--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a little bit younger The…" description: "\"When I was a little bit younger The strain I was under could make me cry. Now I'm a little bit older, A little bit bolder, Never so shy\" — Zooey Deschanel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/zooey-deschanel-1154_bits_when-i-was-a-little-bit-younger-the-stra_3098725.png" --- # When I was a little bit younger The strain I was under… ![“When I was a little bit younger The strain I was under could make me cry. Now I'm a little bit older, A little bit bolder, Never so shy” quote by Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/zooey-deschanel-1154_bits_when-i-was-a-little-bit-younger-the-stra_3098725.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/zooey-deschanel-1154_bits_when-i-was-a-little-bit-younger-the-stra_3098725.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/zooey-deschanel-1154_bits_when-i-was-a-little-bit-younger-the-stra_3098725.png) > “When I was a little bit younger The strain I was under could make me cry. Now I'm a little bit older, A little bit bolder, Never so shy” [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aging brings emotional resilience, allowing one to express feelings more openly and confidently. **In simple terms:** Growing older fosters bolder emotional expression. Key Takeaway Embrace growth to become more authentic. Themes growth emotional intelligence confidence Mood introspective encouraging Type personal motivational When to use this quote - career challenges - creative projects - relationships Key Concepts self‑acceptance personal development Questions to Reflect On - How has age changed your emotional expression? - What practices help you stay authentic? A Different Perspective Not all aging experiences lead to boldness; some may increase caution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) ## Related quotes > [I was in foster care for a bit when I was younger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/callum-wilson/i-was-in-foster-care-for-a-bit-when-i-was-younger/) [Callum Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/callum-wilson/) > [When I was a bit younger, I loved Rufus Wainwright - just the fact that he existed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olly-alexander/when-i-was-a-bit-younger-i-loved-rufus-wainwright-just-the-fact-that/) [Olly Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olly-alexander/) > [Certain things come naturally, and tackling wasn't one of them; I'd sometimes go a bit over the top when I was younger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-wilshere/certain-things-come-naturally-and-tackling-wasn-t-one-of-them-i-d/) [Jack Wilshere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-wilshere/) > [I never really get to play a character who's my own age. I kind of look a little bit younger for my age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-osment/i-never-really-get-to-play-a-character-who-s-my-own-age-i-kind-of/) [Emily Osment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-osment/) > [I sometimes wish I was a bit younger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-reeves/i-sometimes-wish-i-was-a-bit-younger/) [Vic Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-reeves/) > [Obviously, I'm a bit younger so I didn't witness Van Nistelrooy scoring every single week but his numbers were ridiculous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mctominay/obviously-i-m-a-bit-younger-so-i-didn-t-witness-van-nistelrooy/) [Scott McTominay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mctominay/) > [When I was a bit younger, I made too much of trying to stick up for myself. But I don't need to prove that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/when-i-was-a-bit-younger-i-made-too-much-of-trying-to-stick-up-for/) [Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/) > [If I was a little bit younger I would worry more. I'd want to do one thing at a time but now I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/if-i-was-a-little-bit-younger-i-would-worry-more-i-d-want-to-do-one/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [When you get a little bit older, you're always trying to do something different from your siblings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-boateng/when-you-get-a-little-bit-older-you-re-always-trying-to-do-something/) [Jerome Boateng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-boateng/) > [In the UK, everything is a bit older and a bit more worn-out, and the people are a bit more tired. You know. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-maria/in-the-uk-everything-is-a-bit-older-and-a-bit-more-worn-out-and-the/) Ida Maria > [I've never gone out with a guy who is older than me by more than a couple years. Usually it's my age, a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-vergara/i-ve-never-gone-out-with-a-guy-who-is-older-than-me-by-more-than-a/) [Sofia Vergara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-vergara/) > [I used to go over to Gene Kelly's house and play volleyball, and Paul Newman and Marlon Brando were always there. You kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-collins/i-used-to-go-over-to-gene-kelly-s-house-and-play-volleyball-and-paul/) [Joan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-collins/) > [I've chopped off a good chunk of my hair and gone darker and I look a bit older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-jessie/i-ve-chopped-off-a-good-chunk-of-my-hair-and-gone-darker-and-i-look-a/) [Claudia Jessie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-jessie/) > [Obviously, matches and all that stuff takes its toll on your body and so forth. But as you get sort of a bit older,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/obviously-matches-and-all-that-stuff-takes-its-toll-on-your-body-and/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [After I grew some facial hair, I looked a bit older, and I guess that's what the modeling world wanted because I started booking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/godfrey-gao/after-i-grew-some-facial-hair-i-looked-a-bit-older-and-i-guess-that-s/) [Godfrey Gao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/godfrey-gao/) ## More by Zooey Deschanel > [Anyone who knows me knows that I am really into hair. I'm a real girly girl and love doing my hair and experimenting with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/anyone-who-knows-me-knows-that-i-am-really-into-hair-i-m-a-real-girly/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [I know a lot of people that have had fake Twitters... actors and musicians that I know. It's sort of a problem. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-know-a-lot-of-people-that-have-had-fake-twitters-actors-and/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [For those of us who try to keep remembering, Try to do our better than our best. Think of all the children in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/for-those-of-us-who-try-to-keep-remembering-try-to-do-our-better-than/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [I think my knowledge of music theory is rooted in jazz theory, and a lot of the writers of standards - Rodgers and Hart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-think-my-knowledge-of-music-theory-is-rooted-in-jazz-theory-and-a/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [I finally figured out how to read origami directions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-finally-figured-out-how-to-read-origami-directions/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [You do not need to look or be anorexic to be successful in Hollywood. The range of what's acceptable is a lot larger than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/you-do-not-need-to-look-or-be-anorexic-to-be-successful-in-hollywood/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [I'm not really that interested in pandering to an audience of people that are going to judge me before they hear me. If they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-m-not-really-that-interested-in-pandering-to-an-audience-of-people/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [There are a lot of actors who will sit here and talk to you about characters - 'He does this, and she's a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/there-are-a-lot-of-actors-who-will-sit-here-and-talk-to-you-about/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [I still have in me the same awareness when I was 12 and chubby and a girl was spitting in my face. I'm the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-still-have-in-me-the-same-awareness-when-i-was-12-and-chubby-and-a/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [Well, my piano's really beautiful. I actually have two pianos. I have a Yamaha upright from the '60s that's blond, wood, and black, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/well-my-piano-s-really-beautiful-i-actually-have-two-pianos-i-have-a/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [I always wanted to be normal. I tried really hard, but it's like I try so hard and then people still say I'm offbeat.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-always-wanted-to-be-normal-i-tried-really-hard-but-it-s-like-i-try/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [Yeah, well, we were looking for something sort of anonymous. It suggests what it is, but I like that it's modest. I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/yeah-well-we-were-looking-for-something-sort-of-anonymous-it-suggests/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [You go to something like the Golden Globes, and it's the most glamorous place you could ever be, but then you go home and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/you-go-to-something-like-the-golden-globes-and-it-s-the-most/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [The red-carpet thing of premieres and parties is probably my least favourite part of my job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/the-red-carpet-thing-of-premieres-and-parties-is-probably-my-least/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [Being tender and open is beautiful. As a woman, I feel continually shhh’ed. Too sensitive. Too mushy. Too wishy washy. Blah blah. Don’t let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/being-tender-and-open-is-beautiful-as-a-woman-i-feel-continually-shhh/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) [Explore all 282 Zooey Deschanel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) ## More Bits quotes > [ Brad \[Dourif\] would tell himself that he was not intentionally trying to mimic Jack Nicholson in any way. I think that actually bothers him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirschner/brad-dourif-would-tell-himself-that-he-was-not-intentionally-trying/) [David Kirschner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirschner/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I became a bit of a teacher's pet, and it became known in the school by both faculty and students that I really excelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/i-became-a-bit-of-a-teacher-s-pet-and-it-became-known-in-the-school/) [Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [He referred to me as an 'insufferable puffed-up prat'. This is a bit rich coming from a man who actually married his own mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/he-referred-to-me-as-an-insufferable-puffed-up-prat-this-is-a-bit/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [It won't do you a bit of good to know everything if you don't do anything with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-fitzhugh/it-won-t-do-you-a-bit-of-good-to-know-everything-if-you-don-t-do/) [Louise Fitzhugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-fitzhugh/) > [I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-told-i-had-brain-damage-i-always-knew-it-was-an-unfair-label/) [Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/) > [I think that's the beauty of the current setup, is that Legends is meant to be a bit of a revolving door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-the-current-setup-is-that-legends-is/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [We, as pop stars, are people not androids. We’ve got views. I’ve got opinions and I don’t see why I shouldn’t use a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-meddows-taylor/we-as-pop-stars-are-people-not-androids-we-ve-got-views-i-ve-got/) [Roger Meddows Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-meddows-taylor/) > [In terms of style, too, I think I've been working with a somewhat limited -- although intentionally limited -- set of tools. So I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/in-terms-of-style-too-i-think-i-ve-been-working-with-a-somewhat/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) > [ Donald Trump has opened \[ politically correct enforcement\] up wide. He's made a very bold statement and he's backed it back just a little… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-has-opened-politically-correct-enforcement-up-wide-he-s/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [When my name started popping up I was quite irritated and a little bit in shock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-snow/when-my-name-started-popping-up-i-was-quite-irritated-and-a-little/) [Michael Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-snow/) > [Don't get divorced after your first argument! I have a lot of friends that have one fight and that's it, they get divorced. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/) [Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/) Browse all 5,709 Bits quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was a little bit younger The strain I was under could make me cry. Now I'm a little bit older, A little bit bolder, Never so shy", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zooey Deschanel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/when-i-was-a-little-bit-younger-the-strain-i-was-under-could-make-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bits" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/when-i-was-a-little-bit-younger-the-strain-i-was-under-could-make-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/zooey-deschanel-1154_bits_when-i-was-a-little-bit-younger-the-stra_3098725.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/zooey-deschanel-1154_bits_when-i-was-a-little-bit-younger-the-stra_3098725.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/zooey-deschanel-1154_bits_when-i-was-a-little-bit-younger-the-stra_3098725.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was a little bit younger The strain I was under could make me cry. Now I'm a little bit older, A…” — Zooey Deschanel", "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": "Zooey Deschanel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was a little bit...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/when-i-was-a-little-bit-younger-the-strain-i-was-under-could-make-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/when-i-was-a-little-bit-younger-the-strain-i-was-under-could-make-me/#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 } } ] } ```