It took me a long time to realize that when someone is not sorry for their behavior, that's their problem, not mine... I'll forgive them anyway, for me. Sometimes forgiveness is loving yourself enough to move on.”” [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. Forgiveness is framed as self‑care, separating the offender’s responsibility from one’s own healing. **In simple terms:** Forgiving for yourself, not for them. Key Takeaway Practice self‑compassion through forgiveness. Themes self‑care forgiveness boundaries Mood calm reflective Type personal motivational When to use this quote - relationship conflict - personal trauma - self‑growth Key Concepts psychology emotional health Questions to Reflect On - What boundaries accompany your forgiveness? - How does self‑forgiveness differ from excusing? A Different Perspective Forgiveness may enable repeated harmful behavior if not paired with boundaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Let go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-go/) [Loving yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving-yourself/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Forgiveness: It’s not because they deserve it; it’s because you do. Sometimes forgiveness is about loving yourself enough to move on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/forgiveness-it-s-not-because-they-deserve-it-it-s-because-you-do/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“Free yourself from the poisonous and laborious burden of holding a grudge. 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Move on. - A”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/answerless-questions-can-destroy-move-on-a/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Maybe you're holding on too tight, and the magic comes in letting go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/maybe-you-re-holding-on-too-tight-and-the-magic-comes-in-letting-go/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) > [“Exactly when will you give up? When things will seem out of your hands ? When situations will seem out of your control? Will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanhita-baruah/exactly-when-will-you-give-up-when-things-will-seem-out-of-your-hands/) [Sanhita Baruah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanhita-baruah/) > [“Your past and your pain will certainly impact you, but they don’t have to define you. You get to write your own definition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/your-past-and-your-pain-will-certainly-impact-you-but-they-don-t-have/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) ## 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. 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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. 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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 Behavior quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I now know that deep within the human concept is something dark, selfish, and completely willing to do whatever is necessary to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-west/i-now-know-that-deep-within-the-human-concept-is-something-dark/) [Melissa West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-west/) > [“We are endowed with genes which code out our reaction to beavers and otters, maybe our reaction to each other as well. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-endowed-with-genes-which-code-out-our-reaction-to-beavers-and/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) Burne Hogarth > [You don't put milk in chamomile tea - that's disgusting behavior! That's not right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/you-don-t-put-milk-in-chamomile-tea-that-s-disgusting-behavior-that-s/) [Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) J. 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