--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I hold my breath, til it's more than I…" description: "\"I hold my breath, til it's more than I can take. And I close my eyes, and dream that I'm awake.\" — Third Eye Blind" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb9/third-eye-blind-25791_awake_i-hold-my-breath-til-it-s-more-than-i-ca_3035830.jpg" --- # I hold my breath, til it's more than I can take. And I… ![“I hold my breath, til it's more than I can take. And I close my eyes, and dream that I'm awake.” quote by Third Eye Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb9/third-eye-blind-25791_awake_i-hold-my-breath-til-it-s-more-than-i-ca_3035830.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb9/third-eye-blind-25791_awake_i-hold-my-breath-til-it-s-more-than-i-ca_3035830.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb9/third-eye-blind-25791_awake_i-hold-my-breath-til-it-s-more-than-i-ca_3035830.jpg) > “I hold my breath, til it's more than I can take. And I close my eyes, and dream that I'm awake.” [Third Eye Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/third-eye-blind/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The lyric describes using breath-holding and closed eyes as a metaphor for escapism, dreaming of being awake while actually sleeping. **In simple terms:** Escaping reality by pretending to be awake. Key Takeaway Use imagination to cope, but stay grounded. Themes escapism dreams self-care Mood melancholic hopeful Type musical personal When to use this quote - stressful work - nighttime anxiety - creative blocks Key Concepts mindfulness psychology creative coping Questions to Reflect On - When do you need to face reality? - What healthy coping can replace this? A Different Perspective Escapism can delay confronting real issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awake/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dream Awake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream-awake-555542/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Eyes Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes-dream-932564/) [Hold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hold/) [Hold Breath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hold-breath/) ## Related quotes > [The good thing about writing book is that you can dream while you are awake...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-good-thing-about-writing-book-is-that-you-can-dream-while-you-are/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“I had a dream I was awake and I woke up to find myself asleep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-laurel/i-had-a-dream-i-was-awake-and-i-woke-up-to-find-myself-asleep/) [Stan Laurel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-laurel/) > [How can you prove whether at this moment we are sleeping, and all our thoughts are a dream; or whether we are awake, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/how-can-you-prove-whether-at-this-moment-we-are-sleeping-and-all-our/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Most people dream a dream when they are asleep. But to be a writer, you have to dream while you are awake, intentionally. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/most-people-dream-a-dream-when-they-are-asleep-but-to-be-a-writer-you/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I had a dream that I was awake and I woke up to find myself asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-laurel/i-had-a-dream-that-i-was-awake-and-i-woke-up-to-find-myself-asleep/) [Stan Laurel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-laurel/) > [“How lovely it is to dream while you are awake. Dream while you’re awake, Andre. Anybody can dream while they’re asleep, but you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/how-lovely-it-is-to-dream-while-you-are-awake-dream-while-you-re/) [Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/) > [I dont sleep, I dream awake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/childish-gambino/i-dont-sleep-i-dream-awake/) [Childish Gambino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/childish-gambino/) > [“As a dreamer, you're inevitably called to dream yourself awake using the full resources of your imagination and heart. You may have buried or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-elliott/as-a-dreamer-you-re-inevitably-called-to-dream-yourself-awake-using/) [Carolyn Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-elliott/) > [I'ma hold my breath until you feel it in your chest. When I go under, under I ain't coming up until you scream and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pleasure-p/i-ma-hold-my-breath-until-you-feel-it-in-your-chest-when-i-go-under/) [Pleasure P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pleasure-p/) > [I've always wanted to be able to hold my breath for like, ever, and swim in the water like a fish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-pena-jr/i-ve-always-wanted-to-be-able-to-hold-my-breath-for-like-ever-and/) [Carlos Pena, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-pena-jr/) > [I close my eyes and dream of you and I, and then I realize There's more to love than only bitterness and lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-close-my-eyes-and-dream-of-you-and-i-and-then-i-realize-there-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ill close my eyes and dream of you in my own world of paradise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-johnson/ill-close-my-eyes-and-dream-of-you-in-my-own-world-of-paradise/) [Natalya Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-johnson/) > [“Her hair looked like her hair in the dream and her eyes looked like her eyes in the dream, and as for her body,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/her-hair-looked-like-her-hair-in-the-dream-and-her-eyes-looked-like/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“I would close my eyes and dream of something strong, dream of horses exploding, rising into the air, their hearts beating survive, survive, survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-would-close-my-eyes-and-dream-of-something-strong-dream-of-horses/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [If you can close your eyes and dream, you can open them and make them happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-zabalerio/if-you-can-close-your-eyes-and-dream-you-can-open-them-and-make-them/) [Ryan Zabalerio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-zabalerio/) ## More by Third Eye Blind > [I walk alone in the concrete with the living, where pigeons fly til they gather round the fallen ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/third-eye-blind/i-walk-alone-in-the-concrete-with-the-living-where-pigeons-fly-til/) [Third Eye Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/third-eye-blind/) > [I live in the numbness now in the background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/third-eye-blind/i-live-in-the-numbness-now-in-the-background/) [Third Eye Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/third-eye-blind/) > [When there's everything to say and nothing left to be said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/third-eye-blind/when-there-s-everything-to-say-and-nothing-left-to-be-said/) [Third Eye Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/third-eye-blind/) > [I let you down and I say I'm sorry. But the light it falls, on my castle walls. And my basketballs, pelt me with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/third-eye-blind/i-let-you-down-and-i-say-i-m-sorry-but-the-light-it-falls-on-my/) [Third Eye Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/third-eye-blind/) > [Doing crystal meth will lift you up until you break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/third-eye-blind/doing-crystal-meth-will-lift-you-up-until-you-break/) [Third Eye Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/third-eye-blind/) > [I wish you would say back from that ledge my friend. 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Maybe today, you could put the past away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/third-eye-blind/everyone-has-to-face-down-the-demons-maybe-today-you-could-put-the/) [Third Eye Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/third-eye-blind/) > [No regrets when the worms come, and they will surely come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/third-eye-blind/no-regrets-when-the-worms-come-and-they-will-surely-come/) [Third Eye Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/third-eye-blind/) > [Everyone's got to face down the demons. Maybe today, you can put the past away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/third-eye-blind/everyone-s-got-to-face-down-the-demons-maybe-today-you-can-put-the/) [Third Eye Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/third-eye-blind/) > [I'm the fear in your eyes, I'm the fire in your flies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/third-eye-blind/i-m-the-fear-in-your-eyes-i-m-the-fire-in-your-flies/) [Third Eye Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/third-eye-blind/) > [Back down the bully to the back of the bus, cause it's time for them to be scared of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/third-eye-blind/back-down-the-bully-to-the-back-of-the-bus-cause-it-s-time-for-them/) [Third Eye Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/third-eye-blind/) > [You want to try a life of sin, you want to be down with the down and in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/third-eye-blind/you-want-to-try-a-life-of-sin-you-want-to-be-down-with-the-down-and-in/) [Third Eye Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/third-eye-blind/) > [Beggars stare at the brand new sneakers on the anarchists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/third-eye-blind/beggars-stare-at-the-brand-new-sneakers-on-the-anarchists/) [Third Eye Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/third-eye-blind/) [Explore all 22 Third Eye Blind quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/third-eye-blind/) ## More Awake quotes > [“I am awake. I know what you took. I am coming for you. Vengeance is mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-burks/i-am-awake-i-know-what-you-took-i-am-coming-for-you-vengeance-is-mine/) [Robin Burks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-burks/) > [Reagan was sitting up at Cath's desk when Cath woke up. "Are you awake?" "Have you been watching me sleep?" "Yes, Bella. Are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/reagan-was-sitting-up-at-cath-s-desk-when-cath-woke-up-are-you-awake/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Are you awake?” “Have you been watching me sleep?” “Yes, Bella. Are you awake?” “No.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/are-you-awake-have-you-been-watching-me-sleep-yes-bella-are-you-awake/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Have courage for the great sorrows of life, and patience for the small ones. And when you have finished your daily task, go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/have-courage-for-the-great-sorrows-of-life-and-patience-for-the-small/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [One of his students asked Buddha, "Are you the Messiah?" "No," answered Buddha. "Then are you a healer?" "No," Buddha replied. "Then are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/one-of-his-students-asked-buddha-are-you-the-messiah-no-answered/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“I had a chat with May and I had a sweet talk with April but the lovely conversation that left me to ponder was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/i-had-a-chat-with-may-and-i-had-a-sweet-talk-with-april-but-the/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [Hopes are dreams of those who are awake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hopes-are-dreams-of-those-who-are-awake/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If your heart isn't yet illumined Be awake always, be a seeker of the heart, Be at war continually with your carnal soul. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/if-your-heart-isn-t-yet-illumined-be-awake-always-be-a-seeker-of-the/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Wherever I went I felt like the last person awake in a room full of sleepers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-winton/wherever-i-went-i-felt-like-the-last-person-awake-in-a-room-full-of/) [Tim Winton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-winton/) > [I'd just like to see athletes awake. And aware. There's so much going on and so much to know... 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Are we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/shall-we-keep-men-in-a-fool-s-paradise-shall-we-lull-them-into-soft/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) [Browse all 1,663 Awake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awake/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I hold my breath, til it's more than I can take. 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