--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Misery starts with a person's reactions…" description: "\"Misery starts with a person's reactions to someone or something outside of his or herself. In truth, it is not the event or situation or what others ar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/terry-cole-whittaker-42053_believe_misery-starts-with-a-person-s-reactions_1423687.jpg" --- # Misery starts with a person's reactions to someone or… ![“Misery starts with a person's reactions to someone or something outside of his or herself. In truth, it is not the event or situation or what others are saying or doing that is the problem; it's our reaction that is triggered by what we believe these words and events mean.” quote by Terry Cole-Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/terry-cole-whittaker-42053_believe_misery-starts-with-a-person-s-reactions_1423687.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/terry-cole-whittaker-42053_believe_misery-starts-with-a-person-s-reactions_1423687.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/terry-cole-whittaker-42053_believe_misery-starts-with-a-person-s-reactions_1423687.jpg) > “Misery starts with a person's reactions to someone or something outside of his or herself. In truth, it is not the event or situation or what others are saying or doing that is the problem; it's our reaction that is triggered by what we believe these words and events mean.” [Terry Cole-Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-cole-whittaker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Misery arises from our interpretations and emotional reactions, not the external events themselves. **In simple terms:** Suffering is a reaction, not the event. Key Takeaway Change your interpretation to reduce suffering. Themes perception emotion responsibility Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - conflict - personal loss - stressful news - relationship disputes Key Concepts cognitive bias mindfulness psychology Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs amplify your pain? - How can you reframe a trigger? A Different Perspective Changing thoughts can be difficult without support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [Your problem is never really your problem, your reaction to your problem is your problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-problem-is-never-really-your-problem-your-reaction-to-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The ProBlem isn't the problem, but th ProBlem is your reaCtion towardS the ProBlem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koblet/the-problem-isn-t-the-problem-but-th-problem-is-your-reaction-towards/) [Koblet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koblet/) > [Its not the problem its your reaction to make the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teady/its-not-the-problem-its-your-reaction-to-make-the-problem/) $Teady > [At the heart of our desires is eternal happiness without the slightest hint of misery. You could say that we are pleasure seekers; however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-cole-whittaker/at-the-heart-of-our-desires-is-eternal-happiness-without-the/) [Terry Cole-Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-cole-whittaker/) > [I am still determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-washington/i-am-still-determined-to-be-cheerful-and-happy-in-whatever-situation/) [Martha Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-washington/) > [Get away from me misery, get away from me loneliness, get away from me fake bitches I can't take the phoniness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/get-away-from-me-misery-get-away-from-me-loneliness-get-away-from-me/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > ["Spirituality" wrongly understood or pursued is a major source of human misery and rebellion against God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/spirituality-wrongly-understood-or-pursued-is-a-major-source-of-human/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The vast majority of people are born, grow up, struggle and go through life in misery and failure, not realizing that it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-vast-majority-of-people-are-born-grow-up-struggle-and-go-through/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [It is thus only this personal feeling of misery that we get rid of by acts of pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-thus-only-this-personal-feeling-of-misery-that-we-get-rid-of-by/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Money can't buy happiness. But it sure makes misery easier to live with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/money-can-t-buy-happiness-but-it-sure-makes-misery-easier-to-live-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's never any ebb in human misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-nottage/there-s-never-any-ebb-in-human-misery/) [Lynn Nottage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-nottage/) > [“I hereby propose the term “miserize”, as a verb for misery – referring to “to cause misery”.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/i-hereby-propose-the-term-miserize-as-a-verb-for-misery-referring-to/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Where there is doubt (shanka), there is misery. The moment one begins to doubt the knowledge that, 'I am Chandubhai,' misery arises. Once one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-is-doubt-shanka-there-is-misery-the-moment-one-begins-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) ## More by Terry Cole-Whittaker > [Mind alone is the cause of the bondage or freedom of the soul. By the attachment of the mind to the world we become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-cole-whittaker/mind-alone-is-the-cause-of-the-bondage-or-freedom-of-the-soul-by-the/) [Terry Cole-Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-cole-whittaker/) > [At the heart of our desires is eternal happiness without the slightest hint of misery. You could say that we are pleasure seekers; however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-cole-whittaker/at-the-heart-of-our-desires-is-eternal-happiness-without-the/) [Terry Cole-Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-cole-whittaker/) > [The best way to deal with somebody is to deal with yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-cole-whittaker/the-best-way-to-deal-with-somebody-is-to-deal-with-yourself/) [Terry Cole-Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-cole-whittaker/) > [God didn't make junk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-cole-whittaker/god-didn-t-make-junk/) [Terry Cole-Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-cole-whittaker/) > [All around us people are suffering from stress, fear, sorrow, pain, and fear of future suffering, especially death. None of these are natural to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-cole-whittaker/all-around-us-people-are-suffering-from-stress-fear-sorrow-pain-and/) [Terry Cole-Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-cole-whittaker/) > [Manufactured meaning has already been implanted in the unconscious through language and subliminal messages. This is why it is not wise to trust or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-cole-whittaker/manufactured-meaning-has-already-been-implanted-in-the-unconscious/) [Terry Cole-Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-cole-whittaker/) > [Your body is a form of energy slowed down to assume the appearance of mass. And the mind directs the energy that determines the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-cole-whittaker/your-body-is-a-form-of-energy-slowed-down-to-assume-the-appearance-of/) [Terry Cole-Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-cole-whittaker/) > [The cause of misery, death, and all personal and collective problems is rooted in the mind, the false, copy mind. The real, divine mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-cole-whittaker/the-cause-of-misery-death-and-all-personal-and-collective-problems-is/) [Terry Cole-Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-cole-whittaker/) > [The next time you get nervous about others opinions, look them mentally in the eye and say, "What you think of me is none…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-cole-whittaker/the-next-time-you-get-nervous-about-others-opinions-look-them/) [Terry Cole-Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-cole-whittaker/) [Explore all 10 Terry Cole-Whittaker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-cole-whittaker/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Misery starts with a person's reactions to someone or something outside of his or herself. 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