--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you are suffering, you become more…" description: "\"When you are suffering, you become more understanding about yourself, but also about other people's sufferings too. That's the first step to understand..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/yoko-ono-726_about-yourself_when-you-are-suffering-you-become-more-u_1184537.png" --- # When you are suffering, you become more understanding… ![“When you are suffering, you become more understanding about yourself, but also about other people's sufferings too. That's the first step to understand somebody is to understand their sufferings. So then love follows.” quote by Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/yoko-ono-726_about-yourself_when-you-are-suffering-you-become-more-u_1184537.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/yoko-ono-726_about-yourself_when-you-are-suffering-you-become-more-u_1184537.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/yoko-ono-726_about-yourself_when-you-are-suffering-you-become-more-u_1184537.png) > “When you are suffering, you become more understanding about yourself, but also about other people's sufferings too. That's the first step to understand somebody is to understand their sufferings. So then love follows.” [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suffering deepens self‑understanding and empathy, leading to love. **In simple terms:** Pain teaches empathy; love follows understanding. Key Takeaway Embrace pain to grow compassion. Themes suffering empathy love self‑awareness Mood hopeful empathetic Type inspirational advisory When to use this quote - counseling - personal growth - relationships Key Concepts psychology spirituality Questions to Reflect On - How can you transform suffering into empathy? - What practices foster compassionate love? A Different Perspective Pain can also cause bitterness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about-yourself/) [First step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-step/) [First steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-steps/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/step/) [Steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suffering Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering-understanding-626593/) [Sufferings Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sufferings-love-3488155/) [Sufferings Step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sufferings-step-3488156/) [Understand Sufferings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-sufferings-3488154/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [It's through the small things that we develop our moral imagination, so that we can understand the sufferings of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/it-s-through-the-small-things-that-we-develop-our-moral-imagination/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [love all the people you can. The sufferings from love are not to be compared to the sorrows of loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hale/love-all-the-people-you-can-the-sufferings-from-love-are-not-to-be/) [Susan Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hale/) > [“The times when you are suffering can be those when you are most open, and where you are extremely vulnerable can be where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tibetan-book-of-living-and-dying/the-times-when-you-are-suffering-can-be-those-when-you-are-most-open/) [Tibetan Book of Living and Dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tibetan-book-of-living-and-dying/) > [Suffering without understanding in this life is a heap worse than suffering when you have at least the grain of an idea what it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-chase/suffering-without-understanding-in-this-life-is-a-heap-worse-than/) [Mary Ellen Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-chase/) > [“And I'm hoping there's some larger truth about suffering here, or at least my understanding of it - although I've come to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/and-i-m-hoping-there-s-some-larger-truth-about-suffering-here-or-at/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [If we take the time to look deeply, we see that understanding and compassion arise from suffering. Understanding is the understanding of suffering, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/if-we-take-the-time-to-look-deeply-we-see-that-understanding-and/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [Suffering is there because there's something we're not understanding about our full divinity, and there are so many ways we could go into understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-tiwari/suffering-is-there-because-there-s-something-we-re-not-understanding/) [Maya Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-tiwari/) > [I'm not saying that putting on makeup will change the world or even your life, but it can be a first step in learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevyn-aucoin/i-m-not-saying-that-putting-on-makeup-will-change-the-world-or-even/) [Kevyn Aucoin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevyn-aucoin/) > [Start enjoying the things you like about yourself, and if there are things you want to change, either get to work on it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/start-enjoying-the-things-you-like-about-yourself-and-if-there-are/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [Celebrate all the things you don't like about yourself. love yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/celebrate-all-the-things-you-don-t-like-about-yourself-love-yourself/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [Dreams really tell you about yourself more than anything else in this world could ever tell you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/dreams-really-tell-you-about-yourself-more-than-anything-else-in-this/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [Change your thoughts, change your life. —LAO TZU When I was fighting depression, I remember hearing this expression and not understanding it at first.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/change-your-thoughts-change-your-life-lao-tzu-when-i-was-fighting/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [People are in denial all the time, hiding things. If I tell you a racist or dirty joke and you laugh, you're telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/people-are-in-denial-all-the-time-hiding-things-if-i-tell-you-a/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/if-you-can-t-love-yourself-how-in-the-hell-you-gonna-love-somebody/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [“they all have always loved you Will Herondale, for you cannot hide what is good about yourself, however har you try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/they-all-have-always-loved-you-will-herondale-for-you-cannot-hide/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) ## More by Yoko Ono > [Our public officials have forgotten that they are ultimately accountable to the people who put them in office, that the information they keep in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/our-public-officials-have-forgotten-that-they-are-ultimately/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you'll start to see a big difference in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/smile-in-the-mirror-do-that-every-morning-and-you-ll-start-to-see-a/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Think of the Earth as a turning point in eternity. Think of the Earth as a meeting point in infinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/think-of-the-earth-as-a-turning-point-in-eternity-think-of-the-earth/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [If your life changes, we can change the world, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/if-your-life-changes-we-can-change-the-world-too/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [ When people get cynical about love, they should look at us \[Yoko and John Lennon\] and see it is possible ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/when-people-get-cynical-about-love-they-should-look-at-us-yoko-and/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [True artists are prophets. I don't want to be that prophetic in that sense because it's so lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/true-artists-are-prophets-i-don-t-want-to-be-that-prophetic-in-that/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [The first idea, the first art piece I ever did, was when I was four. I cut the seed of a pear in half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/the-first-idea-the-first-art-piece-i-ever-did-was-when-i-was-four-i/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [John wrote with a very deep love for the human race and a concern for its future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/john-wrote-with-a-very-deep-love-for-the-human-race-and-a-concern-for/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [I always believed that my work should be unfinished in the sense that I encourage people to add their creativity to it, either conceptually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/i-always-believed-that-my-work-should-be-unfinished-in-the-sense-that/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Losing my daughter was a very serious pain. There was always some empty space in my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/losing-my-daughter-was-a-very-serious-pain-there-was-always-some/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [People don't remember each tree in a park but all of us benefit from the trees. And in a way, artists are like trees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/people-don-t-remember-each-tree-in-a-park-but-all-of-us-benefit-from/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Marriage is a gamble, let's be honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/marriage-is-a-gamble-let-s-be-honest/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [It's difficult to explain love. You want to explain water? You need a book for it. There are many different ways to explain what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/it-s-difficult-to-explain-love-you-want-to-explain-water-you-need-a/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Being alone is very difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/being-alone-is-very-difficult/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Many people do remember their births, but they deny it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/many-people-do-remember-their-births-but-they-deny-it/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) [Explore all 391 Yoko Ono quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) ## More About yourself quotes > [“they all have always loved you Will Herondale, for you cannot hide what is good about yourself, however har you try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/they-all-have-always-loved-you-will-herondale-for-you-cannot-hide/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/if-you-can-t-love-yourself-how-in-the-hell-you-gonna-love-somebody/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [People are in denial all the time, hiding things. If I tell you a racist or dirty joke and you laugh, you're telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/people-are-in-denial-all-the-time-hiding-things-if-i-tell-you-a/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [Change your thoughts, change your life. —LAO TZU When I was fighting depression, I remember hearing this expression and not understanding it at first.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/change-your-thoughts-change-your-life-lao-tzu-when-i-was-fighting/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [Dreams really tell you about yourself more than anything else in this world could ever tell you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/dreams-really-tell-you-about-yourself-more-than-anything-else-in-this/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [Celebrate all the things you don't like about yourself. love yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/celebrate-all-the-things-you-don-t-like-about-yourself-love-yourself/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [Start enjoying the things you like about yourself, and if there are things you want to change, either get to work on it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/start-enjoying-the-things-you-like-about-yourself-and-if-there-are/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [Always be yourself. There's only one you. You should embrace anything that you don't like about yourself because that's individual and that's you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesy-nelson/always-be-yourself-there-s-only-one-you-you-should-embrace-anything/) [Jesy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesy-nelson/) > [It's too distracting to read about yourself. You want to be perfect and you want everyone to love you, and that's never going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saoirse-ronan/it-s-too-distracting-to-read-about-yourself-you-want-to-be-perfect/) [Saoirse Ronan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saoirse-ronan/) > [If you want to know how to make people shun you and laugh at you behind your back and even despise you, here is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/if-you-want-to-know-how-to-make-people-shun-you-and-laugh-at-you/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [The only thing a master can teach is how to learn about yourself. There are no secrets. They are only techniques to waken yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/the-only-thing-a-master-can-teach-is-how-to-learn-about-yourself/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [I don't want to sell myself short. You hurt your spouse, not so much by the infidelity, but by the negative feelings about yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-zaslow/i-don-t-want-to-sell-myself-short-you-hurt-your-spouse-not-so-much-by/) [Michael Zaslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-zaslow/) > [A stranger can see in an instant something in you that you might spend years learning about yourself. How awful we all are when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-elliott/a-stranger-can-see-in-an-instant-something-in-you-that-you-might/) [Stephen Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-elliott/) > [Knowing is the most profound kind of love, giving someone the gift of knowledge about yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsha-norman/knowing-is-the-most-profound-kind-of-love-giving-someone-the-gift-of/) [Marsha Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsha-norman/) > [Start telling the truth now and never stop. Begin by telling the truth to yourself about yourself. Then tell the truth to yourself about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/start-telling-the-truth-now-and-never-stop-begin-by-telling-the-truth/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) [Browse all 770 About yourself quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about-yourself/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you are suffering, you become more understanding about yourself, but also about other people's sufferings too. That's the first step to understand somebody is to understand their sufferings. So then love follows.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Yoko Ono" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/when-you-are-suffering-you-become-more-understanding-about-yourself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About yourself" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/when-you-are-suffering-you-become-more-understanding-about-yourself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/yoko-ono-726_about-yourself_when-you-are-suffering-you-become-more-u_1184537.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/yoko-ono-726_about-yourself_when-you-are-suffering-you-become-more-u_1184537.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be2/yoko-ono-726_about-yourself_when-you-are-suffering-you-become-more-u_1184537.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you are suffering, you become more understanding about yourself, but also about other people's…” — Yoko Ono", "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": "Yoko Ono", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you are suffering, you become...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/when-you-are-suffering-you-become-more-understanding-about-yourself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/when-you-are-suffering-you-become-more-understanding-about-yourself/#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 } } ] } ```