--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You do not start by working on society…" description: "\"You do not start by working on society; you start by yourself to be a freer person and a more independent person.\" — Yasmine Hamdan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/628/yasmine-hamdan-10027_independent-person_you-do-not-start-by-working-on-society-y_2043535.jpg" --- # You do not start by working on society; you start by… ![“You do not start by working on society; you start by yourself to be a freer person and a more independent person.” quote by Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/628/yasmine-hamdan-10027_independent-person_you-do-not-start-by-working-on-society-y_2043535.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/628/yasmine-hamdan-10027_independent-person_you-do-not-start-by-working-on-society-y_2043535.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/628/yasmine-hamdan-10027_independent-person_you-do-not-start-by-working-on-society-y_2043535.jpg) > “You do not start by working on society; you start by yourself to be a freer person and a more independent person.” [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal transformation precedes societal impact; freeing oneself enables authentic contribution. **In simple terms:** Change yourself before changing society. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal freedom first. Themes self‑improvement freedom societal impact Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - therapy - self‑help - leadership training - community activism Key Concepts autonomy personal growth social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can personal freedom translate into societal benefit? - What obstacles arise when focusing inward? A Different Perspective Personal change may be limited without external support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Independent person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent-person/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) ## Related quotes > [Real change in society must start from individual initiative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/real-change-in-society-must-start-from-individual-initiative/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Nothing is free. You got to pay to be in society. First you start with homework.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/nothing-is-free-you-got-to-pay-to-be-in-society-first-you-start-with/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [I am extremely fortunate to have such talented people as my parents. I will always turn to them for advice. But I am my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shriya-pilgaonkar/i-am-extremely-fortunate-to-have-such-talented-people-as-my-parents-i/) [Shriya Pilgaonkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shriya-pilgaonkar/) > [I thought, 'O.K., if I'm a valuable person and an independent entity, then I don't have to worry about what people think of me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/i-thought-o-k-if-i-m-a-valuable-person-and-an-independent-entity-then/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [My kids are growing up and it's hard to accept they are their own person and they're independent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/my-kids-are-growing-up-and-it-s-hard-to-accept-they-are-their-own/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) > [Whether you are rich or poor Don't think about ego's and popularity look at each person as an independent human being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whether-you-are-rich-or-poor-don-t-think-about-ego-s-and-popularity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am a very driven and hardworking person, and I am independent, and I feel that I have really good instincts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brynn-cartelli/i-am-a-very-driven-and-hardworking-person-and-i-am-independent-and-i/) [Brynn Cartelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brynn-cartelli/) > [My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/my-mother-told-me-to-be-a-lady-and-for-her-that-meant-be-your-own/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [But once the person is selected, at that point that person is independent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/but-once-the-person-is-selected-at-that-point-that-person-is/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Temptation is just the feeling that you're the most independent person on planet Earth. That you know everything. That's something that we all go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/temptation-is-just-the-feeling-that-you-re-the-most-independent/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [“This portion of the chapter is directed at those of you whose son or daughter or other relative is in denial about his or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-berent/this-portion-of-the-chapter-is-directed-at-those-of-you-whose-son-or/) [Jonathan Berent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-berent/) > [Remember, you can be in love, but always be independent; be your own person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-you-can-be-in-love-but-always-be-independent-be-your-own/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's tricky to be such an independent person, from Canada. It doesn't matter how incredible your work is, if you're an unknown person and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shary-boyle/it-s-tricky-to-be-such-an-independent-person-from-canada-it-doesn-t/) [Shary Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shary-boyle/) > [I am a fiercely independent person, and I am no one's pawn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-blasey-ford/i-am-a-fiercely-independent-person-and-i-am-no-one-s-pawn/) [Christine Blasey Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-blasey-ford/) > [The corporation is not an independent "person" with its own rights, needs, and desires that regulators must respect. It is a state created tool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-bakan/the-corporation-is-not-an-independent-person-with-its-own-rights/) [Joel Bakan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-bakan/) ## More by Yasmine Hamdan > [Without freedom and without humor, our cultures can't have a healthy evolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/without-freedom-and-without-humor-our-cultures-can-t-have-a-healthy/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > [World music can be sometimes like the lumber room in which all the non-English singers are dumped. When you are singing in Arabic, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/world-music-can-be-sometimes-like-the-lumber-room-in-which-all-the/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > [It's complicated for my music to be accepted, even in Lebanon and the Arabic world - I sing in Arabic, but there's no lute,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/it-s-complicated-for-my-music-to-be-accepted-even-in-lebanon-and-the/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > [I'm bored, normally, when I travel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/i-m-bored-normally-when-i-travel/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > [Every time I go to Beirut, I see people and the quality of life going slowly from bad to worse, and from worse to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/every-time-i-go-to-beirut-i-see-people-and-the-quality-of-life-going/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > [Because of the Lebanese civil war, I had a scattered childhood. I had to build my own connections to each country we moved to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/because-of-the-lebanese-civil-war-i-had-a-scattered-childhood-i-had/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > [I don't think there is only one Arab culture or a pure Arabness. We are very multiple, especially our generation, which is very multilayered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/i-don-t-think-there-is-only-one-arab-culture-or-a-pure-arabness-we/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > ['Al Jamilat' is not just feminist. It's an album with songs that feature women: women who are in love, rebellious women, political activists, women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/al-jamilat-is-not-just-feminist-it-s-an-album-with-songs-that-feature/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > [With Soapkills, we were lucky. We started at a time of transition where things were not ready, nothing was available.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/with-soapkills-we-were-lucky-we-started-at-a-time-of-transition-where/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > [I studied psychology at university.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/i-studied-psychology-at-university/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > [Back in Kuwait, I had started listening to a lot of English language music: western music, I would say - Kate Bush and Radiohead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/back-in-kuwait-i-had-started-listening-to-a-lot-of-english-language/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > [The Arabic music I listen to is extremely edgy. Ironic, sarcastic, sensual, erotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/the-arabic-music-i-listen-to-is-extremely-edgy-ironic-sarcastic/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > [When I imagine feminine characters in my songs, they're often bold, strong, passionate, militant, witty, sensual, dangerous. I see those characters as skillful witnesses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/when-i-imagine-feminine-characters-in-my-songs-they-re-often-bold/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > [There is something spiritual about art that connects us with ourselves and with others; it's really about coming together and creating bridges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/there-is-something-spiritual-about-art-that-connects-us-with/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > [I always had this crisis: where do I come from? I was never an insider, never an outsider; I was always in the middle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/i-always-had-this-crisis-where-do-i-come-from-i-was-never-an-insider/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) [Explore all 68 Yasmine Hamdan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) ## More Independent person quotes > [The corporation is not an independent "person" with its own rights, needs, and desires that regulators must respect. It is a state created tool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-bakan/the-corporation-is-not-an-independent-person-with-its-own-rights/) [Joel Bakan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-bakan/) > [I am a fiercely independent person, and I am no one's pawn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-blasey-ford/i-am-a-fiercely-independent-person-and-i-am-no-one-s-pawn/) [Christine Blasey Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-blasey-ford/) > [It's tricky to be such an independent person, from Canada. It doesn't matter how incredible your work is, if you're an unknown person and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shary-boyle/it-s-tricky-to-be-such-an-independent-person-from-canada-it-doesn-t/) [Shary Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shary-boyle/) > [Remember, you can be in love, but always be independent; be your own person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-you-can-be-in-love-but-always-be-independent-be-your-own/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This portion of the chapter is directed at those of you whose son or daughter or other relative is in denial about his or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-berent/this-portion-of-the-chapter-is-directed-at-those-of-you-whose-son-or/) [Jonathan Berent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-berent/) > [Temptation is just the feeling that you're the most independent person on planet Earth. That you know everything. That's something that we all go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/temptation-is-just-the-feeling-that-you-re-the-most-independent/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [“what is the difference between being an independent person and being a person who is accepting of loneliness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-gonzalez/what-is-the-difference-between-being-an-independent-person-and-being/) [Mira Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-gonzalez/) > [As an independent person, I find it difficult being dependent for everything, for even my food and medicine, to the prison authorities. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asif-ali-zardari/as-an-independent-person-i-find-it-difficult-being-dependent-for/) [Asif Ali Zardari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asif-ali-zardari/) > [I've worked with a variety of presidents over the years on both sides of the aisle and congressmen and senators, so I'm not into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-benioff/i-ve-worked-with-a-variety-of-presidents-over-the-years-on-both-sides/) [Marc Benioff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-benioff/) > [“I strip myself emotionally when I confess need – that I would be lost without you, that I am not necessarily the independent person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/i-strip-myself-emotionally-when-i-confess-need-that-i-would-be-lost/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Leave home? It's quite a scary thought. I'm not the most independent person and that's the result. When you're always surrounded by people it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-grint/leave-home-it-s-quite-a-scary-thought-i-m-not-the-most-independent/) [Rupert Grint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-grint/) > [I am a very independent person, and I, you know, I maintain that independence, but, you know, certain things - I mean, it takes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-townsend/i-am-a-very-independent-person-and-i-you-know-i-maintain-that/) [Sue Townsend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-townsend/) > [The truth is that I am a very independent person and I've always been. That probably damaged some of my relationships with men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bronagh-gallagher/the-truth-is-that-i-am-a-very-independent-person-and-i-ve-always-been/) [Bronagh Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bronagh-gallagher/) > [“There is a foundational need inherent in every human person to love someone and to be loved. The self is completed and integrated and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mildred-bangs-wynkoop/there-is-a-foundational-need-inherent-in-every-human-person-to-love/) [Mildred Bangs Wynkoop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mildred-bangs-wynkoop/) > [I'm such an independent person, I always want to do everything myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacie-orrico/i-m-such-an-independent-person-i-always-want-to-do-everything-myself/) [Stacie Orrico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacie-orrico/) [Browse all 44 Independent person quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent-person/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You do not start by working on society; you start by yourself to be a freer person and a more independent person.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Yasmine Hamdan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/you-do-not-start-by-working-on-society-you-start-by-yourself-to-be-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Independent person" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/you-do-not-start-by-working-on-society-you-start-by-yourself-to-be-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/628/yasmine-hamdan-10027_independent-person_you-do-not-start-by-working-on-society-y_2043535.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/628/yasmine-hamdan-10027_independent-person_you-do-not-start-by-working-on-society-y_2043535.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/628/yasmine-hamdan-10027_independent-person_you-do-not-start-by-working-on-society-y_2043535.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You do not start by working on society; you start by yourself to be a freer person and a more independent…” — Yasmine Hamdan", "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": "Yasmine Hamdan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You do not start by working...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/you-do-not-start-by-working-on-society-you-start-by-yourself-to-be-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/you-do-not-start-by-working-on-society-you-start-by-yourself-to-be-a/#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 } } ] } ```