--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I stopped allowing myself to dream…" description: "\"“I stopped allowing myself to dream, because it was more painful to long for things and never get them than to deal with whatever was in front of me.”\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/veronica-roth-66_dreams_i-stopped-allowing-myself-to-dream-becau_2022495.jpg" --- # I stopped allowing myself to dream, because it was more… ![“I stopped allowing myself to dream, because it was more painful to long for things and never get them than to deal with whatever was in front of me.” quote by Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/veronica-roth-66_dreams_i-stopped-allowing-myself-to-dream-becau_2022495.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/veronica-roth-66_dreams_i-stopped-allowing-myself-to-dream-becau_2022495.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/veronica-roth-66_dreams_i-stopped-allowing-myself-to-dream-becau_2022495.jpg) > ““I stopped allowing myself to dream, because it was more painful to long for things and never get them than to deal with whatever was in front of me.”” [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator stops dreaming because the pain of unfulfilled longing outweighs confronting present challenges. **In simple terms:** Dreaming hurts more than facing reality. Key Takeaway Embrace present reality over painful longing. Themes dreams pain longing reality Mood reflective melancholic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal ambition - mental health - goal setting - self‑care Key Concepts psychology literature Questions to Reflect On - What does dreaming mean to you? - How can you balance hope and reality? A Different Perspective May suppress healthy aspirations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) ## Related quotes > [This is painful and it will be for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/this-is-painful-and-it-will-be-for-a-long-time/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Life would be so different if you stopped allowing other people to dilute or poison your day with their words or opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-would-be-so-different-if-you-stopped-allowing-other-people-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“my real love has always been the sleep that rescued me by allowing me to dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigi-pirandello/my-real-love-has-always-been-the-sleep-that-rescued-me-by-allowing-me/) [Luigi Pirandello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigi-pirandello/) > [N bed my real love has always been the sleep that rescued me by allowing me to dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/n-bed-my-real-love-has-always-been-the-sleep-that-rescued-me-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In bed my real love has always been the sleep that rescued me by allowing me to dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigi-pirandello/in-bed-my-real-love-has-always-been-the-sleep-that-rescued-me-by/) [Luigi Pirandello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigi-pirandello/) > [Then Old Age and Experience, hand in hand, Lead him to death, and make him understand, After a search so painful and so long,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wilmot/then-old-age-and-experience-hand-in-hand-lead-him-to-death-and-make/) [John Wilmot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wilmot/) > [“The car stopped. Everybody walked in a short procession up to the chapel of the Crematorium, where a clergyman with very bright blue yes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/the-car-stopped-everybody-walked-in-a-short-procession-up-to-the/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [“He neither acquits nor condemns, but merely relates, and, just as a dream is more often painful than happy, so a tone of melancholy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/he-neither-acquits-nor-condemns-but-merely-relates-and-just-as-a/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [“Kindness was too painful. It had been a long time since he had had to endure it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/kindness-was-too-painful-it-had-been-a-long-time-since-he-had-had-to/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Life is a dream even in its most painful moments, it's a dream that we can dance to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/life-is-a-dream-even-in-its-most-painful-moments-it-s-a-dream-that-we/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [Funny how 90% of the songs is based on something that's so painful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/funny-how-90-of-the-songs-is-based-on-something-that-s-so-painful/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My parents are divorced, and seeing that was really painful for me. Really painful for me. But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I hate watching myself speak German, it's painful!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-marsch/i-hate-watching-myself-speak-german-it-s-painful/) [Jesse Marsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-marsch/) > [“I don’t know. We all have to bear things, Ari. All of us. Your father has to bear the war and what it did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-know-we-all-have-to-bear-things-ari-all-of-us-your-father-has/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) ## More by Veronica Roth > [How strange that something so simple could have been instrumental in my decision to ruin one of my most relationships and friendships, and damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/how-strange-that-something-so-simple-could-have-been-instrumental-in/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“I was beginning to feel that I had finally found a place to stay, a place that was not so unstable or corrupt or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-was-beginning-to-feel-that-i-had-finally-found-a-place-to-stay-a/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“He acts so tough that he’s probably afraid of marshmallows and really bright sunrises or something. Overcompensating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/he-acts-so-tough-that-he-s-probably-afraid-of-marshmallows-and-really/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [And is it selfish of me to crave victory, or is it brave?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/and-is-it-selfish-of-me-to-crave-victory-or-is-it-brave/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [You always look like someone's sucked the life right out of you when something fascinates you. -Tris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/you-always-look-like-someone-s-sucked-the-life-right-out-of-you-when/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“We can be mended. We mend each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/we-can-be-mended-we-mend-each-other/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Don’t worry about me handling the pain," I say. "I’ve had a lot of practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/don-t-worry-about-me-handling-the-pain-i-say-i-ve-had-a-lot-of/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Soon I will honor my parents by dying as they died. and if all they believed about death was true, soon I will join…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/soon-i-will-honor-my-parents-by-dying-as-they-died-and-if-all-they/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Mas lembre-se, já agora, que por vezes as pessoas que oprimimos tornam-se mais poderosas do que nós gostaríamos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/mas-lembre-se-j-agora-que-por-vezes-as-pessoas-que-oprimimos-tornam/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“am aware of how little space there is between us—six inches at most. That space feels charged with electricity. I feel like it should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/am-aware-of-how-little-space-there-is-between-us-six-inches-at-most/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Oh, good,” I say, a sour taste in my mouth. “Heroism is what I was focused on. Not, you know, trying not to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/oh-good-i-say-a-sour-taste-in-my-mouth-heroism-is-what-i-was-focused/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Caleb frowns at him. "How old are you, anyway?" "Eighteen." "And you don't think you're too old to be with my little sister?" Tobias…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/caleb-frowns-at-him-how-old-are-you-anyway-eighteen-and-you-don-t/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [What do you think they're going to do to us when they find us guilty?" she says after a few minutes of silence have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/what-do-you-think-they-re-going-to-do-to-us-when-they-find-us-guilty/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“La paz está restringida, eso es libertad”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/la-paz-est-restringida-eso-es-libertad/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [In some parts of the ancient world, the hawk symbolized the sun. Back when I got this, I figured if I always had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/in-some-parts-of-the-ancient-world-the-hawk-symbolized-the-sun-back/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) [Explore all 1,589 Veronica Roth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) ## More Dreams quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [“Now you’re wet. You’re so wet you’re leaking down your ass. You’re soaking my pillow. I don’t think I’m ever washing it. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-stoker/now-you-re-wet-you-re-so-wet-you-re-leaking-down-your-ass-you-re/) [Susan Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-stoker/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [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/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 40,599 Dreams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I stopped allowing myself to dream, because it was more painful to long for things and never get them than to deal with whatever was in front of me.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Veronica Roth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-stopped-allowing-myself-to-dream-because-it-was-more-painful-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dreams" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-stopped-allowing-myself-to-dream-because-it-was-more-painful-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/veronica-roth-66_dreams_i-stopped-allowing-myself-to-dream-becau_2022495.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/veronica-roth-66_dreams_i-stopped-allowing-myself-to-dream-becau_2022495.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/veronica-roth-66_dreams_i-stopped-allowing-myself-to-dream-becau_2022495.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I stopped allowing myself to dream, because it was more painful to long for things and never get them than…” — Veronica Roth", "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": "Veronica Roth", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I stopped allowing myself to dream,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-stopped-allowing-myself-to-dream-because-it-was-more-painful-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-stopped-allowing-myself-to-dream-because-it-was-more-painful-to/#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 } } ] } ```